While I'm sure we'd all love to see a big follow-up to Game Dev Story come to iOS, I can truly appreciate on some level that in this heavily-changing market, Pocket Stables shows that Kairosoft can, if nothing else, keep their games' quality and value stable.

Rocket Patrol is an unapologetically casual game, and the strategy probably isn't deep enough to hold an iOS card aficionado's long-term interest.

Infinight is not a fast-paced game - so much so that likely some gamers will find frustration - but it is evocative and challenging. Puzzle fans who like a slice of atmosphere to go with their quest for the goal should enjoy what Infinight has to offer.

And I mean that in the most endearing way possible, this is a game that shouldn't be as much fun as it is but it's just so wonderful.

Like so many games these days, Lunar: Silver Star Story Touch hit the App Store with some some obvious flaws. The ultimate question isn't what it might become, but whether it can be recommended as-is. The short answer is "yes."

Naughty Bricks isn't the kind of game that's going to stay with you for a very long time after you finish it, but it's a good time while it lasts. The levels are well-designed, the challenge is pretty much just right, and there are more than enough new mechanics to hold your interest through the end of the game.

For only a buck, there's really no excuse to not download this one. You get a seemingly-endless number of levels and a fun diversion, and it's Universal to boot.

Overall there was enough fun to be had that I kept overlooking the small frustrations to log back in. There’s a lot that’s right with Shadowgun Legends but it’s built on lackluster mechanics that never truly feels like a satisfying or well-built FPS.

A remarkably successful combination of logic puzzle and explosive violence.

As a premium game, Lumino City's price feels right on the mark. There's no boosts or IAP involved, you simply need to deduce your way to the game's conclusion. In that sense, it's a perfect pickup for old school adventure fans alike.

Disgaea 1 Complete on mobile with the new features is the best version of the game on any platform now. While I still prefer Disgaea 5 Complete overall, it is good to see NIS continue to refine the original game with every new platform offering better ways to experience the origins of one of my favourite tactical RPG series ever. While I can’t vouch for the post launch support of this release when a new iOS update hits, in its current state (with the cloud save issue fixed), Disgaea 1 Complete on iOS is an easy recommendation for tactical RPG fans.

Ultimately, Word Derby has a lot of moving parts to it. Some move more fluidly than other, but the old girl's got plenty of legs and horsepower in it before being overtaken by another, more clever word game.

Sky Chasers isn’t the greatest cave flyer that’s ever flown through a cave, but it’s still a very good one.

On the whole, Arcade Paradise is a fine game. If you like the premise, I suspect you will like the game a lot. It has a few flaws but nothing that really hurts the core appeal of the game, and I always find these sorts of “retro games that weren’t" affairs to be fascinating. It also does a great job of nailing its 1990s setting, with lots of little details that help pull you into its world. A unique, enjoyable sim that is very difficult to put down.

Once you've finished Devious Dungeon, it's well and truly over with, but for the price of admission, it's kind of hard to gripe much.

While the PC version game has been available for free over the years, the iPhone version is a worthy conversion for fans and newcomers to the series.

It's definitely worth checking out for gamers who appreciate a good score attack.

If you're any sort of JellyCar fan at all though, JellyCar 3 is easily the best one yet and is highly recommended.

Blip Blup may make for an excellent exercise in interface design, but it's also quite a fun little puzzle game from the folks at ustwo.

Shining praise aside, Bar Oasis 2 does have one problem: mixology gets boring. There are only so many drinks you can concoct before everything begins feeling repetitive.

Dorfromantik is a pleasant game. It’s pleasant to look at, it’s pleasant to listen to, and it’s pleasant to poke at. The controls in this Switch version are a little awkward, and it’s clear the game wasn’t built for a controller interface, but they’re not so bad as to ruin the experience. If you’re looking for a very low-stress game to unwind with, Dorfromantik is just about the perfect ticket.

The jumping still feels a bit floaty and the controls are not as responsive as they should be. But you do get acclimated to how it plays and with Glowdot's track record I have no doubt that the gameplay will be refined even further. What Rogue Runner really is, though, is a labor of love from both the developer and the community, and for that reason alone it is worth having a look at.

Tiny Dice Dungeon is generally fun to play and it's packed full of interesting ideas, even with its shortcomings. It's assuredly rough around the edges and the balancing needs more work,

I had a ton of fun with Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden, and highly recommend any Zelda fan give it a try. You'll have a great idea of whether or not you want to continue by the time you hit the pay wall, and hopefully you're somewhere with connectivity so you can proceed past it.

Having finally finished (I couldn’t resist) The Unfinished Swan, I can see why it was originally recommended to me in the first place. While there are some aspects that feel dated, the game itself has aged brilliantly and I hope Annapurna Interactive can address the few issues here so that this is something I can recommend without caveats to anyone looking for a unique but succinct exploration adventure game. I’m glad we finally have a definitive portable version of The Unfinished Swan now with this release.

El Shaddai has always been a game that divided opinions, and that’s just as true of this HD remaster as it was for the original version. The beautiful presentation carries a lot of the load here, and the story certainly has its charms. The repetitive gameplay is the biggest issue here, as it fails to offer both the diversity of moves and expanding arsenal of many of its peers in the character action genre. For me, the good outweighed the inadequate here, and nothing was really outright bad about it. But if you think a game needs to get by on its mechanics, you might want to pump the brakes on this Ascension.

Knights of the Round Cable brings aspects of Dancing Dots' former IGF finalist but re-works the gameplay to work in a more casual tone. It pays off for the better, allowing for an experience that feels better on a mobile platform.

The Magic Castle provides a variety of well thought out and designed puzzles, gorgeous visuals and a refreshing break from the plague of endless runners. If you're a fan of adventure games, you owe it to yourself to grab a copy.

Lost Harmony is an audio/visual triumph with a few gameplay quirks that trip it up here and there.

Overall, that’s the highest kind of compliment you can give for Gold Diggers, a game in a genre that often relies heavily on in-app purchases and cheesy grinding schemes to bring players back. If that’s enough to entice you to try another endless runner, then Gold Diggers has a lot to offer.

Cassette Beasts on Switch isn’t perfect right now, but it is a superb monster collecting game that does many things better than the genre kings. It excels with its style, music, and gameplay, and is a game I hope gets a physical release soon. I’m looking forward to trying the DLC when it does launch on Switch.

If you like kaiju flicks and want to try a unique puzzle game, give CombineRobot a whirl for a buck. Once the allure wears off it does feel a bit more conventional than it does at first glance, but there's enough content there to keep you busy.

Although combat never really elevates itself to the level of a true action game, there's enough fun to be had traversing the various dark depths within to last you a while -- and without spending any money, mind. And sometimes, that's all you can really ask for out of a bite-sized experience.

The general course layouts may lose their shine after a while, but the core gameplay and fun tricks you can pull off with Ace Cards ensure that the moment-to-moment action rarely lets you down. As long as you’re fine with the heavy cost of failure, you’ll likely get hours upon hours of joy from this curse.

Action Buggy is one of those games where the average game session is measured in seconds rather than minutes, but in that elusive "success is just another try away" way.

The controls aren't perfect, which can sometimes lead to mistakes. The game's distinctly retro aesthetic will be a turn-off for some. And I can sympathize with the feeling that roguelikes can be a bit pointless. I enjoy the repetition, the fight to improve my score in a pretty randomly generated experience, but there's no shame in preferring persistance.

The biggest strength of Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince is also its biggest failing, and it’s one that it fully shares with its predecessor. It is so busy being faithfully inspired by The Legend of Zelda that it can’t quite shake its shadow and become its own game. And the thing is, I’m not sure that it should. We don’t see many top-down Zelda games anymore, and most similar games either change too much or miss the mark in terms of quality. Maybe the best thing for Blossom Tales to be is that series that feeds an appetite that no one else is serving. If that is the case, then Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince is every bit the sequel it should have been.

A great endless runner. I'd argue that it warrants consideration simply from its visuals.

While I have a few little quibbles about balance issues and the odd battle pacing, Alphadia Genesis 2 is a fairly solid JRPG with an interesting story, a decent cast of characters, and no major failings in any important categories.

The bottom line? An Alien with a Magnet is simply a fun game. There isn't much to detract from Rejected’s offering, aside from the repetition and the voice, the latter of which is entirely based upon you, whether you like him or not.

Rope Rescue provides a decent challenge and caters for different skill levels. The best players will aim for three feather per level, while more casual players can just aim to complete levels.

While Two Point Campus: School Spirits was overpriced, Two Point Campus: Medical School feels like a great addition to the game. The only caveat with this DLC pack is the state of the Switch version. This DLC pack is worth grabbing if you liked Two Point Hospital, and it has me excited to see what more Two Point Studios has in store for this game.

Pinball Arcade is simply one of the best pinball games I've ever played, and should be put at the top of the class with other iOS pinball elites.

Jones is, on the whole, a great saviour of kitties, and Jones On Fire is a fun runner. It lacks a bit in the longevity department, but with a little love and a few more environments it could be positively gripping.

If this is your first experience with the game, I think you’ll find the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster version to be quite a worthy purchase. It feels its age in terms of story and themes, but it remains a solid RPG with some great beats. The results of turning in that particular item to Bahamut still gets me pumped to this day, and the initial sequence leading up to the bridge feels like the perfect way to kick off an adventure. There are better games in the series, to be sure, but the relative simplicity of this installment makes it well-suited for players who can’t devote their full attention to a more complex RPG. It’s a strong update to the original game, and I suspect we’ll be enjoying it for many years to come.

If you’re looking for a cool action game and have both sharp reflexes and considerable patient, you’ll want to consider Sifu. It’s a lot of fun to learn, and while you will probably take your fair share of lumps, it’s all in service to getting your skills to the level they need to be to take you through the game. Once you’ve got everything down, it makes you feel like you’re Neo at the end of the good Matrix movie. Dodging and weaving around attacks that used to knock you out, and landing that vital counter-attack that sends your former tormentor flying, is the kind of feeling that hard games aim to deliver. And Sifu does indeed deliver.

Techland not only ported Dying Light to Switch well, but also added touchscreen support for menus and motion controls. In terms of features, this is one of the best big game conversions I’ve seen for Switch and it would be great if we actually saw more publishers and developers put in this much of an effort into their ports. While the Nintendo Switch version isn’t as good as other platforms in almost every way on a technical level, it is absolutely worth getting if you’ve wanted to experience the game and want it portable or only have a Nintendo Switch.

The game's multiplayer is seamlessly integrated, and all that's missing is the ability to curse at the other player and attempt to slap their controller out of their hands.

I think Spidey fans and runner fans should definitely check out Spider-Man Unlimited simply because it does so much right.

Over time you learn to navigate around all the weird little bugs and puzzling UI decisions and just enjoy the game for what it is: a surprisingly strategic movie generator wrapped around decent match-three mechanics with lots of charm and personality.

Where End Night fails is in providing a reason to keep playing. The pretense toward randomness is promising, but once you've improved your stats and put together your final cure there's really not much call to replay the game.

In all, Tint probably won’t change the world. It’s not flashy like Soyanara Wild Hearts or bursting with heartfelt storytelling like Assemble With Care. And there’s certainly no Sonic racing around in it. But what it lacks in hedgehogs it makes up for with snails. I guess what I’m trying to say is that while it may not blow your socks off, it will certainly gently peel them off and toss them in the dryer for you while you curl up on the couch with some hot chocolate. If any of that sounds appealing to you, definitely give Tint a try.

Empire is a rogue-like that uses the 4X genre as its base. I enjoy it for what it is, an experience that is both singular and innovative. Seriously, if you like strategy games, this is not one to be missed.

So while Dissidia Final Fantasy OO is definitely fan service, it's not only that, and that fact alone elevates it above some of the other F2P FF titles we've seen come through the App Store. If you've got a soft spot in your heart for the personalities from the world's most famous RPG series and want to see them all come together in a way that doesn't insult your intelligence, this is worth a download to see if you enjoy the rest of what it has to offer as well.

The game is still really fun, and a nice way to just kind of chill out to while still be challenged

Choice of the Pirate isn't a must-have gamebook, but it wears its concept well and has an enjoyable time along the way. As such, fans of fantasy pirate stories and those who enjoy lighthearted adventures will likely get their kicks out of this story.

1968 is a rather uneven game in terms of its mechanics, its difficulty, and its presentation, but it all tends to shake out on the positive side of things.

Ratings War is a compelling piece of interactive fiction, with an unusual premise and a fun plot that's ripe for the different available personality types to riff off of. While it's a little on the short side, that element of the game keeps the pace lively and, if nothing else, helps avoid the problem of the concept spreading itself too thinly.

Satellina is just a solid experience.

If you're looking for some arcade-style action that's deviates from the norm, I would definitely recommend checking out Wispin.

If you’ve never played an Uncharted game before, both of these are excellent action adventure games with superlative set pieces. It is unfortunate that Sony didn’t release the first three games before this though, but you can play these directly. If you already played them on PS4 or PS5 and are wondering how they are on Steam Deck, I’d wait for a discount before buying them to play on the go. While they hold up well, there are too many caveats to this recommendation at full price if you already played these games before. If you haven’t the price is worth it assuming you’re ok with the storage requirements.

So math fans and strategy nuts, enjoy. Exponential Invasion, is, as it claims, a game of mathmatical warfare, and it's a clever one.

Used for its intended purpose, Mucho Party is a pretty solid effort.

Like the original game itself, Tomba! Special Edition isn’t perfect, but it’s a very difficult game to dislike. This is a game that feels eternally in search of its due, and perhaps this multiplatform release might help make that finally happen. If you’re looking for a platformer that’s a bit different from the norm, or are an old Tomba fan in search of a way to rekindle your happy memories, this is a good pick.

At the end of the day, Pirate Legends is a terrifically fun game, its biggest hindrance being what seems like an excessive paywall (for your Flying Aces).

Retro Runners is a great little free runner that's done right, mostly because does enough to endear itself to players without forcing IAPs down your throat. It could use a little more diversity, but it's worth your time if you're not sick of the genre by now.

If you enjoy classic arcade games or modern games inspired by them, you’ll likely enjoy Annalynn. It has a great presentation, fun gameplay, and a sufficient amount of depth to its scoring system to give it a lot of replay value. The lack of online leaderboards makes it hard to get fully into competing, and it’s a feature I hope might be added later on. For now, this is good, fast fun that fans of similar odes to the arcade like Donut Dodo and Galacticon will greatly appreciate.

It's a journey worth taking, as much as it exposes the horrors of our depths.

The lack of urgency and dread and overall anxiousness of how much longer I can make my run go is ultimately Corridor Z's biggest downfall, and holds back what is an otherwise great take on a tired formula. Two tired formulas, in fact.

I would have been happier with Crazy Kings as a premium title, but there are definitely towers worthy of defending here. And hey, at least it won’t take up too much of your time.

In the end, Go Home Dinosaurs is a well-executed tower defense title with enough additions to the genre to make it worth checking out. Suffice to say, I hope other developers take note when trying to differentiate and improve upon tower defense.

Still a fantastic game, and I had a great time playing it. What it's missing in variety it makes up for with heaps of charm, and for the amount of content you get, it's worth way more than a buck.

Worth obsessing over if you love numbers, tactics, collecting and crafting.

While I know some Volgarr fans are slightly put off by the lengthier stages, I think by and large Volgarr the Viking II will go down well with those who enjoyed the workmanlike challenge of the original game. It doesn’t mess with the formula too much, and its one concession to those who were frustrated by the first one has a sufficient cost to preserve the core ethos of the series. A well-made, no-nonsense action game that might just be the remedy you’re after.

If you enjoy stealth games, you'll likely have a few frustrating moments with Stealth, but on the whole, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it. If you're not familiar with the genre, the streamlined nature of the game makes it not a bad place at all to get your start.

What keeps Baby Nom Nom from the reachable pinnacle it should strangle is the limited amount of levels. Even though I sped through the app, I will come back for seconds, thirds, and more.

Oddly, while I was looking forward to playing the new-to-the-West Saviors more, I ended up enjoying my replay of Stranger more. Still, both games are well-crafted dungeon RPGs and the fact that they offer slightly different experiences is one of the biggest strengths of this pack.

One of the advantages of this being a port of a classic game is that there is far more content – more scenarios and ways to play them – than would be invested in an original iOS game.

The one minor gripe that I have with Rat On A Skateboard, and with all Donut games actually, is that accessing the online high scores pulls you out of the game and opens up the leaderboards in Safari. In an age where Game Center is readily available to developers, this sort of action doesn't quite fly anymore, and I'd love to see their entire catalog updated with proper in-game leaderboards in the future.

Fatal Fight is free, fair, and fun, so if any of that alliteration appeals to you, go hit that link.

Life is Strange: True Colors is one of the better newer game ports in recent years on Nintendo Switch. In a lot of cases, there are big caveats to buying a newer third party game on Nintendo Switch. For Life is Strange: True Colors, there have been downgrades, but they are smartly done to preserve most of the experience and deliver an excellent portable experience. Life is Strange: True Colors has already seen further improvements following launch with a recent update. As the franchise’s debut on the Switch platform, Life is Strange: True Colors is just about everything I wanted from a port.

It’s not as abstract a world as Portal, and feels out of place, but if you can ignore all that silly window dressing, there’s a good game with great voice acting to enjoy.

It’s a little hard to deal with initially, but the game is forgiving enough with its difficulty options that you should be able to get the ropes sooner or later. Once you do, it’s tremendous fun. All up it’s not the longest game around, but you certainly won’t regret the time you spend with it.

Simply put, Bullet Time gets a lot of things right when it comes to dual stick shooters. The controls, presentation, customization and replayability are all well done.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong is as charming as it ever was, and the various additions and improvements to this remake certainly make it a definitive experience for those coming to the game for the first time. Those who got their fill of the original might find there isn’t enough new here to justify the purchase. For my part, I’m happy to see this game come back, but I can’t help but wonder if I wouldn’t have been just as satisfied with the oringal game being added to Nintendo Switch Online instead. Perhaps a new installment is in order?

Even with all of the frustrations I had with the platforming in Arise: A Simple Story, everything else here is so good that I feel good about recommending it. The emotional journey is outstanding, and unlike a lot of other narrative-focused games, Arise packs in a lot of gameplay to go with the story. This Switch port makes some minor technical concessions, but it’s quite good on the whole. A straight run through will only take you a few hours, but hidden collectibles make it worth taking your time to explore. A Simple Story it is, but there’s something to be said for simplicity.

With a bunch of different paths to play through and endings to reach, it’s worth doing a replay or two just to feel things out a bit more. I wish the overarching plot was a little more engaging, but I found enough in the moment-to-moment to keep me quite satisfied.

A great game worthy of a play through. If you have any interest in top down shooters, and you're a fan of extensive unlockables, check it out.

I highly recommend Magic Touch. It's something I'd recommend to casual players, as just tracing glyphs is simple enough for anyone to get into without needing to be intimidated by old-school platformer mechanics.

Any Landing is a fun and unique game, and I again want to applaud the developer for their very customer-friendly approach to IAP.

Overall, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales on iOS is an essential for any fans of The Witcher 3 and Gwent. If you don’t like card games but enjoy the world of CD Projekt Red’s Witcher the storytelling here will more than make up for that. You can even play on a lower difficulty to skip encounters if you just want to experience the story and world. The writing and story are strong enough to even make this worth it for those who don’t know anything about The Witcher since this is a standalone experience. With a few fixes and improvements, the iOS version of Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales can easily be the best way to play it.

For now, I think Biz Builder Delux makes for a nice bit of fun for sim fans looking for something they can pay once and fully enjoy in a genre buried in free-to-play giants.

Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers is excellent, but it is a few updates away from being truly special. Right now, I absolutely recommend it if you’re willing to learn through experience though. It also feels like a nice middle ground between Balatro and Luck Be a Landlord in terms of how much luck plays a part in your run. If that sounds good to you, I urge you to give it a shot. I hope to see it come to mobile and console in the future.

I ended up enjoying Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo more than I expected. It is a more traditional otome game, but one that never overstayed its welcome. I remain impressed with how creative the developers and designers get with bringing aspects of the setting into the game’s interface as well. If you’ve been wanting more like Hakuoki on Switch, Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo is worth your time and money.

Overall, though, it’s a pretty fascinating little slice of motorcycle racing that’s not quite like anything I’ve played before.

Of course retro junkies will no doubt find room for subtle strategy, and use patience to their advantage in the climb to maddeningly high tallies. Even then, in the hands of less committed players, you'd be hard pressed not to get at least 1001 fun-filled attempts out of this one. I'd buy that for a dollar - and so should you.

Overall, Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered is a fantastic re-do of a game that had lots of room for improvement. SaGa fans will eat it up, and even if you’ve played the original you may want to check this out for its new content and additions. The look of the game may turn some off, and there are certainly some awkward carry-overs from its PlayStation 2 origins. It’s also a SaGa game through and through, and that’s either going to have you jumping with joy or running for the hills. Only two left now before they have to make a new one, right?

SteamWorld Heist II isn’t as novel as the first game, and it more or less keeps to what worked before. It can be a little difficult at times, and you’ll always have to be vigilant for gimmicks because some battles are fond of them. The job system is a treat for people who enjoy searching for broken combos, and the overworld exploration breaks up the action while helping to better establish the setting. If you enjoyed SteamWorld Heist and are ready for more of that gameplay, plus some more of that enjoyable SteamWorld lore, you’ll get what you’re looking for with this one.