If you're looking for a unique puzzle game that will occasionally challenge and frustrate you, Cyro will do the trick.

It seems the developers set out to make a throwback to some of their favorite old-school platformers, with awesome graphics and solid controls, and at this they completely succeed with Paper Monsters.

In a sea of matching games, few feel simultaneously as rewarding and as respectful of a player's skill as Rise of the Blobs. It may be soft and jiggly on the outside, but it's hard as nails underneath.

Whether you are looking for a fun and pretty game to cruise through, or something you can race against time and get the adrenaline pumping with, this game will deliver. Over all I am a huge fan of Moon Surfing and can see myself spending a lot of my future free time exploring the moon, though right now I am off to find more Christian Schnellmann games in the app store.

I'm not usually a big fan of tilt-only games, but Air Penguin definitely does it right. The tilting is extremely accurate, so it makes completing acrobatic leaps of faith a joy rather than frustrating.

Dragon Quest Treasures is an enjoyable action-RPG with an interesting treasure-hunting gimmick that is boosted by how it uses elements of the series. It’s perhaps a little on the easy side, and there are aspects of the game that feel thinner than I would prefer. Still, I think it’s a solid choice for fans of Dragon Quest or younger players who are dipping their toes into the action-RPG genre. It’s a bit of a trifle, but it’s a well-made one that sits well in the proverbial stomach.

If you have a couple of bucks to spare, Dungelot is the way to go. For those who have exhausted that game, or those who aren't keen to spend money, I can now at least say that Dungelot 2 is almost as good.

If you want a great one-handed mobile platformer that will test you, check out Blitz Breaker.

Fluid SE by its nature is best for people who want to be tested, who don't mind repetition in the name of mastering a game and the challenge it sets forth. Thankfully, the game is designed so well that it makes this experience as satisfying as possible.

Push-Cars' stylized maps add a lot of charm. You get a sense of looking down at the actual cities, but they fit in nicely with the game's cartoonish art.

Power Hover is just a solid little game.

Star Warfare: Alien Invasion is a pretty good first-person shooter for a dollar, despite the expensive weapons, emphasis on IAP and need to buy bullets with in-game money.

You probably already have at least one falling block puzzle game on your device, but you may want to make room for one more.

Overall, Hot Lava is a fun parkour/action game with a lot of potential. Once they fix things like the control design, it’ll become a solid game on Apple Arcade. Until then, Hot Lava remains as a great game for the people with the correct equipment, i.e. a Bluetooth controller. The environment and unique universe will keep you entertained from beginning to end, and thanks to the different starts and collectibles there are, you have a lot of reasons to keep playing this game.

Lunar Racer is already a fun title which I'll be playing for a while, but it feels like it could be much more. Here's hoping for more levels coming, an extra game mode planned & the possibility of online multiplayer mode.

Military Madness: Neo Nectaris isn't much of a departure from the now 20-plus-year-old original game, but it holds up extremely well, especially with the new touch controls.

Chillaxian is still an arcade game and a clear homage to Galaxian. Despite the increased variety and addition of “save points” it cannot escape its highly simplistic yet entirely classic roots.

While the controls needed some more work and the tutorials could have been delivered differently, I enjoyed sending my critters to their doom.

If the quirks and differences of the original release of Sonic Origins pushed you away, nothing in Sonic Origins Plus is going to turn your opinion around. Even the pixel scaling is still off. If you were okay with vanilla Origins, the Plus content is more than worth picking up. Ten dollars gets you a dozen Game Gear games and some fun new character options for the base game. I still think this is a solid collection that presents a good value for your money, and the Plus add-on only hammers that in more. I’d love to see a few things fixed or improved, but even as it is I think it’s a solid celebration of the most famous hedgehog in the world.

Lost Winds is such a delightful game in all other regards that I'm still enjoying it, but the controls have tested my patience.

Alive 4-Ever RETURNS is easily recommended for dual-stick shooter fans, and a must-have for fans of the original game.

As someone who played a ton of Need for Speed II SE back in the day and loved Need for Speed Underground, I’m glad to finally have experienced a modern game in the series that has been a joy to play. Even as the first current-generation only entry in the series, Need for Speed Unbound is a joy to play on Steam Deck. It might’ve released too close to the holidays for most, but if you enjoyed older Need for Speed games, you need to grab this one.

I enjoyed ProtoCorgi, and I think there’s a solid chance many of you will have an even better time with it. It has a solid presentation, almost all of the options you would want in a shooter plus a few more, and a cute premise. Throw in a very competitive price and it’s an easy shooter to recommend. Just keep in mind the usual rule about cute-em-ups: just because it looks fluffy, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. Inexperienced shooter fans may want to approach cautiously, but shooter fans should have a barking good time.

A solid buy and one that will keep you smiling at your phone or iPad for hours.

I came into this already a big fan of these characters, and ultimately I got a kick out of going through each of the routes of Pirates of the Disturbance. It does justice to the original property, and I would recommend it to anyone who has gotten hooked on the series in any of its forms. On the other hand, while I don’t think non-fans will be lost trying to play it, I also don’t think the game is going to shine all that much for them. If that’s the bucket you fall into, you might be better served by another visual novel from this publisher. Catarina cronies should climb aboard immediately, though.

The Catch-22 here is a game that is paradoxically fun, despite a few flaws and a lack of modes that would otherwise cripple less creative games. If the developer commits to its future growth and repair (functional achievements and a co-op mode), Catch-22 will become a score-chasing game that players and their friends will have even more reasons for which to return.

While some of the UI elements clearly belie its touchscreen roots, Dungeons of Dreadrock is a well-designed adventure that manages to keep on surprising you all the way through with its tricky puzzles and engaging atmosphere. Having physical button controls make it easier to get your character to do what you want her to do, and that means this is the version I would recommend if a person asked. Wherever you choose to play, make sure you give it a look. It’s a very good experience, even if it might make you pull your hair out at times.

Vectrex Regeneration wraps that emulation in a jaunty 3D interface, offers most (soon all) of the original game library for those who like the free-download taste, and has trimmed it all with subtle touches that do make a difference. It all comes together to deliver an impressive Vectrex experience, even despite a few rough-start issues that are being presently addressed.