I find Layton's Mystery Journey to be a must-have adventure. It makes so much sense as a mobile game that I can't believe it took more than ten years for this to happen. The puzzles are good, the story is interesting, and the presentation is outstanding. Even without buying any of the DLC, the game is stuffed to the gills with content. If this is the level of commitment we can expect from Level 5 on mobile going forward, I'm pretty excited for their future releases. I'll tip my top hat to this kind of quality any day of the week.

Alexander is yet another excellent offering and worthy addition to the franchise. Fans of the base game and Barbarian Invasion expansion will find a new and compelling scenario to explore, though it is worth noting once more that, thanks to the turn limit, the campaign is focused on Alexander's military expedition more than the economic and cultural stabilization of his growing kingdom. It's also worth noting that there's been no improvements or chances made to the original source code - warts and all, this is a straight up port of the original PC experience. If you haven't tried Rome: Total War, I'd suggest starting there and working your way up to the expansions if you want more content.

If you're a fan of management games, Motorsport Manager Mobile 2 should be a no-brainer purchase for you. The game offers ton of content to play through—3 different championships, 16 tracks—and enough depth to keep you playing longer and coming back to it often. And there's a pretty good tutorial too if you aren't a racing fan. The game costs $3.99, and there are two IAPS, a Game Editor for $6.99 (lets you edit the drivers, teams, and tinker with the rules) and a Chairman's Payment for $6.99, which gives you more money per race (making the game easier to play). The editor is quite fun to have if you like the game since you can turn MMM 2 into a more faithful Formula 1 management game. Motorsport Manager Mobile 2 is a blast to play, and you should go grab it.

Honestly, I can't really say that Lowlander 2 is much better than the first game. It's bigger, longer, and more confident, to be sure. But where Lord British was spurred on by his competition to make the sequel to Ultima 2 a real game changer, Flat Black seems to have been content with making Lowlander 2 the very best Lowlander it could be. This certainly isn't a worse game than the original either, mind you. It's of very similar quality all-around, which means Lowlander 2 should be of interest to anyone looking for a great RPG to play on their mobile device. Like its predecessor it's deliberately trying to evoke an RPG of the early 80s, but if you can deal with that, Lowlander 2 is a great way to spend your money and your time.

If you're expecting a brand new Street Fighter that's pushing the limits of the latest iOS hardware, then you'll probably be disappointed. If Capcom were to go all out and create all new sprites and a full new game from the ground up, it'd likely need to be a free to play casual swipe-fighter like Injustice or Marvel Contest of Champions just to justify its cost. Not that I wouldn't play the crap out of something like that, but it's still not a replacement for a traditional fighter. However, if you loved the older Street Fighter IV games on mobile then I think you'll love Champion Edition. It's all of the improvements I've been wanting for years, and its excellent online modes will ensure it lives a long, happy life. Or at least until the next iOS update breaks it.

Castleparts stops short of greatness in some ways, but has enough depth to keep you busy even if you never play against another human. It doesn't even need more modes or characters per se, just slight expansions on the foundation that's already been created.

Overall, Prison Architect is a pretty deep simulation and management game that offers ton of things to do and ways to play. Don't let its cartoony looks deceive you; this is a pretty hardcore and demanding game. If you like classic PC management games, you're going to love Prison Architect. If you don't care to dive deep into a game and are simply looking for a light game to pass the time, Prison Architect might not be for you. Personally, I had a blast playing the game, and I certainly recommend it. I've heard some users complain about bugs, but personally I had no issues playing the game. So, if you don't find the theme disagreeable and want to play one of the most complex—but still accessible—management games on iOS, go grab Prison Architect.

Epic Little War Game retains the superb balance between complexity and accessibility that made the series such a hit to begin with. Whether you're new to the genre or a veteran, you'll find something to like in this game. It's probably not going to change your mind if you don't like this genre, but anyone who does have an interest really ought to check this one out. It's over-stuffed with content and polished shinier than the General's boots.

Flipping Legend is just an astounding take on a well-trodden genre, of the free-to-play action-y runner. The work that Hiding Spot Games put into this along with Noodlecake's help has been spectacular. The reports from GDC were that this was coming together really nicely, and after playing a ton of this one before and after release, Flipping Legend is a must-download in my book.

Add a couple of level packs that crank up the difficulty, and bring some additional complexity to the solid mechanics at hand, and Mr. Future Ninja becomes a must-have. Granted, we live in the launch-well-or-die App Store, but what's here might be enough to encourage the game to be a sustained hit, as is also true for those who succeed in mobile gaming. I wouldn't buy Mr. Future Ninja on the promise that it will get future content – I don't know anything about that yet – but it's easy to see where it could, and perhaps buying it will be the key to making that happen. The core of Mr. Future Ninja is quite solid, it just needs to be more filling before it's a strong recommendation.

The feeling is once again like that of a puzzle toy along the lines of a Rubik's Cube. There's little pressure involved here, with no timers, an endless supply of undos, and not one piece of IAP to be found. You will probably run into levels that completely stump you when you first approach them. You might even get frustrated enough to put the game down for a while. The next time you pick it up, you may have a break-through. Even if you don't, you can always try another level. Until you run out of those, anyway. Yankai's Peak is a quality puzzle game that feels alien and familiar all at once, and it's well-worth fidgeting around with until you make it to the end.

I am seriously, seriously impressed by how much better Framed 2 is compared to the original game. You're talking about a title that left me surpremely disappointed. I specifically said it felt like the first half of what should be a really good game. There were clever ideas, but they went underutilized. And a lot of ideas that didn't work out took up too much prominence. And the twist in Framed 1 just didn't land as well as I think Loveshack intended; even on a recent replay, it was still just confusing instead of clever. I stand by that game as a 3 out of 5 mobile experience. Framed 2 chucks almost everything that was bad about the original Framed out the window, emphasizing what is strong about the concept, and then building on it. This is exactly what a sequel should do.

If you want a puzzle game that will test you, this isn't for you. If you just want something that you can interact with in order to get rewarded with interesting themes and gorgeous artwork, Monument Valley 2 succeeds at that. But if Ustwo ever explores this world again, I think there's a gap between the gameplay and the art that could be crossed to make this the masterful experience these games have just barely fallen short of being in my eyes.

Beholder is definitely a great addition to games that examine life in oppressive States, and I was glad to see that it manages to be a fun game to play despite its grim theme. With great art and music and plenty of choices, which lead to different endings, Beholder is definitely a game you should be playing.

Subdivision Infinity is a slick-looking shooter that offers excellent action and accessible, arcade-style gameplay. It's a straightforward game that has a few nasty difficulty spikes here and there, and it will definitely test both your skills and patience at times. That said, the pure thrill of zipping around and shooting down a pack of enemies more than balances out those frustrating moments. It isn't much more than a weekend's worth of joy, but it's a weekend well-spent, to be sure.

As a TRPG, Chroma Squad is decent but lacking the depth to give complete satisfaction. As a vehicle for Ranger fans looking to live out all sorts of fantasies, on the other hand, it's fantastic. It jabs without being mean-spirited. It gives you the options you want. It tells a big, silly story with melodramatic twists and turns, and it never misses a cue when it comes to the fanservice-style elements you might want to see. I've played a lot of games based on Super Sentai/Rangers, and this is far and away my favorite. A great deal of the enjoyment comes from my affection for the theme and the goofy yet earnest approach Behold took in presenting it, however, so make sure you account for that. At the very least, as a game, it's overall more well-designed than Knights of Pen & Paper. It applies much of what made that game good to a new genre, and it is unmistakably crafted from the same hands.

Onigo Hunter has a couple of new pins affixed to its lapels, but in most respects, the experience is barely distinguishable from the other assorted EXE-Create games released by Kemco this year. It's okay on its own merits. If you just want another traditional-style JRPG to stuff in your gob, it has a decent enough taste to it and will keep you chewing for a little while. Even the most tolerant of Kemco followers has got to be getting tired of this particular flavor by now, though. I know I am.

Squeenix could've very easily released Arkanoid vs Space Invaders as a freemium game, loaded with ads and coins to buy. They likely would've made tons more money too. Arkanoid vs Space Invaders is a fantastic refresher of what arcade style iOS games used to be like it, and I'm more than happy to celebrate that.

It's a weird complaint that One Stick Shooter is too action packed, but it just isn't really for me. I fully admit that there's tons (and tons) of people who love games that are just a brutal onslaught of never-ending swarms of enemies to blast. If that describes you, chances are you'll be super into No Stick Shooter. Better yet, it's a paid game with no freemium hijinks- Always a welcome thing to see on the App Store.

I hope this also serves as a good reminder to developers that if you can fit your game on mobile, it's probably worth it! A title like this is an amazing fit on the go, and while I missed it early on (and I imagine I'm not alone), it's getting a great second wind on mobile. With a great mobile port like this, Steredenn is an absolute must-have for anyone who has any positive feelings toward roguelikes and/or shoot 'em ups. It's challenging, as you would hope, but such a fun, rewarding, and replayable game.

Penarium is an entertaining enough arena platformer. It will test you and frustrate you, but keeps things from being overly complex for better or worse. It's entertaining, I like the art and sound work, and the dual aspect of campaign and arcade modes though I would like more of a link between the two for progress. If you like arena platformers, you can get a lot of fun out of Penarium, though it's a game I have a few misgivings with. But still, I find myself compelled to come back again and again. And hey, with Super Crate Box's time limited thanks to it not being updated to 64-bit yet, what else are you gonna play?!

Miles & Kilo is everything you could want from a follow-up to Kid Tripp. I love the sensible improvements it makes to the Wonder Boy formula, and the level designs are spot on. The new moves and additional character help keep things fresh, and the amount of content feels just about right. The game's rather adorable retro-style presentation is also a winner, lending it the image of a console "big brother" title to the original's handheld game. Those who love a good platformer will want to add this one to their collections immediately.

It's a game that will last you a couple of hours, and there's not a whole lot in terms of replay value. If your gaming money is limited and and you need something with replayability, this isn't the game for you (though hey, you could always buy this and sink some time into a free-to-play game). But considering the profound effect it had on me, and the beauty of the experience, I definitely recommend Old Man's Journey, as it is quite the experience.

To The Moon doesn't offer much in the way of mechanical depth, and there's really only one way to experience the story, so its replay value is not great in theory. It's certainly one of the jobs of a review to inform readers of things like that. But the ultimate goal of a review is to tell you if something is worth your time and money, and in that capacity, I can't recommend To The Moon enough. The mobile version has some issues with fiddly controls, but don't let that stop you from playing this superb adventure. It's beautiful in the most human way possible.

Citadel 1986 is unremarkable at first glance and shines the more you experience it. While playing through many zones I had a visible smile on my face, wading through water for the next key, not wanting to put it down, and being positively reinforced after a death with a quick restart. But only the most dedicated of retro enthusiasts will get anything out of it compared to some of the more inspired work being released on mobile devices today.

While Spaceplan was only in my life for a few days, it was a major part of my life for those few days. It's a really cool and engaging experience, and a unique take on the clicker that even skeptics of the genre should check out. Also, it has more potatoes that you could ever imagine.

I don't think it will take a lot of hammering to make this into a more challenging game, and it will be all the better for it. That will just leave Ms. Spell with the problem of being a rather ordinary example of its genre on a platform positively drowning in more interesting ideas. I suppose if you like the idea of a roguelite but find the general difficulty of the genre intimidating, you might enjoy Ms. Spell. Otherwise, this is a hard game to recommend in its current form.

The controls work well, and the game remains a gorgeous rainbow explosion of color. And blasting endless hordes of enemies, occasionally hopping into a robot to do even more effective blasting, is a lot of fun. Those core aspects are so good, that maybe it doesn't matter so much if the game is repetitive or there's a few flaws here and there. The experience itself is enjoyable enough, that while this is nowhere near a perfect game, it's worth a download. Just, somebody help out with the translation. And I hope that in the coming weeks and months, Guns of Mercy becomes an even more fun and expansive experience.