The iPhone’s touch interface and crisp Retina Display make it a surprisingly adept platform for all sorts of games, from sports and shooters to action hits and puzzlers. A seemingly endless array of options can be found in the App Store, but for surefire gaming fun without delay, here’s some of our recent favorites.
Chaos Rings comes from the vaunted publisher behind console role-playing greats Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, and this iPhone and iPad exclusive crams the same animation, engrossing storyline, and game mechanics of Square Enix’s hits into a smaller form factor. In Chaos Rings, you’ll choose a two-person team and guide them around the perilous dungeons with the intuitive touch-anywhere joystick controls, and the game is fairly easy for newcomers to the RPG genre, though be sure to save often so you don’t lose your progress after a tough battle!
Your goal in Solipskier is to guide the little skier through yellow gates by drawing the snow beneath his skis by touching and holding the screen, as well as changing his altitude by shifting your finger. Solipskier seems very simple and even sleepy at first, but by the time you’ve sped through several gates and tunnels, you’ll be moving so quickly that hazards like cliffs and barriers will pop up in the blink of an eye. It’s fast and frenetic fun, and does a simple idea right with stylish and smart execution.
Hero of Sparta II revisits the world of the early iPhone action hit, once more putting you in command of warrior Argos as you decimate scads of demonic foes. The hack-and-slash action offers several notable upgrades over the original, such as new weapons and environmental interactions, plus crisp visuals that shine on the iPhone 4 Retina display. The new multi-directional attack nub is an appreciated addition, making Hero of Sparta II a lengthy, improved, and more immersive sequel that inches closer to the home console games it emulates.
Though a simple, arcade-style gallery shooter at heart, Gun Range uses the iPhone 4’s gyroscope to satisfying effect, letting you quickly and accurately aim your firearm just by moving the device. It’s an impressive effect—and the game looks sharp on the Retina Display—though you’ll need to tap the bottom of the screen to re-center the “G-Scope” with some regularity. Still, with 12 gun types and 144 stages for a buck, it’s a darn good deal, or you can download the free ad-supported version.
Looking and feeling like real pinball, Pinball HD is perfectly suited for the iPhone and iPad, with pitch-perfect touch controls that let you tap the left or right side of the screen to activate each respective set of flippers. Pinball wizards can also shake their iDevices for that essential ball-saving nudge. The game includes three tables to choose from: a table modeled after the Wild West, a jungle table with a gorilla named “Big Kong,” and an impressive underwater table. At a rock-bottom price, Pinball HD is a must-have for enthusiasts of the silver ball.
Ever played a video game and thought you could’ve done a better job? The quirky and feverishly addictive Game Dev Story lets you prove your mettle by fusing together varying genres and settings to create potential blockbusters, while facing hurdles like bad reviews, power outages, and the ever-shrinking lifecycles of home consoles. You’ll have a 20-year cycle to build and expand your studio, as well as hire and train talent, so what are you waiting for? The next virtual smash hit could be yours!
UFO on Tape is one of the most fascinating games we’ve played on iPhone and iPad, essentially turning each device into a virtual camcorder as you attempt to capture footage of an alien invasion from the backseat of a car. As the UFO frantically bobs around the screen, you’ll have to move your iDevice to keep it in view, with the goal to log the longest recording possible and then swap times with your friends. Lose the saucer’s whereabouts for mere seconds and you’re toast—but you’ll keep coming back again and again.
Who would’ve guessed that a game about catching falling sushi would be so powerfully fun and exciting? Sushi Boy’s simple approach makes it a perfect fit on both iPhone and iPad, letting you tilt your device to make the titular boy run around the screen, snatching each delicious bit of sushi before it smacks the ground. Along the way, you’ll have to avoid hazards like boots and metal hooks, and as you play more, you’ll be able to unlock higher difficulty levels and numerous customization aspects, like hats and backgrounds.
Mr. Happypants
February 01, 2011 at 10:28pm
I got hooked on "Oddy Smog's Misadventure" for short bursts of distraction. It's a vertical scroller played in landscape mode, great art, music & fairly addictive once you get the hang of the controls.
Tried to put links but it's tripping the Spam Filter here? Google it, easy to find.
andykeating
January 31, 2011 at 11:58pm
What about the Doodle jump & Trism????????I really like them..
MatthewF
January 31, 2011 at 5:53pm
It would be super-handy if you indicated which games are designed for the iPhone, the iPad, and which are universal. It would save a lot of needless clicking if I only want iPad and Universal games, for example.
JonPhillips
February 01, 2011 at 8:16am
Maybe the headline should be, "17 Must-Have Games for iPad You AREN'T Already Playing." :-)
Also, I haven't played a single iOS game on iPhone since I got the iPad. Just saying...
