Games of 2010 - ranked by preference

Release Date: February 18, 2010 (JP)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Quantic Dream
Genre: Adventure

I liked Indigo Prophecy a lot...Until it transformed into a horrible sci-fi story with a plot that made less and less sense as the game continued on. So, when Heavy Rain was announced, I was excited, but also dreading a similar outcome. Thankfully, Quantic Dream took the great aspects of Indigo Prophecy and improved upon them...And it included a well-made, interesting story, to boot. I gladly played the game repeatedly just to see how the game world would react to the different choices I made in the many different situations I found myself in.

Release Date: May 18, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar San Diego
Genre: Action

If you're reading this and haven't played Red Dead Redemption yet, you need to...if for no other reason than to experience the world that Rockstar created. I don't think I have ever been sucked into an atmosphere like I did with this game. Playing through this title really felt like you were in the old west...There is never really a safe moment, either. Whether it be bandits, law enforcement, or even the various wildlife, you can think that you're doing great, and then quickly find yourself pushing up daisies. The story is also very, very good. You really feel emotions towards the characters by the end...Whether you like them or hate them, the emotion is there, which is the key to a great story. To top it all off, the gameplay is on par with all of the stuff I mentioned above. And like the Grand Theft Auto series, it's just as fun wandering around, doing nothing, as it is playing the actual game. I can't recommend this game enough - it really is that good.

Release Date: November 30, 2010 (NA/EU)
Publisher: Team Meat
Developer: Team Meat
Genre: Platformer

Super Meat Boy is my kind of game - a tough-as-nails platformer where you can see your skills in the game improve the more you play. Areas that seem impossible are eventually beaten, and it makes you feel like you really accomplished something special. The fact that you'll constantly die (and you will) sounds frustrating, but with most levels only lasting around ten seconds and the fact that upon death, you instantly start back at the beginning of the level, the constant deaths don't feel nearly as tedious as they do in most games...You may die fifty times in a level before beating it, and then look at the clock and realize that despite the high number of deaths, you only spent about five minutes trying to beat that level before succeeding. This game had me hooked for quite a long time...It's very "well done"....Pun intended.

Release Date: February 17, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Ignition Entertainment
Developer: Access Games
Genre: Adventure - Horror

Deadly Premonition is best described as a sandbox-style horror game, where you've got free roam of a quiet, little town known as Greenvale. I absolutely love this game, despite my rating for it. It's just so charming and interesting from beginning to end...It's hard, even with its faults, not to love it. The problem is that it does have faults, a decent number of them, most in the combat department, and that bogs the game down a bit, hence my rating for it....But I still love it, faults and all.

Release Date: January 11, 2010
Publisher: Terry Cavanagh
Developer: Terry Cavanagh
Genre: Platformer

VVVVVV is a very unique game that is so, so good. It's a platformer that involves manipulating gravity rather than jumping - bouncing between the floors and the ceilings is your only way around obstacles (usually deadly spikes) in your path. That alone is fun, but VVVVVV doesn't fit the traditional "level-by-level" mold of platformers. Instead of beating levels, the game is an open world for you to explore, similar to a Metroid title. The soundtrack is also pretty awesome. The end result is a game that looks very basic with gameplay that is anything but basic. I'm ashamed that it took me this long to play it. If you haven't played it yet, you should be ashamed, too.

Release Date: 2010 (NA)
Publisher: AtariAge
Developer: Ed Fries
Genre: Action

I'm not a huge first-person shooter guy, so it's probably no surprise that my favorite Halo game isn't one. Halo 2600 is an absolutely fantastic game made for the Atari 2600 in 2010. It's brilliantly designed with minor aspects of modern gaming applied to the old style and very limited data space of older Atari 2600 games. Ed Fries deserves an award, for he has created one of my favorite games for the console roughly 25 years after the Atari VCS's prime.

Release Date: September 18, 2010 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Game Freak
Genre: RPG

Pokemon White and Black are basically the same game, but with minor changes. That said, I prefer White over Black for two reasons. One, Black seems to get most of the attention, and I like to root for the underdog. Two, I like the legendary Pokemon in White more than the one in Black. Scientific reasons, I know. Anyway, these games are more of the same for Pokemon fans with enough little tweaks and touches to make it still feel like a worthwhile purchase for folks who thought they already had their fill of catching 'em all.

Release Date: September 18, 2010 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Game Freak
Genre: RPG

As I stated in the above comments, I like White better for pretty dumb reasons (but they're still reasons, dang it!) but Black is essentially the same game...And the title makes it sound cooler. Anyway, like I mentioned above, Pokemon fans will love the Black and White games and both are worth playing if you'd like to catch 'em all. Yeah, some of the new Pokemon are lame...But after beating the game, you get access to all of your old favorites again, so at least that's a plus.

Release Date: March 2, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Sports - Baseball

The previous games in the MLB: The Show franchise were slowly building steam towards providing a solid, enjoyable baseball experience. MLB 10 marks where the series hit its stride and really solidified itself as the best MLB game series currently available for consumers. Road to the Show mode is enough to whet the appetite of most MLB fans, but if you need more, there's also pretty much any other mode that you could want packed in to boot. Later games in the franchise are just as fun, but for its impact, MLB 10 places higher on the list than the others.

Release Date: March 16, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Action

God of War III brought the story of Kratos to a close in a solid, but not overwhelmingly great, fashion. This entry in the God of War series is a very, very solid game in the franchise, but it seems to lack something in comparison to the first two games. That being said, it's still an extremely enjoyable game, and the final battle really underlines the fact that it was the end of Kratos' story. It's a definite must-play for fans of the previous two entries in the series.

Release Date: April 20, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Media Vision
Genre: RPG

Chaos Rings isn't the deepest RPG...And the gameplay isn't necessarily anything new. What makes Chaos Rings so good in my eyes? The story. I've heard some folks say they hated the story. I'm not one of those people. I found it really interesting and totally different from anything else I'd seen before. I played it to 100% completion and loved every single second of it. I've enjoyed a decent number of iPhone games, but in my opinion, Chaos Rings is at the very top of that list.

Release Date: December 22, 2010 (JP)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: HexaDrive
Genre: Action

The 3rd Birthday may be the most graphically-impressive PSP game ever made. It's just gorgeous. But a game isn't good just 'cause it's pretty, and 3rd Birthday delivers in the gameplay department, too. Continuing in the trend set by earlier games in the Parasite Eve franchise, with Parasite Eve being an RPG, and Parasite Eve 2 being an adventure game, the 3rd Birthday tackles a new genre - the action genre. However, this isn't your typical action game, as Aya Brea, the series' heroine, can transport herself into the bodies of her allies, meaning that if you run out of ammo or low on health and one of your allies is still alive, you can transport to them and reap the benefits of better health and more ammo...or even a deadlier weapon. It's quite fun to play and a very solid entry into the Parasite Eve franchise...And in case I didn't mention it, it's absolutely beautiful.

Release Date: September 8, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Frictional Games
Developer: Frictional Games
Genre: Adventure - Horror

Amnesia is a great example of a horror game without the need for a combat system or guns or whatever. In Amnesia, you fight by running away and hiding until the coast is clear. Taking away a means to fight back adds so much to the game in terms of anxiety, and having very limited resources in terms of using light to both see around you and replenish your sanity helps add to the atmosphere, too. It's well worth playing through for anyone interested in horror games.

Release Date: April 10, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Cave
Developer: Cave
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

Espgaluda II is a third-person shooter that mildly fits into a category that some call "bullet hell." Games that fit into that category are called as such due to the amount of bullets that are on the screen at once, where the game transforms from one where you're trying to shoot the enemy to one where you're shooting blindly while trying to find any gap you can in the enemy's bullets so you can dodge and weave your way through to survival. Espgaluda isn't always that bad, but a few enemies, particularly later on in the game, turn the screen into a sea of bullets for you to frantically try and escape from. The game is also visually stunning, and it's just fun watching everything explode as you play.

Release Date: May 20, 2010 (AU)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: United Front Games
Genre: Racing - Kart-Style

ModNation Racers, at first glance, doesn't really look like anything special. It basically looks like a Mario Kart clone with an odd art design...Then when you play, you quickly find out that ModNation Racers is basically the LittleBigPlanet of kart racing games. The tracks and creations found within the game only scratch the surface of the game's content, as you can create and download an infinite number of tracks, racers, and vehicles to enjoy. It's not a perfect game, but it's pretty dang good and if kart racers are your thing, you can't go wrong with this game.

Release Date: March 10, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

On most iPhone games, touch screen joysticks and buttons can be kind of iffy. I'm not a programmer, so I don't know if they can adjust sensitivity to the touch controls or what...But I do know that whatever Capcom did for Street Fighter IV took away 90% of the problems I usually have with touch screen controls. I was playing Street Fighter like I had on consoles in no time...And I loved every second of it. This is a surprisingly good Street Fighter experience for on the go.

Release Date: May 24, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Adventure

I loved Phoenix Wright on the Nintendo DS, and this iPhone game is a direct port of the first Phoenix Wright game (that was released in North America, anyway). If you want an adventure game that'll really draw you in, and that finds a way to be both comical and serious depending on the situation, then Phoenix Wright is a great game to get...Especially if you missed out on his appearances on the Nintendo DS.

Release Date: July 21, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Puzzle

Mixing Symphony of the Night with a Super Puzzle Fighter-like puzzle game sounds like a really weird concept, but it works....It works really well, actually. I was skeptical of this game, and when I first played it, the touch controls took a little getting used to...But by the time I had completed the game, I was completely hooked. If you like puzzle games, or are just curious as to how Symphony of the Night would work had it been a puzzle game, then Encore of the Night is definitely worth checking out.

Release Date: January 5, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Vigil Games
Genre: Adventure

Darksiders is basically the love child of God of War and the Legend of Zelda. The game as a whole seems to be modeled after the 3D Zelda games, but when it comes to combat, it feels a lot more like God of War. The end result is a game that kind of feels like something that you've played before, but not necessarily in a bad way. A little originality in the gameplay may have helped Darksiders stand out a bit more, but as it is, it's just a solid game that isn't quite as good as either of the game styles that it emulates...But it's close.

Release Date: August 26, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Cave
Developer: Cave
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

Espgaluda II is a cakewalk compared to this game. This is the definition of a bullet hell shooter...In fact it's even more than that. It's a bullet and laser hell shooter...There is so much firepower to try to avoid in this game, there are times that it seems like it's absolutely impossible to not get hit. Well, that is unless you trigger one of a couple special abilities that lets you not only survive an otherwise deadly situation, but it also gives you a brief breather from all the chaos around you. Despite the difficulty, it's still a very enjoyable game. If you like scrolling shooters, this one is very much worth a purchase.

Release Date: December 9, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Epic Games
Developer: Chair Entertainment
Genre: Adventure

I've heard plenty of people claim that Infinity Blade is nothing special - all graphics and no gameplay. I strongly disagree. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is generally beloved by people...And that's what Infinity Blade is - a point-and-click adventure with Punch-Out!!-style combat. The only real downside to the game is how small the in-game world is, though the world is not linear, which can help prevent too much repetition. I also enjoy how when you die, you don't just continue, you start again around 20 years later as the next generation of your lineage enters the castle. It really is a very good, addicting game. It's not perfect, but it's solid, addicting, and it very likely could steal hours upon hours away from your life.

Release Date: November 22, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar San Diego
Genre: Action

This stand-alone expansion to Red Dead Redemption proves that zombies don't always make everything better. The game itself is just fine, but many of the missions feel less fun and more like a chore. That said, it is neat finding and obtaining the horses of the apocalypse and discovering all of the new cryptid creatures in the game, like the sasquatch. For a stand-alone title it's still quite an enjoyable experience, but the sometimes groan-inducing missions can take away from it a tad.

Release Date: February 15, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: PopCap
Developer: PopCap
Genre: Strategy

In general, I don't like defensive strategy games at all. I usually find them to be boring and repetitive...But then PopCap had to come out and break that stereotype for me, creating a defensive strategy game that got me hooked. It almost makes me ashamed that I put off playing this gem until over two years after its release.

Release Date: April 1, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Activision
Genre: Sports - Extreme Sports - Skateboarding

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 was, honestly, a near perfect game for what it was at its time. It received perfect scores from publications that had never given a perfect score out before. So, it's no surprise that the highly successful title was ported to the iPhone. This port of the game is okay, but the touch controls take a while to get used to...And even when you're used to them, they still feel a tad awkward. They're fine for pulling off basic tricks and specials...But if you're aiming for some fancy combos to get a high score...You'll be needing some practice. I'll also mention the music...I'm not a music guy by any means, but I enjoyed a majority of the songs in the original releases of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2...The songs Activision selected for this port are not my cup of tea at all. I'm not a fan of a single song found here. That said, the game is as solid as it always was...But a few porting issues hold this back from its previous glory.

Release Date: September 24, 2010 (EU/AU)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Blue Castle Games
Genre: Action

I liked the original Dead Rising, but for some reason or another, I just could never get myself fully invested in the title. I was afraid that Dead Rising 2 would end up with the same results. I was incorrect. I found myself loving just about every minute of this game. The story was pretty fun to follow along, but the beauty of this and the other Dead Rising games is that when you're sick of following the story, you can just run around and mindlessly kill zombies...And be rewarded for your efforts with stat bonuses and the like. The only aspect I missed from the original Dead Rising was the photography gimmick...But Capcom later remedied that with Off the Record.

Release Date: November 4, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: LucasArts
Developer: LucasArts
Genre: Adventure

The Secret of Monkey Island is an adventure game that isn't just entertaining to explore, it often provides moments that range from causing you to let out a light chuckle to laughing out loud. After spending an hour or two playing Secret of Monkey Island, you'll quickly understand why the Monkey Island series has a very loyal fan following.

Release Date: April 20, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Taito
Developer: Taito
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

Space Invaders: Infinity Gene is a game that attempts to resurrect the Space Invaders franchise to the popularity it had 30 years ago. While it's definitely a great game, it just doesn't have the mass appeal that, say, Angry Birds does. But as far as third-person shooters go, Space Invaders: Infinity Gene plays like most other games in the genre, but is unique due to the approach on 'evolving' each level from the basic, 2D beginnings of the original Space Invaders to fancy-looking 3D models and visuals. It may not have sparked the Space Invaders frenzy like the original did a few decades ago, but it's definitely my personal favorite entry in the history of the series.

Release Date: May 14, 2010 (EU)
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Genre: Adventure - Horror

Alan Wake is a survival horror game that isn't overly great, but still a solid Xbox 360 exclusive title. The idea of using light to repel enemies was a fun aspect that helped add a little suspense to the game. I enjoyed the panic I felt when I was about to die and frantically tried to make it to a light source before the enemies around me finished me off. The story is a little faulty, but overall this is quite the good horror game, just short of great.

Release Date: February 26, 2010 (EU)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sumo Digital
Genre: Racing - Kart

Sonic and Sega All-Stars racing is a decent kart racer that's pretty good, but still no match for the kart racing series that seemed to spawn the genre...You know, the one named after the plumber clad in red. Despite not reaching that level of quality, Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing can provide a lot of fun for those people who have done it all in the Mario Kart games and are looking for an alternative until the pudgy plumber gets a new kart game. It also gives a decent amount of fan service to the players, too, so if you want some Sega nostalgia, it might be a game worth playing for that reason alone.

Release Date: June 25, 2010 (NA/EU/AU)
Publisher: 505 Games
Developer: Artificial Mind and Movement
Genre: Action

Don't get me wrong, Naughty Bear has a ton of flaws - the biggest one being that the controls don't work until you install a game update...so if you lack an internet connection, you're stuck with broken controls. But even with this game's flaws...I absolutely love it. It's just mindless fun. I almost get sadistic joy in murdering my fellow teddy bears in horrific ways...Especially with the gentle, child show-like narrator voice telling me to kill them all. Imagine the game Manhunt, but with adorable teddy bears in the place of the gritty psychopaths of that game, and you've kind of got an idea of what to expect here. It's not a great game by any means, but I do find it quite fun from time to time.

Release Date: November 22, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Telltale Games
Developer: Telltale Games
Genre: Casino

If this game contained more characters than the four it has, then I'd be giving this a much better score. Unfortunately, it doesn't. But even with only four characters, this game is worth playing, if only to experience the communication and interactions that the characters have with each other. It makes you feel like you're playing a game of poker with friends instead of being in a tournament with a bunch of strangers. I found myself not skipping through hands that I had folded in simply because I wanted to listen in on a conversation that had started. The small number of characters in the game mixed with some very poor AI hinder the game as a whole, but not enough where the overall personality of the game doesn't shine through. If you're a fan of poker and/or any of the four characters found within, then I highly recommend giving this game a try.

Release Date: November 4, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Gamevil
Developer: Gamevil
Genre: Sports - Baseball

The first time I played Baseball Superstars 2011, I hated it...And then I played it some more...And then some more...And then I just couldn't stop. The game had me hooked. In Baseball Superstars 2011, there are several modes, but My League mode is what sucked away all of my time. Similar to 'Road to the Show' mode in the Playstation MLB series, My League has you control a single player in an attempt to make them ultimately retire as the greatest baseball player you can...While picking up a girlfriend or five along the way. I love the Power Pros series of baseball games, but Baseball Superstars 2011 is just so addicting, I can't help but place it higher on the list.

Release Date: October 5, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Chillingo
Developer: ZeptoLab
Genre: Puzzle

Cut the Rope is a simple, but very good mind-bender of a puzzle game. The goal is to feed the monster candy. The trick is that the candy is attached to ropes, and you've got to figure out how to get the treat into that monster's mouth while fighting both gravity and hazards in the levels. It seems to get mixed reactions from people, but I firmly believe that this is a solid, different puzzle experience and a great choice when looking for a worthwhile game on your smartphone.

Release Date: August 26, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: oyatsukai.com
Developer: oyatsukai.com
Genre: Racing

If you've got the urge to play OutRun on the go, but don't have a PSP to play OutRun 2006, then Final Freeway might be the substitute you'll enjoy. Final Freeway is basically an OutRun clone, and a very well done one at that. The graphics are very nice and well detailed, and the game supports various control types to please pretty much any iPhone owner based on their tastes. The only thing really holding this game back from being higher up on the list is lack of originality. But otherwise, it's a very solid racer and well worth a download.

Release Date: September 23, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: 505 Games
Developer: 505 Games
Genre: Action

I like the Naughty Bear games. They have plenty of flaws, but that doesn't prevent me from taking pleasure in the suffering of the animated teddy bears. So, when I saw that the iPhone version wasn't like the console versions of the game, with stealthy, "kill 'em all" gameplay, I was disappointed...Especially when it appeared to be a poor Pac-Man rip-off. Then I started to play it...And was surprised. It's a good Pac-Man rip-off...A good Pac-Man rip-off that also combines the setting traps and killing bears aspect of the console Naughty Bear games....And it works pretty dang well. I still prefer the console versions but when it comes to the overall game, and not my preference, the iPhone Naughty Bear may be the most solid game in the franchise.

Release Date: December 8, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: AMC WORKSHOP
Developer: AMC WORKSHOP
Genre: Puzzle

If you like Angry Birds, I highly suggest that you give Demolish a try. Demolish is a very well done alternative when you've done all you can do in Angry Birds but want more object-slinging fun. The object in Demolish is to knock blocks off of a podium of sorts, with different types of blocks showing up as you advance on in the game. Angry Birds has more content, which places it higher on this list, but Demolish is just as fun.

Release Date: November 6, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: PlayCreek
Developer: PlayCreek
Genre: Action

Death Worm was a game I honestly expected very little from...Even after I began to play it, I wasn't all that impressed. Then, the few minutes I planned on playing in order to capture screenshots turned into an hour or two. I was hooked. Death Worm simply puts you in control of a worm as you eat, murder, and destroy everything around you. There's nothing about Death Worm that will win it any awards, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun. If controlling a giant worm and causing chaos sounds fun to you, this game might be right up your alley.

Release Date: February 9, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: bad monkee
Developer: bad monkee
Genre: Platformer

Giana Sisters is a franchise much better known in Europe than here in North America, but that doesn't mean it's not fun. Giana Sisters, which started off as a generic Super Mario Bros. clone back in the 80's on home computer systems like the Commodore 64, is a solid platformer that would be a pleasant surprise to anyone not realizing that the Giana Sisters is actually a franchise spanning a few decades. The iPhone version of the game is pretty enjoyable, bogged down only by some over-simplistic levels and some sometimes unresponsive touch screen controls. It's a solid, entertaining game regardless, and one worth tracking down if you'd like to see what all the Giana Sisters hooplah is all about.

Release Date: March 27, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Keo Brothers Studio
Developer: Keo Brothers Studio
Genre: Puzzle

Math Alchemist completely surprised me with how fun it is...Especially since when you break it down, it's basically just a game based around basic arithmetic. But I got hooked on the simple premise of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing numbers to create the specified number that the game wants. If you absolutely hate mathematics, then you might not enjoy this game as much as me...But then again, I'm not a huge fan of math myself, but I really enjoyed my time here.

Release Date: May 6, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Sports - Baseball

Power Pros Touch was fun, but the main complaint that one would see when reading reviews was that it only had generic teams. Konami responded by releasing a MLB-based version of Power Pros Touch for the 2010 baseball season. It's good, but it really just felt like the original Power Pros Touch with a new coat of paint slapped on. As a result, I docked it a little on the list as it's more of the same...But quite frankly, if you haven't played the original Power Pros Touch, you'd probably enjoy this game as much as I did its prequel.

Release Date: February 9, 2010 (NA/EU/AU)
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Marin
Genre: First-Person Shooter

I love the first BioShock - it's easily one of my favorite games of all-time....Then there's BioShock 2, which isn't a bad game, but in comparison to the game that came before it, kinda feels like a flop. Instead of improving on things, much of BioShock 2 feels like a step backwards from the original, which is not how a sequel should be. Thankfully, the original BioShock was such a good game, even with those backward steps, BioShock 2 ended up still being decent...But it also feels like it would have been better suited to be a half-priced add-on or DLC than a stand-alone game, since it doesn't really do anything to obtain its own identity. A man chooses, a slave obeys....BioShock 2 feels like a slave.

Release Date: March 26, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Nate Games
Developer: Nate Games
Genre: Sports - Golf

GrandPar Golf is a pretty dang good 3D golf game. I got my hands on it while it was temporarily free, but I almost feel guilty about that because the amount of time I've spent playing this should result in my money in the pockets of Nate Games employees. The only real knock I have against GrandPar Golf is also a quality that I can compliment...And that is the courses can get rather goofy after a while...Sometimes in a frustrating way, but they're usually creatively designed. But anyway, this isn't Hot Shots Golf of Mario Golf quality by any means, but as far as golf games that I've played on the iPhone go, you can't really get much better on iTunes than GrandPar Golf.

Release Date: February 25, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Genre: RPG

It's the same Final Fantasy that has been remade countless times on countless systems...Except this one has touch screen controls. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but newer Final Fantasy fans should know that the original Final Fantasy is more about gameplay than story...In fact, the story is kind of lame. If you just want some classic RPG gameplay, then Final Fantasy is a decent game to get...Just don't expect a memorable story to drive you through it all.

Release Date: February 8, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Hudson
Developer: Hudson
Genre: Strategy - Turn-Based

Neo Nectaris is a port of the original Turbo CD game of the same name, released only in Japan. If you've played and enjoyed games like Advance Wars, then you'll likely fall in love with Neo Nectaris, a turn-based strategy game of war. If you've never played a Military Madness game, this one is well worth checking out. If you have played one and enjoyed it, then it's quite nice to have Military Madness in your pocket, so you can play it whenever your little heart desires.

Release Date: February 10, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: IUGO Mobile Entertainment Inc.
Developer: IUGO Mobile Entertainment Inc.Capcom
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

I'm not ashamed to admit it, Daisy Mae's Alien Buffet was a game I played purely on the title. I love cheesy B-movies and this game's title had cheesy B-game all over it. And it is cheesy...But it's also a surprisingly solid dual-stick shooter...And it may be the best of its kind that I've played on the iPhone so far. If that's not enough to get you to give this game a try, and if you're a pervert, then maybe Daisy Mae's unnecessarily scantily-clad choice of clothing might be the hook you need. It's B-movie goodness in playable form, and I don't think I'd have it any other way.

Release Date: June 2, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Adult Swim
Developer: Adult Swim
Genre: Action

Robot Unicorn Attack is a game from Adult Swim (yes, the Cartoon Network folks) that involves the player trying to help keep a robot unicorn alive as he dodges walls and smashes through stars while dolphins celebrate in the background the better you do. The whole time a song plays in the background (which I have no idea what it is; I'm not a music guy) that fits so, so well. Hearing the singer sing "Alllllways, I want to be with you..." while you explode through the next star is just wonderful. It's cheap, it's entertaining, and if you have a sense of humor (and like surprisingly good games), it should be on your iPhone.

Release Date: October 5, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Mercury Steam
Genre: Action

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow isn't bad...But it seems like it tries to be everything except for a Castlevania game. During the course of the game, you get the feeling like the game wants to be like Uncharted...Then other parts, like Shadow of the Colossus...And the combat is like God of War. Never in the entirety of the game does it feel like a Castlevania title, but instead like a mixed bag of various other game series rolled into one. That said, it's still a solid game...But it overstays its welcome. By the end, you'll likely be just wanting the game to be done and over with...There just isn't enough story or variety in the gameplay to justify the length of this game. It's not a bad title by any means, but a shorter length and some focus on making a great game in one style rather than a decent game in many styles may have made this a must-play title...But unfortunately, it's not.

Release Date: November 2010
Publisher: Young Horses, Inc
Developer: Young Horses, Inc
Genre: Action

Octodad is a game that actually benefits from being a nightmare to control...In fact, I don't think that I'd get anywhere near the same amount of enjoyment out of this game if it controlled like a dream. Its controls are horrible and I wouldn't have it any other way. In Octodad, you are an octopus that has fooled a family into believing that you are their human father or husband. Being an octopus, you awkwardly move around, knocking things over and generally just making a mess of things...It somehow manages to create slapstick comedy out of your unintentional mess making. With a sequel on the way for Steam and Playstation 4, it's worth playing the original Octodad to see just how unique of an experience that it really is. You can download the game for free here.

Release Date: May 5, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Get Set Games
Developer: Get Set Games
Genre: Action

Mega Jump is a simple game...Tilt the iPhone left and right to move the character, and try to collect stars and assorted power-ups to continuously move up the screen. Fall and it's game over. For such a simple game, it can be quite addicting and it's a game that usually only lasts for a few minutes per play, which makes it perfect for a mobile game. Best of all? It's free...And they update it pretty regularly. You can get better games on the iPhone, but at its price, Mega Jump is definitely worth giving a try.

Release Date: April 20, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Halfbrick Studios
Developer: Halfbrick Studios
Genre: Action

So, Fruit Ninja is a pretty popular game on smartphones. I'm a little late to the party in finding out why - it just looked dumb to me. When I finally played it, I could see the appeal, but likewise, I grew bored shortly after playing. For those not in the know, in Fruit Ninja, you use your finger to slice through various fruit that pop onto the screen while avoiding bombs that also pop up. It can get pretty frantic, which is where it's at its best, but there's only so much fruit chopping one can take before you move onto something else. It's solidly made, and if you want something to play for 2-5 minutes while you're waiting at a bus stop or something, Fruit Ninja is a good choice.