Best game apps for whittling away dull train journeys, dull meetings, and dullness in general. Power up your phone with these playful gaming apps.
A brilliantly compact, well constructed and atmospheric puzzler that’s likely to give you chills. This is iOS gaming at its best.
£1.49
A challenging game, which shines out among a crowded sea of similar line-drawing titles.
£1.99
Not the most demanding puzzles in the world, but this is a gently engaging adventure, with neatly designed problems and lovely looks.
FREE
Good, wholesome cartoon-like fun for kids that won’t send parents insane either
£0.69
There’s replay value for its target market, but the means to challenge other people’s robots would be a huge improvement.
£1.49
BoxPlots takes an overdone format and adds charm, character and a smidge of originality, resulting in a very pleasant puzzler.
£0.69
An Inca-redibly fun multiplayer experience, though you Maya not find the single-player game as engrossing.
£1.49
A fun – sometimes frustrating – mix of tower defense and godly destruction that’s a good option for blowing off some pent-up steam.
FREE
A promising start and very close to bringing home the bacon, but this game’s sometimes a bit of a boar.
£0.69
Simple and fun cartoon battles with an adventurous twist, and yours for a bargain price – get your swag on.
£0.69
A positively beautiful action-RPG with heavy-hitting action, smart writing, and more personality than the rest of its genre put together.
£0.69
A solid, enjoyable foundation – but structural niggles soon grate, keeping this bear from getting the honey it would otherwise deserve.
£0.69
Good looking as Bladeslinger Ep. 1 might be, it’s a hollow and oft-miserable slog. Hit the saloon, instead.
£1.99
More puzzle than stealth, and enjoyable, if lacking that extra addictive quality that would demand you perfect every level. But when it clicks, it’s a blast.
£1.99
It’s enormous fun and tests the old grey matter, even if you do find yourself shouting at the game on a regular basis.
£1.99
FIFA 13 is the best football sim we’ve played on iOS, and is great for the price, even if there’s still room for improvement.
£4.99
An intriguing strategy game – enjoyable and ambient, but it feels rather simple, despite all its options.
£2.99
Some frustratingly difficult later levels, but otherwise this enjoyable dam-building puzzle is top of the class.
£0.69
Thoughtful puzzling that requires a careful approach, but the slow-paced gameplay keeps things from ever being truly compelling.
£0.69
With more polish CreaVures might have been fanVastic – instead it’s something of a leVdown.
£0.69
A fun, and occasionally inventive rhythm-action game, but the IAP system leads to repetition and feels distinctly like gouging.
£0.69
The jury finds the defendant guilty of lightweight strategy, casual entertainment, unfulfilled promise and hit-&-miss humour. Dismissed!
£1.99
FM freshens things up with a few new additions to help stay on top of the pile at Christmas
£6.99
Fun for fans of Angry Birds and Star Wars alike, but the few new gimmicks mean The Force is merely strong(ish) in this one.
£0.69
Snake! SNAAAAAAKE! Oooh it’s a snake! Ah, no, it isn’t – it’s a flawed but loveable bit of rhythmic lunacy.
£0.69
There’s nothing really wrong with this game, but it utterly fails to stand out in a sea of iOS puzzlers.
£0.69
Get out the world map, table and pointer: this is a veritable treat for the control freaks out there.
£0.69
Retro arcade space action that gets a little complicated and a bit silly at times, but it’s a cracking blast once you’ve a feel for it.
FREE
With sparkling ingenuity, One Tap Hero explores the simplest of interfaces to deliver a testing puzzle platformer with 100 levels of ideal mobile gaming.
£0.69
A decent serving of quickfire puzzle action, but it ain’t no WarioWare.
£0.69
Minecraft meets Mario. Junk Jack has ideas aplenty, but needs to better work out what it wants to do with them.
£1.99
A nice way of getting younger kids to practice their adding perhaps, but with little enjoyment for an adult audience.
£0.69
You’ll like girls, robots, pies, moustaches – in fact, the majority of what this charming puzzler has in store.
£1.99
Golfers will enjoy showing it off at the clubhouse, but it’s not a proper game.
FREE
Initially looks tasty, but not really enough to make our stomachs gurgle in delight, and the overly fussy approach and uneven difficulty curve gave us minor heartache.
FREE
One of those games that, despite having a promising concept, is just too pedestrian and unexciting to truly grab hold.
£0.69
Poorly implemented touch controls sap some of the fun from this otherwise delightfully bizarre RPG romp.
£0.69
The visual splendor is somewhat spoilt by the dark tones, and levels are too slow-paced and repetitive to really grip you.
£1.99
From the makers of Real Racing, Most Wanted deliver slick visuals and great controls, but lacks a bit of variety
£4.99
Solid and respectable old-skool twin-stick action that’ll provide a challenge, whatever the weather.
£1.99
Charming and amusing, but brutally old-school in terms of visuals and difficulty, so only buy if you’re prepared to be seriously challenged.
£0.69
Unique, amusing and often comically dark, Ghost Trick is a thoroughly entertaining tale.
FREE
We’ll sing this in our loudest and proudest voice: this turn-based game gets an Editor’s Choice.
£1.99
Out and out the best arcade shooter for iOS. It’s not going to win any beauty competitions, but it sure deserves to win some ‘best games’ ones.
£0.99
Does little to further the tower defense genre, but few titles will ever reach the quality and longevity found in Fieldrunners 2.
£1.99
This pernicious pensioner doesn’t offer the deepest experience, but it’s fast, smashy, slightly silly fun.
£0.69
It can be a bit random at times, but JellyCar 3’s springy gameplay is extremely engaging.
£1.49
You’ll have yourself a ball, but give it some extra levels and raise the difficulty, and you’re looking at a potential classic.
£0.69
We applaud the effort to do something new, but mixing traditional tower defense with first-person shooting isn’t without its problems.
£0.69
Is it worth the exclamation mark? This strategy conqueror’s nothing original so perhaps not, but it is fun, nonetheless.
£1.99
A good idea. Sign up procedure could be easier, but it all works once you’re in.
FREE
Initially off-putting, but perseverance and a little patience reaps rewards, revealing one of the best quickfire platform games for iOS.
£1.49
Some levels could even stump a rocket scientist, but despite occasional frustrations, the level designs are smart and rewarding.
£1.49
A well-crafted little projectile firing game, but the fling soon wears off.
FREE
An extremely satisfying blend of tower defense and card collecting. There’s amusing gory bits, too.
FREE
A blast-’em-up blast from the past that irons out some kinks, but avoids steamrolling what made the original such a classic.
£1.99
Liked Casey’s Contraptions? Then you’ll like Amazing Alex! While being troubled by a nagging sense of déjà vu.
£0.69
Continental drift-paced space action that needs an iPad version and better controls. Still compelling and lovely, though.
£2.49
Compelling puzzle dungeon crawling, but a lack of variety keeps this high-score game from getting higher score.
£1.49
Could have been a contender, but in play, AXL veers between being as sterile as its environments or as frustrating as a bug in a pint.
£0.69
Taking football to the street and volleying into the top window of ‘that’ annoying neighbour.
FREE
Disco Kitten’s difficulty ramps up too quickly, but it amuses up until that point.
£0.69
Fun, playable and simple, but lacking the depth it’d need to steal an extra base (star)
£0.69
Three stars, purely for the wonderful first half — but later levels are for the bloody-minded only
£1.49
The difficulty here will quickly drive you to extinction – but it feels more a result of flawed controls than deliberate design decisions
£0.69
Pretty and – in the context of iOS gaming – fairly innovative, but extremely short-lived. A missed opportunity.
FREE
A fun set of minigames that’ll keep the little ones occupied for hours. Postman Pat fans will be especially excited.
£1.99
You’ll be left switching between smart and stupid faster than the titular shapes. Ideally, approach while clutching a stress ball.
£0.69
You get lots of engaging gameplay for your money, but the going is slow and a bit of a slog.
£2.99
Definitely not a scientific abomination, but this isn’t quite the superior specimen you might hope for, considering its genes.
FREE
It seemed promising, but this ponderous attempt at a puzzle adventure is just Layton the side down.
£1.99
A nice idea, but it’s too easy, and the level design is not nearly clever enough.
£0.69
A fresh perspective view on tower defense gaming, refreshingly offering an engaging plot and fascinating RPG elements. Bring on the hordes!
£0.69
More Asphalt 7: Reheated than Asphalt 7: Heat, but if you don’t own its predecessor, this is a must-buy.
£0.69
If you’re a doofus, don’t play DOFUS. The various creature and enemy types make this a strategy puzzler of surprising depth. A satisfying challenge.
£1.99
This is likable enough as a basic adventure RPG, but it’s hardly a diamond in the rough.
£0.69
A neat little experiment, but it’s all over when it should be getting into its stride.
£0.69
A big bag of space goodies to experiment with, culminating in truly eye-popping space carnage. Ka-pow!
£6.99
Gluddle has the looks and sounds perfectly nailed, but sadly, its frustrating controls bounce off-target.
£0.69
A smart, engaging one-thumb arcade puzzler that’s just a touch too fiddly to get our highest score.
£0.69
One the whole, you’ll squirm with satisfaction at Fancy Pants Adventures, but some of the more complex levels might leave your knickers in a twist.
£0.69
It’s as light and fluffy as some of the animals you’ll rescue, but Extinction Squad proves an entertaining trifle.
£0.69
A-maze-ing – that’s what you probably won’t be telling yourself after playing round with this app
FREE
This classic platform game sees you in control of a monkey. Everybody loves a monkey.
FREE
The same block-moving game you’ve played a million times. But with turtles.
FREE
We know you need big balls to battle zombies, but this is ridiculous…
£1.00
A great puzzle game, full stop, but especially nice for series fans.
£0.69
The story creator is the star of the show here, turning your child into the author, which is much more fun than the weakly animated story.
£2.49
With bite-sized levels that perfectly suit the iOS format, this is highly recommended for nostalgics and puzzle fans alike.
£0.69
Control issues aside, this is a decent game, and at least you get to be the zombies rather than just shooting at the poor buggers.
£1.99
There’s little longevity here for adults, but Fleece Lightning offers tons of fun for tiny touchscreen fiends.
£0.69
A stern face at the unnecessary and irksome IAP, but a happy, shark-like toothy grin at everything else.
£0.69
A fun game and probably a good investment, but initially content-light compared to its main rival.
£0.69
A great foundation for a mirthful arcade racer, but even shallower than its ancestors from 30 years ago.
£0.69
A beautifully constructed RTS with pleasant brain-ticklers that’s almost enough for us to wish the summer away.
£4.99
A slightly uneven experience, but for the most part this is charming and as fun as an Amoebarrel of monkeys.
£2.99
A polished (ha!), shiny (oho!) match game to treasure (OK, just stop now). But should it have been Universal? Yeah, probably.
£1.49
It’s shy of a few play modes and lacking visual diversity, but Ballistic SE makes some fine tweaks to the twin-stick shooter genre.
£1.49
A charming, challenging experience that’s slightly marred by twitchy controls. It’s a certainly a looker, but lacks a killer sting.
£0.69
Not as fulfilling as Super Crate Box and Muffin Knight, but akin to a massive sugary treat that will leave you dazed, but happy.
FREE
Airport Scanner has the look down pat, but this drab job simulator proves to be as rote as the real thing. Not much to declare, here.
£0.69
We are sorry for telling you about this game – it will take over your life
£1.99
Spectacular, engaging and complex. Chaos Rings II is the best of the series, yet. Go grab your sword, because this is proper epic adventuring.
£13.99
A colourful collect-’em-up that uses simple mechanics to giddy effect – explore at leisure and you’ll be happy as a pig in muck.
£0.69
With bite-sized levels that perfectly suit the iOS format, this is highly recommended for nostalgics and puzzle fans alike.
FREE
Ignore the association with the Burnout series – there’s a fun, stress-busting game underneath, just not a thrilling one.
£0.69
Initially raucous, smashy fun, but we soon tired of the game’s mechanics and awful sound, despite its good looks and humour.
£1.49
Should have be an exercise in hilarity, but the uneven difficulty and requirement for repetition make this all a bit damp.
£0.69
Coco Loco has the ideas for a pretty solid Angry Birds-like physics puzzler, but not the expert execution needed to make them matter.
£0.69
Without doubt the finest kart racer on iOS, and also one of our favourite iOS games in any genre.
£1.49
It’s classic Sonic, sure, but with a strange insistence that you need overbearing guidance to cope with simple new moves.
£4.99
You don’t get much better pinball for free, and the paid tables are worth a look too.
FREE
Simple and fun cartoon battles with an adventurous twist, and yours for a bargain price – get your swag on.
£0.69
You know when people bang on in a tiresome way that sequels are never as good as the originals? Well, um, that.
£3.99
Control issues aside, Warrior Within really is a magnificent sequel.
£2.99
One for those with a careless bent, and perfect for when you want to play a game but not do any thinking.
£0.69
The iOS equivalent of a plain cheese sandwich: does the job, but it won’t linger in the memory afterwards.
£0.69
Stylish, absorbing and challenging, but needs Game Center support and an injection of longevity and jolly.
£1.99
A mite frustrating at times, and very short; but also sweet, with engaging visuals and simple, addictive gameplay.
£0.69
Almost a good game, but undone by terrible pacing, which commits the cardinal sin of making a blasting game dull.
£0.69
Max is back with some minor control issues that won’t get in the way of your enjoyment of this shooter classic
£1.99
A well-conceived strategy title with a good balance of depth and immediacy, but also a few quirks.
£1.29
A great looking and original story, which disappoints with its lack of charm and colour.
£3.99
A wonderful way to explore the world – you’ll be travelling and investigating for hours.
FREE
It’s enormous fun and tests the old grey matter, even if you do find yourself shouting at the game on a regular basis.
£2.99
An intriguing strategy game – enjoyable and ambient, but it feels rather simple, despite all its options.
£2.99
Puzzle, stealth, rhythm-action and a smattering of platforming, with Game & Watch era rigidity smashed into modern iOS-style aesthetics. Perfect.
£1.99
Fast, free-falling fun that tried a bit too hard to be cool and ends up being a bit of a jerk. A loveable jerk, though.
£1.99
The rebooted physics of this new instalment means you’d have to be cuckoo to bet against Angry Birds’ continued domination as it aims for infinity, and beyond.
£0.69
Compelling, and with endless hilarity. The sheer range of possibilities with different partners means there’s longevity here, too.
FREE
A little originality in match games can go a long way, but in this case it wasn’t enough to grab us
£2.99
A fast, extremely fun strategy game with a fantastic sense of humour.
FREE
What? A verdict!? Just leave us alone – we’re busy playing Diamond Mine! Again! All night long! Argh!
£0.69
A mixed bag: tricksy, fun puzzles surrounded by some needlessly tough-to-navigate platforming.
FREE
Weaving through colourful tunnels may not be consistently thrilling, but Caverns of Minos sure is a charming little curio.
£1.29
A game this shallow is skating on thin ice, but it’s enjoyable enough that we don’t really care
£0.69
Unrefined mechanics tarnish this original iOS platformer, but luckily the stellar concept and aesthetics shine through.
£1.99
Dredd fans should add another star; everyone else should check out Minotron for superior confined-space shooty thrills.
FREE
A bonafide legend that’s still well worth playing, in spite of interface woes
£6.99
Not quite paradise for iOS word-game fiends, but enjoyable enough and worth a look; doubly so if you’ve a bubble-popping fetish
£0.69
Great physics game – even if it has nothing to do with the webbed wonder
FREE
Stunningly complex turn-by-turn strategy-based SIM redefines expectations for the iPad as games platform
£2.99
Even a decade on, GTA 3 remains a superb game. Yes, it’s violent and amoral, but it’s only for adults.
£2.99
It’s a simple idea, but this is great-looking game with challenging levels that’s thoroughly addictive.
£0.69
It’s Space Invaders with a twist! A great take on a classic.
£1.49
Hectic and atmospheric, as it should be, but a lack of maps holds this well-made shooter back.
£4.99
Satisfying for Batman fans, but almost comically short. We hope Batman returns with more foes to fight.
£3.99
Children can play as they learn in this wildly imaginative and flawlessly immersive learning experience
£2.99
Great looks, great level design and spectacular crashes lift this bike game above the norm
£1.49
Horrifically fast retro larks with, we suspect, an extremely niche appeal. We like it, though
£0.69
It could have been a contender, but Gears has a cog loose and so doesn’t quite run like clockwork
£1.99
Comes across more like a tech demo than a game. Visually quite impressive, but otherwise pedestrian
£3.99
Eye-searing, slightly unnerving, but different, engaging and highly recommended
£1.49
The same compelling gameplay, but with plenty of innovations and new levels to make it worth a second visit
£1.99
There’s plenty of fishing fun to be had in this great little virtual angler
FREE
Shoot-’em-up joy from the masters of bullet hell, albeit at a ludicrous price. One for aficionados
£9.99
A fast, fun, yet ultimately simple strategy game with brilliant controls
£0.69
A minor classic in waiting that’s currently a bit too challenging for its own good
£0.69
Innovative controls and a great foundation, but repetitive. If new missions appear later, pretend we gave it another star
£0.69
Somewhere between Newton’s cradle and a marble run, this puzzler is as fun as it is archaeologically suspect
£0.69
An absurdly addictive runner that stops just short of soaring its way to perfection
FREE
Short, but extremely sweet, and with a personality to melt even the stoniest of hearts
£1.99
Flawed, but the few stand-out events, combined with single-player cups and a multiplayer mode, ensures value for money
£1.99
Shameless tie-in meets addictive-but-shallow new game mode. We love it now, but won’t respect it in the morning
£0.69
Not quite a champion, but far from a double bogey, this mini-golf game easily makes the cut.
£2.49
A perfectly inoffensive time-waster, but if you’re after thrills and excitement then look elsewhere.
FREE
Tough puzzles and a sharp difficulty curve mean this treads a fine line between fun and frustration
£0.69
Not the best-designed cooking app we’ve ever seen, but the recipes it contains are interesting and unusual
£1.99
FM Handheld is back ready to sap away your commute once again…
£6.99
A hugely enjoyable RTS featuring the only ants you won’t want to nuke with powder from the garden centre
£1.99
Lunges for ‘classic’, but stabs ‘merely very good’ instead. Nonetheless, it’s essential if you enjoyed the original
£4.99
A rich and complex game, but the static screens and overload of information makes it a little dry
£6.99
Vast and beautiful, but lacking that little extra something that would have made it better than nice
£1.99
Currently the best footy experience on iOS by a considerable margin, and a step up from last year’s offering
£2.99
A first-rate puzzle game that rewards strategic thinking, but it lacks polish
£1.99
A touch fiddly at times, but this game’s imagination and wonderful visuals combine to make a tasty treat
£0.69
A slight but good-natured game that rarely slips up and very regularly shines.
£0.69
An atmospheric, incredibly interesting story undone by out-of-place combat
£0.69
Packs all the Cave punch you’d expect, but really needs to be prettier and cheaper
£7.99
Apart from the lack of levels, it’s a well-designed and atmospheric game of cat and mouse.
£1.49
The insane-looking rabbits raise frequent chuckles and the well-designed levels provide a satisfying challenge
£1.99
A polished emulator, but for widespread appeal it needs more and better games.
£1.99
Merely unleashes a raging fury when you realise you could have been playing a better racer instead.
£2.99
A fairly straightforward mapping/maze game with a twist that adds plenty of atmosphere.
£1.49
A mercilessly difficult, albeit faithful Amiga port that rewards only the most tenacious of gamers
£2.99
A charming, playable, great-looking undersea adventure, with depth. (And the iPhone version’s just as good.)
£2.99
An excellent update to what was already a fine match game — recommended even if you own the original.
£1.99
Bordering on unplayable. We only got through the game due to sheer bloodymindedness.
£0.69
Loop the loop, collect Blubbles, smash enemies, discover new lands and make friends along the way.
£0.69
A slick flick game that’s fun and addictive, but the whole concept needs to evolve next time out.
£2.99
iRunner is a fast paced running game, with great HD graphics and special game play.
FREE
The throne is waiting for its hero! “Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim” is a vast magical world where you are honored with the crown of a tiny fairytale kingdom.
£1.99
Simple control, flick the pumpkin, attack monster! Very addictive Halloween game!
FREE
This is the only shoot bubble game that contains both Puzzle mode & Arcade Mode.
FREE
Android-toting gamers should have Madfinger’s website bookmarked, such is the quality of the Czech coders’ excellent Tegra Zone beat-em-up ‘Samurai II: Vengeance THD’.
£5.49
Frequently frustrating, but a novel and surprisingly exciting take on a top-down racing game.
£1.99
A visually stunning and surprisingly fresh take on a genre that was becoming stagnant.
£1.99
Basic yet satisfying platforming fare, wrapped in an atmospheric mythological setting.
£0.69
A fantastically enjoyable reunion of the characters, straight back into action.
£1.99
Not as original as it first appears, but nonetheless a beautiful and absorbing physics puzzler.
£1.99
A brave attempt at translating a physical board game, but it just isn’t a great videogame.
£0.69
A first-rate and surprisingly accessible strategy game. Worth invading a medium-sized country for.
£2.49
The sort of game you’ll intend to play for five minutes – and then it’ll be dark outside.
£0.69
A timeless classic. And now, a little piece of role-playing history in your pocket.
£1.99
All your favourite recipes from all your favourite chefs.
£1.26
What came first the chicken, or the egg? Or in this case the ninja or the medieval swordsman?
FREE
Gameprom is really getting the hang of this – War Pinball is its best set of tables yet, with plenty to keep you playing.
£1.99
Fiddly at first, but once you get the hang of it, finger-tricking on your BMX is a joyful experience.
£2.99
Inventive and charming; if only control issues didn’t drag it down. Be wary on iPad and avoid on iPhone.
£1.99
This old-school, top down, flight-and-fight sim is an all-action ride for the ages.
£1.79
The app is a dream for twitchers who want to know what birds are in their back garden.
£3.11
Microsoft has yet to create an official Android application for Hotmail.
FREE
Almost a fantastic racer – with a bit more polish and better tracks it could have been wheelie good.
£3.99
A disappointing, cynical sequel that needs more levels and new features to justify its existence.
£0.69
If you like the idea of pre-Spectrum ZX-style games on a mobile touchscreen then you’ll have hit the jackpot here with SF Cave, which follows the old avoid the parameters to progress model.
FREE
A treasure-hunting, monster avoiding platform – if you can get that far
FREE
A simple, elegant and assured game of chess that feels no need to show off. Positively classy.
£4.99
There’s enough good stuff here to make it worth a purchase, but it’s not up to the standard we expect.
£2.99
Has longetivity in spades, but the gameplay is so boring that you probably won’t play long enough to notice.
FREE
The hexagonal turn-based gameplay is tried and tested, but UniWar doesn’t deliver much else to justify it’s hefty price tag.
£3.09
Tank Recon 3D gives you a Tank, and lets you roam free blowing up whatever you see. Quite simply living the dream.
£1.85
If you’ve got plenty of time on your hands and the patience of a Saint then oriental puzzler Mahjong is a great way to kill a wet weekend.
FREE
Run your own restaurant! Addictive and well put together, but will only last you so long unless you’re willing to pour some real money into it.
FREE
Over 30 years on, Pac-Man is still gobbling his way forward. Unfortunately this is far from his best outing.
£1.81
Though fairly basic graphically, this enjoyable adventure novel come video-game has plenty of replayability.
FREE
Quite simply really. Unlimited word searches for those who need a reliable time killing app.
FREE
This immersive shoot-em-up requires some serious disk space and hardware, but the end result is extremely impressive. A must-have for those with the technical requirements.
£2.65
The many puzzles will keep you building and rebuilding for ages, even if the sandbox mode is imperfect.
£1.99
Not a game to buy if you dislike a challenge, but if you’re all for tough puzzlers, Beyond Ynth is great.
£1.49
It’s a lovely game, lovingly restored and has great nostalgia value. It’s just not terribly user-friendly.
£2.99
If you’ve got pictures that you don’t want people to see, then you need this
FREE
An innovative, cute and moderately enjoyable game, but it’s not quite the finished article.
FREE
Fast Five looks and feels great, but lacks the honed balance and difficulty curve of Asphalt 6.
£2.99
Has its moments, but this mixture of platforms and drawing doesn’t work as well as it thinks it does.
£2.99
Luxor virgins will delight in the pleasures of Amun Rising, but existing fans won’t find much to entice them.
£2.99
For time-passing pick up and go fun, see how many bubbles you can burst.
FREE
Stunt Kart racing heaven complete with sizzling graphics and bucket loads of content
£1.24
A glossy 3D homerun hitting title that should strike a chord with baseball fans
£3.14
Answer questions, ask the audience or phone a friend and try your luck at winning the virtual million pound jackpot in this video game replica of the classic ITV game show.
£1.86
Step back in time and take to the skies in this exhilierating WW2 plane combat sim
£2.52
Fresh sci-fi shooting nostalgia that is reminiscent of all your favourite arcade classics
£1.68
A friendly yet challenging turn based strategy game that delivers fresh content every 24 hours.
£4.99
In borrowing the best from the rest and adding new twists, I Must Run! becomes best in class.
£0.69
Initially dazzling but short-lived; however, the price is right for the entertainment it offers.
£0.69
iMockups needs work, but it’s a quick way to sketch UIs. More features are promised.
£4.99
A largely entertaining game that’s pulled off with considerable skill.
£4.99
Much better for multi-playing rather than on your own.
£4.99
A fantastic and sophisticated golf game. It’s just a shame about the lack of online options.
£3.99
One of the best iPhone puzzlers is now one of the finest iPad games. Just buy it and thank us later.
£1.79
Technical gremlins aside, this is vintage Lara Croft with fantastic shooting and adventuring.
£3.99
The ‘swipe ‘n’ swarm’ strategy of Galcon has been around on the iPhone for years, and its 4MB arrival on the Android platform is particularly slick.
£1.24
There’s no business like snow business. One of the best games available on Android.
FREE
Fun game, great premise… frustrating controls. Worth a download for interested gamers.
FREE
The Bobby Fischer of chess apps – undoubtedly the best, but also very expensive.
£5.41
Sporting some of the best graphics of any Android game, Asphalt HD is as immersive a game as there is on the platform.
£3.11
Cut The Rope has taken far too long to get on the Android Market. After watching those with an iOS device feast on the game for so long, and now that the Amazon Appstore no longer has exclusivity, it’s a massive relief that the game is available to the Android masses.
£0.62
An entertaining tower defense game that will provide more than a challenge to all but the hardiest gamers.
£2.50
Less a game and more phone-based training for a glittering career in the beverage business, Cocktail Frenzy is a test of reaction speed and priority juggling
£1.87
Some top-to-bottom scroller action now from Sky Force Reloaded, a simple shoot ‘em up in a 2.6MB download.
£1.99
A genuinely lovely remake of a classic RPG, but the high pricing is questionable compared to its rivals.
£9.99
There’s plenty of fishing fun to be had in this great little virtual angler.
£0.59
Not quite best-in-class, but Explosive Love is entertaining, challenging and a bit of a looker.
£0.59
It needs a proper tournament and a multiplayer mode, but NBA Jam is nevertheless an incredibly amusing game.
£0.59
Silly, simple and fun. Not quite an App Store classic, but definitely earns a recommendation.
FREE
Add a proper career mode and multi-player option and Fight Night Champion would be a title winner.
£2.99
A minigame collection best left to play with kids, since adults will tire of it too quickly.
£1.89
A well-developed paper-sourced crossword puzzler that should keep addicts happy.
£2.99
It’s no Plants vs. Zombies, but Egg vs. Chicken is closer to ‘tasty treat’ than ‘undercooked’.
£0.59
A fantastic RPG with an engaging story, slick combat and satisfying character development.
£3.99
A very cheap and very cheerful translation of the world’s favourite rhythm game.
£1.89
Eternal Legacy is enjoyable enough, but it’s a pale imitation of the games it’s attempting to emulate.
£2.99
One of iOS’ finest. Fantastic aesthetics, precise controls and engaging gameplay.
£1.19
A good, challenging tower defence game. But not a great Final Fantasy spin-off.
£4.99
A superb update of a classic adventure that still delivers.
£3.99
The control system is a failed experiment, but otherwise, Dead Space is technically brilliant.
£5.99
An insanely fast racer with some great track design, but it somehow feels a little empty.
£2.99
Certainly not the most original use of a licence, but Mazes of Time’s enjoyable enough.
£0.59
A fine action-oriented puzzle game that pleasingly tries to do something different.
£1.19
One of the finest videogaming experiences iOS has to offer. Brilliant in every conceivable way.
£2.99
And the winner for the most uninspiring game title goes to…
FREE
Although mildly entertaining, not even as close to raunchy as its name suggests
FREE
Having dominated physical board games and the iPhone, Scrabble now tackles the iPad
£3.99
Android Market discovers post modernism with a game developer developed game about game developers
£1.60
John Carmack develops a game for the iPhone, hardcore gamers worldwide gasp with joy
£0.59
The latest multiplayer augmented reality game for those lucky enough to own a Parrot AR Drone
£1.79
The Reggae Reggae Sauce fella from Dragon’s Den pops up with a recipe app for the iPhone
£3.99
This app has just won its category in the Samsung Bada apps developer challenge…
FREE
You race. On the wrong side of the law. For the law. Secretly
£3.99
Unfortunately nothing to do with the 90’s sci-fi show, this just involves blocks
£0.69
Although struggling to come up with 14 hockey playing nations this game is a successful example of the iPad’s possibilities
£2.99
Brain-training games are becoming ten-a-penny, but finally there’s one worth your attention
£1.19
Pit your wits against moving sliding blogs, which is about exciting as it sounds
FREE
Visually stunning and pirouetting round Pro Evo like a Messi unleashed. EA is back on top…
£2.99
Black Pegasus is easily the greatest war-themed first person shooter to grace the iPhone to date
£3.99
The latest Pro Evo on iPhone still shows how football gaming should be done on mobile
£4.99
A Sega fanboys dream iPhone game, Sonic 4 is everything we expect from our favourite speed-freak blue hedgehog
£5.99
Combine elements together to create different objects. The more combinations, the more you feel like a god
FREE
Addictive multiplayer gaming that will only increase in competitiveness
£1.19
It’s like Battleships, but different enough to stop the lawyers getting involved
£1.99
Roll your ball through the maze and collect all the stars before they lose their glow
£1.99
Smash Sudoku and Minesweeper together and this is the likely mutant child that would be birthed
£2.19
Miner Disturbance is the latest in a long, distinguished line of mining based games from British developers
£1.19
Cartoonish golf-based fun for fans of classic arcade style gaming on the iPhone.
£2.99
Take revenge on the pigs which stole your eggs by catapulting kamikaze birds into them.
FREE
We are Japanese if you please… Otamotone is one of the best and (bizarre-est) music apps yet developed for iPhone
£1.79
If you’ve not got a copy of mines to while away the day then you’re missing a vital part of the human experience.
FREE
Collect all the falling eggs in your seemingly bottomless basket for points and prizes.
£2.95
Put on your hard hat and prepare to make your way through 80 levels of exploding awesomeness
£1.93
We can’t resist anything that uses stick-man style outline drawings, perhaps it time we should
£0.69
A cracking little game that follows in the slightly bonkers tradition of Doodle Jump and Angry Birds
£0.59
We love Bizarre Creations’ original Xbox 360 Arcade version, almost as much as we love this new iPhone port
£2.99
If you loved the original THPS2 then this is a cracking trip down nostalgia park
£2.99
The best football game for the iPhone, courtesy of the masters of the game at Konami
£5.99
Activision rolls-out its killer pretend-to-be-a-rock-star game for the iPhone, but can it work?
£1.79
Test your footie brain with an app that quizzes you on World Cup knowledge
FREE
Match up the coloured jewels and collect all the mosaic pieces to be become king of Egypt
£2.00
Split/ Second is a fun ‘Mario Kart-inspired’ racing game that is amusing but not ground-breaking
£3.99
Everyone needs a way to kill ten minutes, so why not start matching card suits. It’s like the touch equivalent of Minesweeper but without the mines.
FREE
With the help of a little birdie, you have to zap all the bubbles before they fall down and freeze you
FREE
Finger-touch controlled footy game to while away the hours in-between the real World Cup matches this summer
£3.99
Dig your way through an unstable mine, collecting load of good stuff on the way
£1.35
A dizzying pack of games that will help wile away even the most soul destroying commute
£3.99
It may look like Peggle with its brightly coloured exploding balls but it doesn’t have the same addictive grasp as Peggle
£4.19
Save the cows before they are beamed up into an alien space craft and get as many points as possible
FREE
One of Sega’s greatest creations from the golden years of the 1990s is lovingly recreated for Apple’s mobile internet device
£3.49
Oh blessed is our day, the classic mines comes to Windows Mobile in all of its gridded 2D glory.
FREE
One of the very few completely free games on the App World, this title offers over 20 ‘challenging’ levels
FREE
A supposedly award-winning casual flash game that fails to raise the interest meter through its very short life
£4.99
Billed as an ‘emergency rescue’ for those table top issues or when you’ve got limited table space, this is basic dice application
£2.15
There’s a mysterious power source on an island and your job is to find out where it is.
FREE
Craving a pool table during your commute? Fear not as now you can play 8-ball on the move
£7.59
Firemint’s game is one of the biggest gaming hits on the iPhone to date
£0.59
Capcom’s classic beat-em-up heads to the iPhone, and is surprisingly playable
£5.99
Gameloft’s Fishing Kings is the greatest angling sim on a handheld to date
£1.79
If you like to impress people with apps that are utterly impractical then this is for you
£0.59
Like a modern day version of the rubbish old X-Ray Specs you used to buy from Marvel Comics
£0.59
Sega’s cutesy monkey rolling, gliding and flying classic gets its second outing on the iPhone.
£2.99
Rockstar Games’ finest open-world gangland adventure gets its first outing on the iPhone.
£5.99
Revolution Software’s classic PC adventure is dusted off and given a new life on iPhone.
£1.79
Challenging, addictive tile-based puzzle game that shows the benefits of empowering small indy developers.
£2.99
Make millions, bankrupt your friends and family with the old favourite.
£4.00
A fun and casual drum-matching game featuring one of our favourite Muppet characters of all time.
£1.19
Enter a tournament, beat the competition and become a checkers master.
FREE
Install Peggle and kiss any social interaction goodbye. The gaming equivalent of class-a drugs has made it to Windows Mobile.
£3.69
Tower defence comes to the jungle. Crack out the arrows and protect your patch of land against marauding wildlife and fellow natives.
£1.19
Flex the old grey matter with a bit of brain training as another Nintendo wannabe attempts to keep us on our mental-toes.
£7.19
Done the fedora and crack the whip, the action hero is back and this time he’s in a puzzle game.
£4.19
Coloured marbles tumble from the top of the screen and you have to get rid of them by matching them up. Simple but oh-so effective.
£1.99
Match up colourful jewels by swapping them around in a grid – the more jewels in a row, the more points you get.
FREE
Old classic brought back to life. Hit the pinball around the table racking up as many points as you can without letting the ball fall through the holes.
FREE
Get rid of the coloured balls before they fall down a hole using a gun and your thumbs.
FREE
Pitting your brain against maths, BrainGoal! Pro hits you with logic questions that you need to complete in an allotted time.
£0.99
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