The iPhone has become an important handheld games system to even rival the established platforms such as the Nintendo 3DS and Sony PSP. Apple has unexpectedly won a substantial share of the casual gaming market and has managed to attract major production houses and hobbyist developers. Fuelled by the surge in iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch customers, the iOS games market is going from strength to strength. So here’s our recommendation on five of the most enjoyable iPhone Games Of 2012.
Infinity Blade 2
Developer: Chair Entertainment Group
Price: £4.99 from iTunes
Infinity Blade II builds on the stellar success of its immensely popular predecessor, but sticks to the same winning formula of challenging swordplay, ghastly enemies and beautifully rendered 3D cut scenes. The stunning visuals throughout the game make a strong impression, and it’s obvious considerable effort has been made to utilise the graphical capabilities of the iPhone 4S.
Infinity Blade 2 continues the story arc – with the powerful God King defeated, the main character Siris must explore exquisitely rendered environments and vanquish a selection of hideous foes. Every enemy defeated gains you Experience Points which can be used to upgrade weapons and armour, and eventually acquire the Infinity Blade. The touchscreen controls are used to great effect and there are dozens of new weapons, collectible items and several play modes. Although the first game was criticised as being too easy, the countless new features and improvements in Infinity Blade II should help to extend its longevity considerably.
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Cut The Rope
Developer: Chillingo Ltd
Price: £0.69 from iTunes
Cut The Rope is one of those simple but maddeningly addictive little games that really shines on the iPhone. The objective is to feed candy to a tiny green monster called Om Nom, but the candy is attached to ropes that you must cut at just the right time and place to collect stars and advance to the next level. As you progress throughout the game, the challenges become fiendishly hard and there are ever more obstacles to overcome.
Like many iPhone games, the concept is basic but it works well on the small screen. Cut The Rope is a polished and hugely playable game, and the countless extra levels to unlock and hidden items to collect ensure that you’ll be playing it for many months.
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Where’s My Water?
Developer: Walt Disney
Price: £0.69 from iTunes
Where’s My Water? is a lovingly crafted physics-based puzzle game from Disney, and one of the most popular games for the iPhone. The objective is simply to get water to Swampy the alligator so he can take a bath, by digging a route for it to flow through the rocks above and collecting strategically places rubber ducks along the way.
The idea is basic, but it’s not always straightforward and it can be extremely frustrating to figure out how to complete each level. Disney’s trademark cartoon look is apparent throughout, and the game should appeal both to adults and children.
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Galaxy on Fire 2 HD
Developer: FISHLABS
Price: £6.99 from iTunes
Galaxy on Fire 2 HD is an astounding 3D space combat and trading game that has an interesting storyline, dozens of varied missions and simply gorgeous visuals. The new HD version has considerably improved high-resolution graphics compared to the original Galaxy on Fire 2, and takes full advantage of the A5 processor in the iPhone 4S. Most of the action is presented in a third-person perspective behind your ship (as the role of unlikely hero Keith T. Maxwell), except when docked at space stations where you must interact with other characters to discover missions and earn money once completed.
The Galaxy on Fire series demonstrates the vast potential of the iPhone as a platform for complex games, with great graphics and intricate gameplay mechanics. While many people are drawn to the well known casual gaming hits such as Angry Birds, Galaxy on Fire 2 represents a quantum leap in graphics and interaction, and will surely appeal to anyone that enjoys the old-time PC classics such as Elite and Freelancer.
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NFL Flick Quarterback
Developer: Full Fat Productions Ltd
Price: £0.69 from iTunes
NFL Flick Quarterback is the latest sports game attempting to cash in on the popularity of American Football. While it’s appeal may not be immediately obvious to UK gamers, the combination of behind-the-player camera angles, accessible gameplay and great graphics means it’s sure to find a few new fans.
Choose your favourite team and, as the team quarterback, simply flick the ball to make a variety of ambitious passes. The controls are intuitive and, despite a few fumbles, overall NFL Flick Quarterback satisfies as an accessible introduction to the complexities of American Football.
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