Our Five Favorite iPhone Games ... So Far
There's no stopping the iPhone and iPod Touch. Apple's powerful touch-screen multimedia devices are showing no signs of slowing down, which means it's increasingly likely you or someone you know will have one soon (if you all don't already).
The most popular use of each device is not Facebook or even listening to music, but playing games. Since the launch of the application store last summer, games have exploded on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
There are all kinds of games, whether you're looking for a word puzzle, an epic action adventure in ancient Greece or a million and a half different kinds of card games -- there's something for everyone, but that's part of the problem.
There are literally thousands of games to choose from on iTunes right now, which can be pretty overwhelming. So, we've compiled a list of the five best games available for the iPhone and iPod Touch right now.
Each game can be purchased via iTunes or through the phone itself. Click on the game name and it will automatically open iTunes and take you to the game's page.
Slowly but surely, developers are finding effective ways to combine all the features of the device to work together -- "Rolando" is one of the first games to do that properly. "Rolando" tasks players with navigating a series of cartoonish creatures to an exit by tilting the phone and using their fingers to move obstacles out of the way. PSP owners will feel right at home with "Rolando," since it plays much like "Loco Roco."
If you've heard of "Desktop Tower Defence," you know what to expect from "Fieldrunners." For the uninitiated, "Fieldrunners" involves defending a base against endless waves of invaders by building and upgrading towers with different powers to defeat the enemy. Unlike similar games, placing your defenses is simple and accurate in "Fieldrunners." Combined with fantastically cute graphics, "Fieldrunners" is above even its (sometimes more expensive) competition.
With a flick of your finger, you move a cube -- simple enough, right? "Edge" combines a slick futuristic look with deceptively simple game-play mechanics. Sliding a finger up or down allows you to move a cube through the game's maze environment, all while trying to collect scattered bonus cubes and beat the developer's fastest time through the level. Careful, though -- it's easy to fall off!
It's the same "Scrabble" we all know and love in an easy-to-play, multiplayer-friendly format. Players compete against the computer or a friend to form words based on scrambled letters in front of them. The only downside is that "Scrabble" only supports multiplayer on the same phone (which is a huge battery drain) or over the same wireless network.
Apple became a game developer with the iPhone -- a good one, too. The company's "Texas Hold 'Em" is the best version of the popular card game and comes with nine-player multiplayer over the same network. When the device is held vertically, there are real videos depicting the different card players. When held horizontally, the video is lost and the interface resembles your typical online poker site.
For continued iPhone and iPod Touch gaming coverage, check out our Multiplayer blog.
