You know what puzzle games really need? They need of bit of finger twister action. Throw out all the “right foot on green” crap, though. Having a game dictate where you place your fingers is way more fun. Does Tap5 XL rock the finger knotting game of twister, or should you just stick to matching three gems?

Tap5 XL presents a simple puzzle mechanic. All you have to do is tap on some color dots before the time bar (think Lumines passing line mechanic) hits the bottom of the screen. Don’t run off thinking you are superior in your tapping skills. Tap5 XL will crush your dreams of being a badass finger-tapping gamer before you’re through.

The game starts out with two points to tap. The time bar seems to fall nice and slow. A few successful taps and that line starts dropping faster, and faster, and…oh god why is does it have to go so fast? It is all fun until that time bar hits the bottom of the screen and you realize your opportunity to hit both tap points is gone, baby, gone.

The game will restart, but instead of nice two tap points, you now have three. Your prior two points are now obstacles in your way. This process repeats until you inevitably break a knuckle and the time bar hits the bottom of the screen again. Throw in another tap point, more obstacles, and go. Don’t worry, five points is where this sadistic game draws the line. Once the screen is full of useless, crazy-making obstacles, the game is over.

Tap5 XL does not have a lot to offer outside of creating its evil tapping frustration on three different difficulty settings. What would really make this game even better is the ability to listen to your own music playlists while playing contorting your finger in unnatural ways. The game also has local leaderboards, but nothing to brag to the world on. Aren’t these types of games begging for online leaderboards and achievements?

Those of you masochistic gamers that really enjoy broken and knotted up fingers will find plenty of sadistic fun in this app. The rest of us who like our fingers unknotted and properly functioning most likely won’t find much appeal here. Grab the free version and give this a test before you splurge on the app and impending hospital bills.

Blasting aliens is a good time. This is why there are so many games designed around the eradication of the alien species. Inkvaders HD brings this alien slaughter to the iPad for all to enjoy. How well does the alien blasting hold up on the iPad?

Inkvaders HD is a simple game of side scrolling shooting action. You move left, right, and blast anything that happens to step in front of you. A jet pack rounds out the action by allowing you to fly over those who would like to assimilate you.

No shooter would be complete without the fun weapon upgrade system. Each alien you blast nets you a bit of cash. Flying meteors only help you sock away pennies. Vending machines are nicely placed at the start and end of each stage. These vending machines provide three weapons to upgrade. Ammo replenishment, jet pack fuel, and health are also available if you happen to need a refill.

There are three worlds to play on. Each world comes with ten stages. You will be blasting Martians from the moon to planet earth in hopes to save Mother Earth. Good luck as there are a lot of aliens looking to do you harm.

The game plays pretty smoothly. Killing an alien will have them dying in various ways. Electrocution, fire, and skull popping are all displayed in fun, yet gruesome, details. For all of the hand drawn kindergarten artwork that fills the screen, this is one game that you won’t want junior to play.

Alien heads explode with brain matter going everywhere when you put them into their place. Abducted cows are beamed back to earth in a bloody skeleton mess. Oh yes, cow abductions take place here as well.

With all the fun that went into weapon upgrades, kids drawing the artwork, cow abductions, and making the controls spot on, it is sad to see a few things overlooked. Each of the ten stages per world looks exactly the same. The moon is the same repeated drab brown scenery scrolling over and over. This repeating of backdrops doesn’t change much when you get to earth.

Another nasty repetition of objects comes in the form of the aliens. It would have been awesome to see many alien types flooding the screen. Instead, we see a handful of variations. Now, the targets we have are fun and enjoyable, it just would rock if there were more.

Inkvaders HD is a hard sell at the current price. For the money, there are just better games that offer up a lot more variety. While the game is fun, there just is not enough to justify the entry fee on the iPad. Grab this one when it hits the bargain bin. If you really have to get your alien death on, grab the lite iPhone version as it sets you back nothing.

It is impossible to be a proud member of the Sonic generation and not know of the greatness that was Ecco the Dolphin. Originally released way back in 1992, Ecco led the way for an intriguingly unique collection of games that launched the SEGA Genesis into the stratosphere. SEGA’s love for the franchise has remained strong, earning it ports to everything from the Game Gear to much later iterations on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation 3, as part of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection. Now the question remains of whether it has enough left in its gills to take on another port — this time to the analog stick challenged iPhone.

Honestly, it is somewhat surprising that it has taken this long for the game to grace the iOS platform. Traditionally, this is one of the first franchises to get the port treatment to new platforms because it is well respected, while at the same time not tapping out their premier Sonic franchises. But this is a gift horse that you will definitely not want to look in the mouth, because this is the classic game, replicated in near picture-perfect form. Every byte of the original’s 16-bits has been painstakingly restored and rejuvenated to look just like you remember it.

While the game may have been ported with care, there is something from the original that came along as well: the sluggish controls. This was an issue back in 1992 and it is still rearing its ugly head over 17 years later. When you compound that with the less than ideal analog controls that are emulated on-screen with the iPhone, you have a recipe for death and disaster.

As simple as crummy control mechanisms may be to address, they cannot protect you from the punishing difficulty of the game. One may let years of nostalgia wash away precious hours of frustration, but all it takes is a couple of minutes to realize what a horrible mistake you’ve made. The mistake isn’t in purchasing the game, it is that you have let Ecco to reel you in once again. Expect to spend hours wanting to destroy your iPhone out of sheer frustration over the trickiness of the level design.

Probably the most infuriating aspect of the game’s design, and yes, it has been a core component since the Genesis days, is the lack of direction that is given to the player. How do you defeat a boss? Trial and error. Where do you go next in the game? Trial and Error. How do you get through that narrow passageway? Trial and error. If there were any more helpful bits of guidance that were available, this might be a moot point, but the fact that it plagues the game to this day is disappointing to say the least.

For those that have been diehard fans since the Genesis era, this will be just the return to form you have been desiring. However, if you are just now tuning into the party, you may be better off just avoiding it all together. Ecco will forever swim in our hearts, just make sure you are ready when you let him dive onto your iPhone.

There is nothing better than seeing more Sega classics getting revived on the iPhone. Sure, this may be the second port that has been released in as many weeks, but they have taken the hint and pulled from their overwhelmingly impressive back library of games. Many of these titles are individual pieces of genius in their own right. One such piece of genius is Phantasy Star II, which landed on Mega Drive back in 1990. But in this era of fast paced RPGs and over-the-top action, can an old relic remain relevant? The answer is an emphatic, “YES it can!”

Are you a fan of gigantic storylines? Do you like absurd amounts of detail and party micromanagement? How do you feel about magic melding with technology? If you are fan of any of these classic game elements, you owe it to yourself to take Phantasy Star II for a spin. Not only does the game contain all of the above pieces of the puzzle, it is the grandfather of this and many other innovative features. It was groundbreaking for the time and still holds up today as one of the best experiences that you will ever find in RPG form. Yes, that is high praise for an ancient game, but when luminaries like Nintendo Power rank a game among the top all-time in the genre, people suddenly become believers.

Some of SEGA’s past ports to the iPhone have suffered a bit of a lag problem, especially when trying to render visuals that require a beefy frame rate. Luckily for them, Phantasy Star II has no need for such demanding visual requirements. In fact, some may go as far to say that the game is slow by the standards of this generation of console gamers. This actually plays to their advantage, allowing for things to run at a good clip, while not leading to any large hitches in the system performance.

Though some of the mechanics seem aged and, dare we say, deprecated, there is much that could be learned from this vintage look back at what the genre once was. There are not enough gameplay mechanisms missing to leave veterans wishing for more control or features, but it will certainly go a long way towards showing how far we have come in two decades. It really strikes a perfect balance that makes this aging classic feel like a hidden gem.

It is impossible to recommend Phantasy Star II too much. When you see how awesome the game plays on the iPhone it will be hard not to wonder why more classic RPGs are not appearing on the platform. This is the perfect example of what was old being new again. Let’s just hope that a second and third generation of gamers can appreciate it as much as the last.

If you play a lot of video games, you’re probably a little wary when it comes to those that are based upon movies – on top of that, if I had to choose one movie that would make a bad video game, there’s every possibility I’d have chosen one from the 70s about a big shark. However, in the case of Jaws on the iPhone, it’s actually quite a treat. Let me tell you a little more.

This game takes the top-down view that’s been tried and proven on this platform and puts you in charge of rescuing helpless swimmers from the clutches of Jaws’ jaws. Whilst the first stage simply requires you to swipe at the flailing figures in the ocean and guide them to shore, the game introduces several new ideas as you progress. For example, the open water levels require you to guide rescue boats of varying sizes by drawing a line on the touch screen. You then swipe the swimmers towards the boat and continue to guide the boat off-screen. Dock levels are much the same, with the rescue being completed when you guide the full boats into landing bays.

The varying levels really keep things fresh through all 10 stages in the game, while also revolving around the same gameplay mechanics to ensure familiarity and a nice learning curve. What really sets this game apart, though, it the way it puts across the feeling that you’re the one floating out in the sea, hoping not to be mistaken for a seal. The frantic nature of the game mixes with the classic “da dun, da dun” of the Jaws original soundtrack, cueing an imminent shark attack – and if the swimmers on-screen start to panic, you’d better panic too, as it’ll only attract the Great White to attack sooner.

Even once they’re aboard a vessel, you can’t deem them safe – if you misguide one boat into another, both will be sunk and everybody on board will be back in the drink with that dorsal fin ever circling. For those that are rescued, you’ll be awarded stars dependent on your performance. If you don’t save enough people, the mission is failed. Just scrape through and you’ll pass, but will only be awarded a single star – which won’t be enough if you want to unlock all stages.

This adds a little to the replayability by returning to previous levels for more stars, as do OpenFeint scoreboards and achievements. But, on the other hand, it would have been nice to see a few more included as once you get into it there’s every chance you’ll finish them all rather quickly. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, as there’s a real treat to be had in the last level, but I shan’t spoil it – and do bear in mind that at a price of just $0.99, you’ll be sure get your money’s worth by just playing through the once.

It’s a nice little game, which takes the tension that was felt in the original movie (those sequels never happened, right?) and puts it upon the player. Achieving the full three stars on each level will take some working on, but simply finishing the game itself can be done in a short space of time. Which is refreshing to see in a way: with all the “endless” iPhone games hitting the App Store of late, it’s nice to get that feeling of “completion” for a change – and you’ll have a whole lot of fun getting there.

Those of us who have watched Bloodsport should all remember the scene of Frank Dux kicking the snot out of Ray Jackson at a game of Karate Champ. Gamers who have long wished they could play that same game anywhere they go have had their prayers answered. Karate Champ XL is finally here on the iPad. Is this a full point game, or was this game blocked for only half a point?

Karate Champ XL sticks true to its Arcade Cabinet gaming roots by retaining the dual arcade stick fighting game. The joystick on the left controls your movement. The stick on the right controls your karate move awesomeness. It might sound simple, but you will spend a fair amount of time in the tutorial of this game. Just because there are not 20 buttons for combos doesn’t mean this game won’t test your fighting skills.

The game brings on three levels of difficulty for the single player experience. Those who want to prove just how much better their Wushu is against friends have options as well. Two players can play via a side-by-side split screen mode on the same iPad. There is also the option of beating each other to an 8-bit pulp via Bluetooth.

Karate Champ XL brings the classic arcade fighting goodness right to your iPad. 8-bit graphics, muddled speech, stiff controls, and even two joysticks for your fighting pleasure are all here. Revolutionary Concepts even went so far as to include faux scan lines for that truly authentic arcade cabinet game feel. Those old school gamers who want a good trip down nostalgia lane? This one is right up your alley.

What would really make this game cooler than Van Damme would be a sensitivity setting for the controls. We have come a long way since the stiff controls of the 80s. While this might change the gameplay a bit, gamers have come to expect spot on control systems of the current crop of gaming control systems, so a way to set this to personal gamer preference would go a long way.

While you might not be Frank Dux, you can relive those 80s memories by getting your Karate Champ on. Despite the stiff controls, this is a game worth your inevitable purchase. Your kung fu might be weak, but your gaming collection doesn’t have to be as well. Buy it now so you can practice before the weekend. Those of you with iPhones/iPods can rock this game in the smaller half pint size as well.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Star Wars featured one during Revenge of the Sith, while episode 76 of South Park delivered the somewhat more obscene “It” – now, it’s the iPhone’s turn to get one, by which I am of course referring to a “monowheel” or “monocycle.” The game is Monorace from Craneball Studios, putting you into the seat of one of these single-wheeled driving machines. Let’s see how it fares.

Basically, what we have here is a rather fast paced side-scrolling game in which your monowheel will continually be moving from left to right. Your job is to ensure that it gets to the finishing line, avoiding all manner of obstacles from deadly spikes to the edge of the screen itself (if it catches up with you, you’re done). This is all performed by the simple means of a single input. Due to a monowheel’s nature, it’s capable of driving both on the floor and ceiling – simply tapping the lower half of the screen will cause the wheel to jump, alternating between the two.

In order to progress through the game and unlock more stages, you’ll need to collect stars. These are awarded based on the time it takes you to complete a level. Before starting, the game shows you three different times, awarding you one, two or three stars respectively. Your finishing time can be manipulated not only by getting to the end as fast as possible, but also by collecting stopwatches along the way which decrease your overall time score. There’s also a nice little mechanic which means the timer counts faster if you’re lagging behind on the left half of the screen but slows if you’re on the right half.

In addition to hazardous objects such as pits, spikes and the landscape itself, other things to take into consideration are the speed up/slow down arrow sections, as well as a sort of physics mechanic. This means that driving uphill will slow you down, and that’s obviously not a good thing at all. You can, of course, counter this by simply jumping up these sections, but be sure to mind your head.

As well as an endless mode with high-score based gameplay and OpenFeint’s online leaderboards, there are two career modes to play through: “beginner” and “racer.” The latter mode raises the bar as far as difficulty is concerned. These both offer up forty stages each, meaning there’s a lot of replayabilty in there if you plan to finish them all. That said, some levels will offer a mass of replayabilty themselves as you repeatedly crash and watch your monowheel explodeing into a rather spectacular ball of fire.

However, despite the explosions looking rather spectacular, as do the menu screens and character designs (of which there are three), the actual levels in the game are a little lacklustre in terms of visuals. The landscapes are all made up of a rather dull brown or grey texture; though it obviously doesn’t affect the gameplay, it would have been nice to see the same effort put into this aspect as was put into the design of the characters and visual ephemera.

It shouldn’t put you off, though, as there’s definitely a lot of fun to be had with Monorace. It’s one of those games that (in the later stages) will frustrate you to the point where you’re about to throw you’re iPhone out the window – while at the same time you’re unable to put it down, attempting the level “one more time” in your determination to get to the end. If you can’t finish it, though, the character’s witty and humorous remarks will do just enough to keep you smiling. It’s certainly a whole lot of game for it’s $0.99 price point and shouldn’t be overlooked when your’e browsing the App Store.

You know what those color match puzzle games really need to make them interesting? These games need the ability to shake up all the pieces when you get frustrated. Good thing Tumbles HD took that shaking idea and put it to use.

Tumbles HD takes the classic color matching game and adds in a bit of a twist. Yep, the game will literally have you tilting and twisting your iPad to solve these puzzles. The reason you’ll be getting that arm workout is because Tumbles HD allows you to move your iPad around to re-arrange the bubble puzzle pieces.

All this tilting fun comes in five different frustratingly fun game modes. Classic will have you eliminating all the colored bubbles from the screen. Blitz mode gives you sixty seconds to do your damage. Challenge mode will have you popping bubbles as quickly as you can until your bubble stack reaches the top of the screen. Versus mode will pit your popping skills against another player on the same device. Multiplayer brings the popping fun for two players via Bluetooth connectivity.

No puzzle game would be complete without something to ruin your simple finger tapping. Bubbles will come in various colors, but some just don’t fit the color mold. Some bubbles receive the lockdown treatment until surrounding bubbles are popped. Other bubbles only receive the death treatment with the super rainbow power bubble. These simple items only compound your chaotic tilting fun.

Tumbles HD rounds everything out with a simple presentation, the ability to rock your Sinatra collection (any iTunes will do, really) while playing, and Plus+ connectivity. How many other puzzle games give you all that variety, and allow you to change up the puzzle with a simple tilt of your iPad?

There are still some items that were never popped off the development team’s to do list. While the game looks good, it takes the primary colors a little too seriously. This simple color palette leaves the eyes begging for different backgrounds. Having the ability to choose different styles of bubbles would also help immensely.

Those of you fed up with the color matching puzzles that currently flood the market will not find much new here, either. The tilting mechanic brings in a new level of strategy, but in the end, you’reakCAM still matching colors in an attempt to beat the puzzles.

Tumbles HD takes the standard color match puzzle game and shakes it up a bit. There are several modes to play and two-player mayhem on the same device make for a good amount of fun. The best part is this game is on sale for a pathetic $0.99. Grab it now and start schooling your significant other in the ways of bubble popping.

Oh, George Romero, what have you done to this culture? What you started way back in 1968 with Night of the Living Dead has now ballooned into more than a movement, it is a phenomenon. Zombies have been invading video games for years, but as of late it has hit critical mass. Just when you think things couldn’t get any sillier, they do. Presenting: Squish the Zombies.

As is customary with just about everything involving the undead, there is no plot to this game. All you need to know is that you live in a arctic climate and somehow zombies are coming out of the woodwork.

If you have ever watched a cartoon featuring a snow covered mountain, you have most likely witnessed a scene where some guy starts a snowball rolling at the top of a hill. Sure, they didn’t mean to kill an entire village, but as the snowball rolls down the hill it gets larger and larger, while the momentum is hurtling the collection of snowflakes faster and faster. This is exactly how the mechanics of the game are constructed, except the only way to make your snowball bigger is mow down zombies. Who knew that cadaver blood made for such nice packing material?

The neatest component of the entire game is the mechanism used to control your ever-growing snow boulder of not quite-death: tilt. There are plenty of games out there that have attempted to use the power of the lean and failed miserably. This game, however, is not one of them. You can flawlessly navigate the never-ending maze of zombies, trees, ramps and even log cabins, all while looking for more material to pack into your rapidly escalating ball. The tilt controls are smooth and responsive, which is vital in a game like this.

Making contact with items in the environment can have varying levels of effect on your progress. If a building or tree is collided with, not only does the size of the ball decrease, but momentum is also slowed. The smaller your ball, the more effect it will have, even bringing you to a complete halt if you are not careful. The one exception to this rule is if you land on a cabin after hitting a ramp, which will result in completely crushing Grizzly Adam’s humble abode and senselessly murdering all inside. Guess it is a good thing you get bonus points for that!

While the main arcade mode is enjoyable, there seems to be more fun that resides in the one minute time trial known as “Blitz.” In this mini-game, there are no obstacles in your way but zombies. Your goal is to crush as many of the mindless meat shields as possible before the time runs out. Sometimes it is just fun to turn off the brain and cause as much mayhem as is humanly possible. Plus, once the high scores are set nearly out of reach, the short playtime leads to quite a bit of “okay, maybe just one more round,” relay value.

With such a simple concept and minimalistic production values, it is easy to dismiss Squish the Zombies as another cheap cash-in, but at its core it is a shockingly amusing game. It is perfect game for when you have a few minutes to burn. Just be careful not to get addicted to “Blitz.” It will ruin your life!