The Best On iOS: 2012

2012 was a great year for games on every platform, iOS included. If you are one, fortunate enough to own an iOS touch-device, you too had a long list of gaming to fill the void when away from the screen-glow of the living room. Some are ports, while others built-for; all worthy of my attention...and yours as well. 

In no particular order, I consider the following games to be the Best on iOS this passed year.

The World Ends With You: Solo Remix [$12.99] - The World Ends With You is a Square-Enix classic. This DS port integrates with Twitter in ingenious fashion, expands on it's original soundtrack - to cut back it's problems with music repetition - and otherwise remains the same hyper-angst JRPG we know and love. 

True Skate [$1.99] - Sadly, True Skate comes off feeling more like a tech-demo than a full-fledged game, but that doesn't keep it from embodying the intricacies of skateboarding better than anything before it. 

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions [$7.99] - Buy this, and you too can eternally be connected in heart and soul with our very own Brad Simons. Strategy RPGs have no better platform to be played on, and this is one of the best SRPGs EVER. 

Super Hexagon [$0.99] - Super Hexagon requires precision and focus to survive runs longer than 10 seconds. Its simplistic, yet challenges all our human senses. I'm pretty sure you start "tripping balls" if you play for more than 5 minutes at a time. 

Tower of Fortune [$0.99] - Rogue-like slot-machine RPG. Yes please!

God of Blades [$0.99] - GOB is more about it's art direction, and atmosphere, than the complexity of it's mechanics. If you too have an affinity for the art of 80's Prog-rock album sleeves, this is for you.

Bastion [$0.99] - Bastion needs no introduction, and better yet, it's port to iOS is flawless. Touch controls work effortlessly, and now you can have Bastion's wonderful narrator wherever you may roam.

Dream of Pixels [$0.99] - Imagine Tetris, but backwards, backed by some dreamy tunes. This game is brilliant, a breathe of fresh air for the block-puzzle genre, and entrancing. Bravo!

10000000 [$0.99] - 10 Million is a match-3 dungeon crawler that managed to breed new life into a tired genre with some clever design choices. It's the years "least flashy, yet most addictive" iOS game.

Waking Mars [$4.99] - Waking Mars is what happens when the Metroid-vania's of the world trade combat for botany. It's not only one of the most unique gameplay experiences on iOS, it's also one of the most interesting. Note: JETPACKS!

Bad Piggies [$0.99] - Those "Angry Bird people" made something different, while retaining their signature charm. Bad Piggies is Rovio's take on contraption-creation games, and it's a pretty good one at that.

Telltale's The Walking Dead: Season One [$14.99] - It's on everyone's list - or should be - and iOS is the platform I played it on. The Walking Dead, along with the adventure-genre, is superb on touch-devices. Tech aside, this game...man, THIS GAME!!! 

Ghost Trick [$7.99] - Another great gift from the library of Nintendo's DS. If you haven't played Ghost Trick yet, this is the platform to do it on.

 

Arc Squadron [Free] - It lacks the StarFox charm and character, yet is a fun and hefty space-combat shooter. 

League of Evil 2 [$1.99] - The sequel to a speed-platformer that controls too well to be on touch devices. For fans of Super Meat Boy...and comic books...and Rambo too!

Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition [$9.99] - Yup, Baldur's Gate on iPad; that happened! I know, I love that game TOO! It has it's issues, which are looking to be resolved soon, but still...BALDUR'S GATE ON IPAD!

Incoboto [$3.99] - This wonderfully clever puzzle-platformer uses gravity in creative ways, while never sacrificing pacing. It's narrative remains interesting and emotionally effective, while clearly being an allegory for how corporations will kill mother earth one day. <3

Rayman Jungle Run [$2.99] - 2D Rayman finally gets some iOS love, and it's not disappointing. Jungle Run controls surprisingly well on touch devices; not to mention it looks beautiful. Speed-platforming at its finest. 

Punch Quest [$0.99] - Its a endless-brawler with depth, a combo system, and some bad ass boss encounters. Easily one of the best of it's kind this year. 

DoDonPachi Maximum [$6.99] - If you're into Cave's signature bullet-hell action, Max is a no-brainer. Cave's shooters are as good as they come on iOS, and while plenty of Cave's ports have popped-in on the app store, none other was built from the ground-up in 2012 like this was.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy [Free / IAP] - Theathrhyem is Square-Enix's attempt at crossing the rhythem-music genre with their beloved Final Fantasy franchises. Months after its 3DS release, Theatrhythm popped onto the app store, as a free-to-play app with a welcome In-App purchase model. If you do not own a 3DS, and love the music of Final Fantasy, here ya go!

Plague Inc [$0.99] - Have you ever wanted to be that mutating virus that kills off the entirety of the human population? Now you can, in this horrifyingly-depressing strategy-sim.