With just two weeks until the busiest shopping day in the U.S. hits, it's probably a good time to start thinking about what sorts of gifts you want to give and get this year during the holidays.
And don't think that digital platforms like the iPhone and iPad don't warrant game gift giving too. Now that you can gift your favorite apps to relatives, it's probably a good idea to start considering which ones they or you might want.
Here's our take on the ten best iPhone games to give and get for 2010. Hope you enjoy the list. Feel free to add your own recommendations in comments.
Chopper 2
Rating: 9+
Genre: Shooter
Ideal Player: Fans of classic arcade space shooter Defender and those who like a quick hit of deep gameplay with superb graphics.
What's It About?
Chopper 2 is a solid example of how to make a game for Apple's many, popular devices. Tilting left or right to control direction and back and forth to control the height of your helicopter while tapping to fire seems overwhelming at first, but once you master the controls the experience is fun and rewarding. The mix of escort missions, attack runs and having to save stranded allies means that game never gets old. Being able to play it on a television, while requiring special cables and two devices, is the ultimate Apple gaming experience.
Bang For Your Buck: Chopper 2 costs $5 and includes 36 missions spread over a dozen locations. The game's 3D graphics, wide selection of enemies and weapons and ability to connect to a television to play makes it a great deal. You can also pair the game up with a second iPhone or iPad and use one as the controller and the other as the screen.
Cut the Rope
Rating: 4+
Genre: Puzzle
Ideal Player: Five-minute gamers who don't have a lot of time to devote to gaming on the iPhone. People who join brain teasers and puzzles.
Bang For Your Buck: Levels take very little time to complete, but there are 100 of them and this game is a penny less than a $1.
What's It About?
The premise is simple enough: Feed the big-mouthed little green monster on the screen with a piece of candy dangling from a rope. But once you throw in gravity, enemies, obstacles, bubbles, spikes and the ability to collect gold stars, you've got a devilishly addictive game.
Read our review here
Galaxy on Fire 2
Rating: 12+
Genre: Space fighter
Ideal Player: This arcade space flight game feels a bit like a role-playing game in space. iPhone owners who want to invest a little time and effort in this game and enjoy soaring around in a space fighter after enemies are sure to get a kick out of this title.
What's It About?
Galaxy on Fire 2 is a fantastically deep space fighting game that allows you customize more than 30 different types of space ships as you journey around a surprisingly deep universe. The bulk of the game is built around flying your ship on a variety of missions using either tilt controls or a virtual thumbpad, but the depth of gameplay and the level of polish sets this space flight game apart from the rest.
Bang For Your Buck: Packed with 20 inhabited solar systems and 100 space stations, Galaxy on Fire 2 has you exploring the galaxy, mining in space and fighting pirates over the course of a 10 hour story.
Game Dev Story
Rating: 4+
Genre: Simulation Strategy
Ideal Player: Wannabe video game developers. Folks looking to get a quick, whimsical taste of what game development might be like it it were itself a game.
What's It About?
It's not surprising that the game developer reaction to Game Dev Story was very mixed. Some bemoaned its lack of authenticity, "Who would hire a receptionist first?", while other's called it a fantastic, albeit completely off-kilter, look at the world of making games. All that should matter to you is that it's a fun business simulator that drops you into a job more interesting than running a restaurant or planting crops. And that it does it with panache.
Bang For Your Buck: There's a surprising amount of depth in this game, having you staff up, expand your offices and increase the number of games you make at a time year-over-year.
Glee Karaoke
Rating: 4+
Genre: Music
Ideal Player: Glee watchers, closet singers, karaoke disciples.
What's It About?
Made by Smule, the folks that brought magic fiddles, T-Pain and the Ocarina to the iPhone and iPad, this clever karaoke game has you pop on headphones and sing to the lyrics running down your iPhone's screen. The iPhone, in turn, autotunes your voice and records it. If you like the final product you can share it with the world, literally. An option in the game lets you put your music out on Glee Karaoke's virtual world for other to listen to and, if they'd like, sing a duet with you. It's a clever way to make karaoke on your own feel like a social experience.
Bang For Your Buck: This game's $1 price tag can be deceptive. Consider the cost of the game more of an entry fee than something that lands you the entire experience. For that $1 you get the game, one song and the ability to earn more through repetition, but the main way you get the songs you're going to want to sing is by purchasing them for $1 a pop.
Hoggy
Rating: 4+
Genre: Platformer
Ideal Player: People who like cute design married to brutally hard level design.
What's It About?
Hoggy has you playing as a gelatinous pink blob out to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend from the moon men. The game is pretty straight forward, you tip your iPhone to move Hoggy in either direction and tap the critter to reverse gravity. You'll also be trying to collect fruit and of course avoid dangers. It's a fun little pick-up-and-play side-scroller well worth the price to pick up.
Bang For Your Buck: Hoggy's list price is said to be $3 by the developers but it appears to often be either deeply discounted or free on iTunes. Even at a couple of bucks the game's neat approach to platforming and more than 50 levels makes it worth while. You can also buy an additional pack of levels for $1.
Mirror's Edge
Rating: 9+
Genre: Action
Ideal Player: People who enjoy the constant running of Canabalt but would love a little diversity. Fans of the console version of Mirror's Edge.
What's It About?
This is one of the most impressive games on the iPhone, it's also a surprisingly steep purchase, judged on price and length alone. But if you can get past the price tag you're going to love the gameplay. Players take control of underground runner Faith Connors as she parkours her way over and under a city hunting for her. The gameplay has you tapping the screen to run up walls, along fences and through 14 levels. There's even a little bit of hand-to-hand, on-the-run combat.
Bang For Your Buck: This is a short, perhaps half an hour game, but it's also one of the most impressive titles to find its way onto the iPhone. At $5, it's a bit of a reach, unless you love your Mirror's Edge or high-end graphics.
Read our review here.
Plants Vs. Zombies
Rating: 9+
Genre: Tower Defense
Ideal Player: Anyone looking for a solid, fun game to pass the time. This is one of the iPhone's must-own games.
What's It About?
Tower defense games may be a bit overplayed on the iPhone, but Plants Vs. Zombies is a wonderful twist on the genre that makes every moment with it a pure delight. Players defend their home from an increasingly bizarre collection of zombies with an equally strange collection of pea-shooting, zombie eating plants. The premise may sound odd, but this is one of the best games to ever hit the iPhone.
Bang For Your Buck: The $3 game includes 50 levels, and the ability to earn 25 achievements on your iPhone
Read our review here
Rimelands: Hammer of Thor
Rating: 9+
Genre: Role-Playing Game
Ideal Player: Role-playing game fans will love this deep, intricate experience, but it may leave the more casual gamers out in the cold.
What's It About?
Rimelands' biggest draw for role-playing game fans is likely how it handles battle, relying on actual on-screen dice rolls, instead of statistics and behind-the-scenes number crunching, to determine the outcome of battle. In the turn-based-game, players take on the role of Rose Cristo as she fights her way through a world of magic, swords and even a bit of steam.
Bang For Your Buck: Rimelands includes three character paths, dozens of talents, hidden blueprints that can be used to build new items and about ten hours of story to fight your way through.
Shibuya
Rating: 4+
Genre: Puzzle
Ideal Player: This straight forward puzzler is a great fit for people looking to kill a few minutes in line or on a plane.
What's It About?
Shibuya has you matching colored bars as they drop down your phone, trying to pair up two or more at a time. It's a very straight forward game, like the best of puzzlers, but is as addictive and fun as any puzzle title you're likely to find on this platform.
Bang For Your Buck: With quickplay and endless modes, players will get as much out of this game as they would a copy of Tetris. If you like the premise, you'll love how it's delivered.
Check out the rest of our platform-centric gift guides. We'll be running these daily, through till Black Friday.
Don't have the money to buy a gift or a game? Check out our list of fantastic free iPhone games.