Pocket Gamer's iPhone game charts: February 2009

As you might expect, not all of the games from last month's iPhone chart have been supplanted by new releases, but a fair few have.

Platform was a turbulent genre, with Sway and Archibald's Adventures muscling out the old incumbents, and Puzzle was just the same, with Touch Physics and Just Fillin finding positions of prominence for themselves.

There are some great new games in here, including the aforementioned and the historical strategy game Westward, but the pick of the month is surely Zen Bound, a sublime and unique effort that you'd be a fool to ignore.

Top 3 iPhone racing games

Low Grav Racer
CobraMobile

"Looks like Wipeout and plays nearly as well. This futuristic racer is a blast"
9/12/08, Stu

Asphalt 4: Elite Racing
Gameloft

"Looks good, has bags of depth, but needs just a bit more speed to be a true classic"
2/9/2008, Stu

Powerboat Challenge 3D
Fishlabs

"Full of thrills, spills, but not without delicate appeal, Powerboat Challenge is as smooth as it is frantic, as tense as it is tight"
28/11/2008, Keith

Top 3 iPhone platform games

Rolando
HandCircus

"The year's best iPhone game offers gameplay brimming with accessible controls, sophisticated design, and style - an emblematic title for a rising platform"
18/12/2008, Tracy

Archibald's Adventures
Rake in Grass

"Archibald's Adventures is puzzle-cum-platforming at its best, serving up a Titantic-sized quest that's as endearing as it is extensive"
11/02/2009, Keith

/review.asp?c=11830">Sway
Illusion Labs

"A cute platformer that swings forth with clever controls and back with tough, challenging gameplay"
Tracy, 27/02/2009

Top 3 iPhone puzzle games

Edge
Mobigame

"Edge is the kind of iPhone title where style and substance unite, creating a block-shifting puzzler that's as maze-y as it is amazing"
28/01/2009, Keith

Touch Physics
Gamez 4 Touch

"Achieves its goals through simplicity and accessibility, refining its potentially complex mechanics into pleasantly addictive and thoroughly entertaining experience"
Spanner, 19/02/2009

Just Fillin
playtoniq

"Simple yet sophisticated, Just Fillin' is an enjoyable puzzler even if it needs a bit of filling in itself"
Tracy, 06/02/2009

Top 3 iPhone adventure games

1112, Episode 1
Agharta Studio

"1112, Episode 1 is more than just the first of a series, it's an introduction to one of the finest adventure games in years"
12/12/2008, Tracy

Alternate Endings
Jonathan Huer

"Such a profoundly dedicated effort by the developers makes this unique and highly compelling game/interactive movie really stand out"
03/12/2008

Soul Trapper: Episode 1 - Ollie Ollie Oxen Free!
Realtime Associates

"Soul Trapper: Episode 1 strikes a chord with an inventive and enjoyable audio adventure, even if the interactive bits are a little monotone"
19/11/2008, Tracy

Top 3 iPhone action games

Hero of Sparta
Gameloft

"Control annoyances and lame sound effects can't shackle otherwise epic action in one of the best iPhone games of the year"
09/12/2008, Tracy

Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes
Gameloft

"Problematic controls wound an otherwise strong shooter"
04/12/2008, Tracy

Heavy Mach
IndieAn

"A high-octane destruction-a-thon with high production values and an impressive arsenal of entertaining weaponry put Heavy Mach with the heavyweights"
Spanner, 25/02/2009

Top 3 iPhone retro games

Vector Blaster
Rude Scotsman

"Tempest-clone Vector Blaster hits the spot when it comes to moving and shooting with vector graphics. But its unsophisticated fun is limited to five-minute chunks"
29/10/2008, Jon Jordan

Mines in Space
High Five

"A simple, aging game brought back to radiant life by outstanding presentation and ingenious variations"
27/01/2009, Spanner

2079
Eric Tong

"Simple and refined, 2079 is the ideal portable top-down shooter"
Spanner, 17/12/2008

Top 3 iPhone strategy games

Warfare Incorporated
Spiffcode

"Warfare Incorporated is a benchmark RTS on iPhone and packs plenty of bang for your buck"
23/01/2009, Fraser

Westward
Binoteq

"A pioneering effort to bring ease of use to strategy and simulation gaming that strikes gold, not to mention a few laughs"
Tracy, 12/02/2009

Fieldrunners
Subatomic Studios

"With clever controls and cartoony visuals, this is the best Tower Defense game on iPhone so far"
12/11/2008

Top 3 iPhone sports games

Real Football 2009
Gameloft

"Excellent football sim that proves iPhone can handle the beautiful game"
11/09/2008, Stu

Midnight Bowling
Gameloft

"Midnight Bowling is another shining example of the high quality entertainment Gameloft is bringing to the App Store"
13/01/2009, Jon Jordan

Flick Fishing
Freeverse

"The only thing Flick Fishing simulates is fun with great graphics, fine controls, and varied, if a bit directionless, gameplay"
11/11/2008, Tracy

Top 3 iPhone 'out there' games

Zen Bound
Secret Exit

"Zen Bound is an interactive poem which organically ties together contemplative gameplay and beautiful presentation"
Spanner, 20/02/2009

newtonica2
Fieldsystem

"Though nothing like Newtonica in terms of gameplay, Fieldsystem's addictive follow-up retains the original's style and simplicity, resulting in the kind of puzzle title that stands out from the crowd with ease"
16/12/2008, Keith

synthPond
Zach Gage

"synthPond is a music creation tool that is perfect for those who know what they're doing, and just as rewarding for those who have no idea but just fancy a play about"
06/01/2009, Keith

Top 3 iPhone multiplayer games

TV Show King Online
Gameloft

"TV Show King graciously offers online multiplayer and solid single-player quizzes that are a royal treat"
18/11/2008, Tracy

Aurora Feint II: The Arena
Danielle Cassley

"A contender for the match-three crown battered by an instable performance"
24/11/2008, Tracy

WordFu
ngmoco "There's no secret about the furiously fast and addictive wordplay awaiting you in this styled, strategy-oriented word game"
Tracy, 02/03/2009