The free iPhone game Trawler Report contracts swine flu and gets attacked with a Glu gun - Cops & Robbers, Cooking Star and Glyder

It’s been yet another busy week aboard the Trawler. Although we’re not to be swayed by the expensive baubles that game publishers wave in the Trawler’s direction to try and change its trajectory, it’s a big week for Glu.

The mobile veteran has released a handful of free versions of its games. Three of them have made it into the report, just because we think you really shouldn’t miss out on them.

We’ve still got a healthy catch from other iPhone game creators, though, including a stellar full freebie pick of the week that you need to get downloaded right away.

All of this week’s games are especially good for quick blasts on the iPhone, too, whether you’re aboard the train or, yes, the toilet. ‘Fess up, we know you’ve been taking it in there.

The best free iPhone games on the App Store

3D Rollercoaster Rush
By Digital Chocolate
What is it? It’s a casual rollercoaster-driving game, with iPhone gloss
Type Demo

3D Rollercoaster Rush is a casual game where you control the speed of a rollercoaster. You’re trying to get it moving as fast as possible without letting your patrons fall off - don’t worry, they float to safety rather than falling to their doom.

It’s not the first time Rollercoaster Rush has come to the iPhone, but this new 3D version has a lot more of the iPhone gloss we’ve developed a taste for.

You control the rollercoaster either with the accelerometer or with a finger poised over the speed dial. This free version gives you three tracks to race through from the full 40. After being a bit underwhelmed with the looks of the original iPhone Rollercoaster Rush, this new version looks much more the part.

Westbang
By Rake in Grass
What is it? It’s a western gallery shooter
Type Demo

Ah, what we wouldn’t give for the simple ways of the old days. Back when if you wanted something, you could just shoot the person who had it and take it for your own. Now that political correctness has gone mad, that sort of behaviour is frowned upon.

Westbang is set in those bad old days, but you’re on the side of the law. A gallery shooter, you have to pop a cap at anyone that raises a gun at you. However, you have to avoid friendly fire, too, as every time you kill an innocent you lose a life.

Westbang is simple, but charms with its stylised visuals. It’s not quite as glitzy as last week’s Wild West Guns, but it’s still thoroughly worth a download.

Buka
By Hexage
What is it? It’s a game where you protect a cute blue blob
Type Demo

If you’ve got any maternal instincts lingering under your steely gamer’s exterior, Buka will bring them out. It’s a game where you have to stop nasties from attacking a cute, rotund blue blob.

Our own Damien McFerran loved it in its original Android form, and now it’s available on iPhone too.

You drag the blob around the screen, keeping it out of the path of enemies. Press elsewhere on the screen and you’ll build up an explosive charge that you can use to get rid of Buka’s enemies. The Lite version includes eight versions from the full game.

Cooking Star Free
By Glu
What is it? It’s a cooking mini-game collection
Type Demo

Even if cooking’s a chore to some, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make a fun game of it. We weren’t all that impressed by Cooking Mama on this front, but Cooking Star turns the heat up a notch. It managed to pick itself up a Silver Award at review

You get to try out three recipes in this free version: kebabs, tofu and rice balls. Making good use of the accelerometer and touchscreen, Cooking Star keeps food preparation engaging by making it snappy and thoroughly game-like.

Cops & Robbers Free
By Glu
What is it? It’s a thieving platformer
Type Demo

Platformers have had problems on the iPhone so far. The touchscreen and accelerometer controls the device has in its arsenal just aren’t quite as good at coping with games of this type as a traditional D-pad.

Cops & Robbers sidesteps these control issues by making your character run automatically, meaning the game’s as much about timing as deciding which direction to move in.

You play as a robber, forever on the run from the fuzz. Cops & Robbers takes you through dark alleys and over rooftops as you try to escape. It won a Gold Award from us at review, and that’s enough to tell you this free version is thoroughly worth a look.

Glyder Free
By Glu
What is it? It’s a free version of a gliding sim
Type Demo

Topping off the trio of Glu titles to make it into this week’s Trawler Report is Glyder. It’s a strangely relaxing game where you fly about as the winged Eryn, trapped in the world of Glyder thanks to a dimensional rift. It’s basically a hang-gliding game set in a fantasy world.

You use the accelerometer to control Eryn, trying to collect crystals in order to re-open the rift so she can get home. The free version includes the first area, large enough to perform all sorts of aerial acrobatics in. If you’ve not played the game, Glyder’s an unusual experience that’s fully worth checking out.

Pick of the week

Wild West Pinball
By Gameprom
What is it? It’s a realistic pinball sim
Type Full

Wild West Pinball is one of the best pinball games available on the App Store, and now you can download it for free. Although it’s been out for quite a while now, it was recently selling for £1.19.

It’s a pretty realistic game, so you’ll probably spend the first few goes just watching as your ball sinks down into oblivion, but it’s worth persevering with. You’ll get better with a bit of effort. Wild West Pinball lets you upload your scores to the net, so you can see how you stack up against the Wild West Pinball obsessives once you’ve honed your skills.

There’s only one table here, but it’s well designed and looks great thanks to some slick 3D visuals. Whether you’re a pinball fan or not, Wild West Pinball is a certified must-have.

Crap apps box of shame award

Pig Vomit
By Eyedip LLC
What is it? An app about the vomit of pigs
Type Full

Swine Flu is apparently not going anywhere any time soon, and it was always going to infect the App Store. Pig Vomit is the source of this infection. It’s a joke app that consists of a pig and a person. Tap on the pig and he’ll sneeze onto the poor chap next to him.

Sure, it’s actually not that badly drawn, but we can’t help but feel a smidge of pity for the type of person that’s going to bring Pig Vomit out in the pub to impress their friends. It’s. Really. Not. That. Funny.