Top 10 best iPhone and iPad games: May 2012
May as well play
Each month, we like to look at all the new iPhone and iPad games that have come out in the last four weeks, and pick out the very best ones.
The ones that have stolen all our free time, the ones that received shiny awards in our reviews, and the ones that pushed boundaries and tried something new.
With that in mind, here are the best iPhone and iPad games from May 2012. Fill yer boots.
Virtua Tennis ChallengeBy Sega - buy on iPhone and iPad
Virtua Tennis has always been the gold standard for tennis games. It's accessible, though it hides a deeper layer of complexity and skill. It's got liquid-smooth animations, and tight-as-a-vice controls.
That all comes to iPhone with surprising clarity. This is Virtua Tennis as you know it, with all the thrill and excitement of its console cousins. Just a bit smaller.
LostWinds 2: Winds of the MelodiasBy Frontier Developments - buy on iPhone and iPad
If LostWinds felt like a first draft, Winter of the Melodias is the final product. In this icy sequel, Frontier's concept has now been fully realised - all fleshed out with sharper execution and even more ideas.
You still play as Toku, and use the power of the wind to help his quest. But, now you'll play with seasons, manipulate water, and whip up cyclones. Longer, bigger, better.
Penny TimeBy Penny Time Australia - buy on iPhone and iPad
Product tie-ins on iOS are on the whole terrible - Puma-branded Instagram clone, anyone? So, how on earth did an advert for Australian skateboard manufacturer Penny turn out so good?
It's an addictive rhythm-platformer - in the same vein as Vib Ribbon or Tomena Sanner - where you swipe to jump, trick, or duck under objects. Mix in a smart scoring system, and you're golden.
The SandboxBy Pixowl - buy on iPhone
When it comes to heady concepts, The Sandbox might just be the headiest. The game emulates natural systems and real-world elements in pixels, so fires burn, water evaporates, and snow falls.
You'll exploit these realistic ecosystems to form new elements. You can, say, crush sand to make glass, and solve loads of built-in puzzles. It doubles up as a pixel-art editor, if you're bored.
New Star SoccerBy New Star Games - buy on iPhone and iPad
New Star Soccer isn't much of a looker (in fact, it looks just like the dodgy half-brother of Amiga's Sensible Soccer), but it's got game where it counts. It's a penalty shoot-out sim that requires a lot of skill.
You line up your shot like you're firing an Angry Bird, then tap on a big ball to boot, curl, or chip it into the goal (hopefully). Factor in a few defenders and some wind, and you'll need some serious strategy to score.
Slingshot RacingBy Snowbolt Interactive - buy on iPhone and iPad
We've seen some crazy ways to control cars on the iPhone's touchscreen, but Slingshot Racing might just take the biscuit.
Cars drive themselves across icy tracks, but tap the screen at a corner and you'll latch onto spinning columns that swing your vehicle around into the next bend.
It might be tricky, but it's also immensely rewarding when you finally figure out the rhythm and flow of each track. It's great for four-way multiplayer on one iPad, too.
Inferno+By Radiangames - buy on iPhone and iPad
Until now, Radiangames's vector-drawn shmups have been endless score-grabbing time sinks. Inferno+ is different, dropping those stylish visuals into mazes, and slicing the whole thing up into distinct levels.
It's no less fast and frenzied, though: enemies still secrete screen-filling waves of bullets. And no less addictive, either - by drip-feeding you upgrades, you'll find it hard to quit this app until your ship is the most powerful it can be.
Air MailBy N-Fusion Interactive - buy on iPhone and iPad
Relaxing plane sim Air Mail isn't about machine guns and dogfights. Even when war is declared in the game's colourful universe, you won't blow up enemy zeppelins or make bombing runs on rival towns.
Instead, you'll deliver letters, spray pesticide, set off fireworks, snip cables, and nick ammunition. All with expert grace, and some delicious processor-pushing graphics. If Pilotwings Resort on 3DS made you jealous, N-Fusion Interactive's just made your day.
Oh! CubeBy Auer Media - buy on iPhone and iPad
Clones are everything that's wrong with the world and they are single-handedly destroying video games as we known them. But, then again, if Nintendo isn't going to release Picross 3D on iOS, then maybe we can forgive this brazen copycat. Just this once, mind.
Yes, Oh! Cube is heavily 'inspired' by The Big N's spatially playful puzzler, in which your logical tile removal reveals a model, rather than a picture. It's naughty and we feel bad for buying it, but it's just so good we couldn't help ourselves. Sorry.
Autumn DynastyBy Touch Dimensions - buy on iPad
With its spacious screen and obstruction-free controls, the iPad feels perfect for strategy epics. So, how come so few RTS games have made their way over to the tablet? Until then, we'll make do with the stylish Autumn Dynasty, thank you.
It's got an intuitive interface; loads of units and buildings to fiddle with; online multiplayer; and enough depth to keep strategy buffs entertained. It's all dipped in a painterly art style, which makes your battles look like they're scribbles on a scroll.
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: April 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: March 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: February 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: January 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: December 2011
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: November 2011
