Top 10 best iPhone and iPad games of October 2012
Turning back the clock
Every month, we like to look back at all the iPhone and iPad games that have come out in the past four weeks and pick out the very best of the bunch.
This involves hours of playing, reading back through all our reviews, various trips to the Quality Index, and heated discussions among the staff.
For the chilly month of October, we've picked puzzlers and punchers; letter games and lawyer games; old skool comebacks and quirky new ideas.
Let us know your favourites in the comments below.
He-Man: The Most Powerful Game in the UniverseBy GlitchSoft - buy on iPhone and iPad
He-Man: The Most Powerful Game in the Universe (H:TMPGITU) has got some big shoes to fill. Not only must this fun brawler satisfy fans of the '80s cartoon, but it also has to live up to quite a boastful subtitle.
Thankfully, GlitchSoft pulls it off.
H:TMPGITU's got good controls; lots of special moves; environmental damage; a knowing sense of humour; and loads of winks and nods to grown-up fans of the original animated TV series.
SymphonicaBy iNiS - buy on iPhone or buy on iPad
Square Enix's last duet with Elite Beat Agents developer iNiS didn't sound so sweet. Demons' Score was ugly, dumb, and hampered by cruel in-app purchases.
Symphonica is, thankfully, music to our ears - better pricing model, cute graphics, and an interesting story.
Of course, expect rhythm-action thrills as you play along to classical music with swipes, pokes, and other such finger gestures. It's all in aid of becoming the best conductor in town.
LetterpressBy atebits - buy on iPhone and iPad
This is the game that (allegedly) hobbled Apple's Game Center service for hours.
That's no surprise: this elegant word game is seriously addictive, and the cheeky territorial rule-set means you'll often be dying for a rematch as soon as the last word is played.
Need for Speed: Most WantedBy FireMonkeys - buy on iPhone and iPad
We've received a lot of flak for giving the iOS version of Most Wanted a higher score than the PlayStation Vita edition.
It's hard to make a direct comparison, though: one's open world, the other's track based; one's £30, the other's a fiver. What can't be disputed, mind, is that this mobile edition is great.
It's fast, frantic, looks amazing, and is packed full of content. This feisty little street racer will definitely hold us over until Real Racing 3.
ShardlandsBy Breach Entertainment - buy on iPhone and iPad
Shardlands is an inventive puzzle-adventure that's perfectly suited to the world of touch. You move by tapping, and fiddle with environmental puzzles - like sliding platforms and laser-bouncing mirrors - just by touching.
It's a gorgeous game, and one that constantly surprises you with fresh and imaginative new ideas. You guys were right to crown it Game of the Week last week.
True SkateBy True Axis - buy on iPhone and iPad
I know that True Skate is realistic because I'm as bad at this game as I am at real-life skating.
This is a ruthless sim, where you have to use all manner of complex finger gestures to gain speed, steer, ollie, and perform tricks.
Figure it all out, and you'll find a rewarding little gem. You won't be performing 900-degree backfoot benihanas, but even kickflipping onto a grind rail is something to be proud of.
Punch QuestBy RocketCat Games - buy on iPhone and iPad
RocketCat is no stranger to the genre mash-up. In the much-loved Super Quickhook, we saw Bionic Commando become a relentless auto-runner. And now in Punch Quest, the same treatment is given to the coin-op brawler.
So, you'll punch zombies and uppercut bats as you sprint through dank caves. It has a devilishly clever scoring system, and is full of surprises. Laser-spitting velociraptor, anyone?
Devil's AttorneyBy 1337 Design - buy on iPhone and iPad
By any other name, Devil's Attorney is an RPG. It has turn-based battles; attacks and defensive manoeuvres; and parties of monsters to beat up.
Only, those monsters are prosecutors and witnesses trying to land your client in the slammer.
This game has astoundingly high production values (how many apps have their own catchy intro jingle?), and a truly wicked sense of humour.
Tentacles: Enter the DolphinBy Press Play - buy on iPhone and iPad
This quirky game stars a cyclops blob, who ends up in the body of a dolphin-head doctor. Yeah, it's weird.
To move, you tap the screen to latch on with your claws. It's clever, fast, and hands you a lot of control.
Each chapter has a new risk, be it the heart (where blood forcibly pumps you through the level) or the colon (where the sides of the stage close in to crush you like some undigested vol-au-vent).
Girls Like RobotsBy Adult Swim - buy on iPhone and iPad
Girls like robots. And nerds like girls. But, girls don't like nerds. These complicated relationships certainly make Adult Swim's quirky seating arrangement puzzler tricky.
In each stage, you've got decide where to place girls, robots, nerds, and other cards to keep enough people happy to reach a specific score. It's a simple concept, made more engaging by an adorable art style.
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: September 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: August 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: July 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: June 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: May 2012
The 10 best iPhone and iPad games: April 2012
