After last week’s less prominent releases, we have a veritable feast of fun games to look at today, from cutting edge Unreal Engine titles to colorful runners, fighters and old school JRPGs. Topping off the list is Lili, the very mysterious game that garnered lots of attention at Apple’s recent press conference. We’ve also got a port of Street Fighter X Tekken, a Rayman: Origins-based runner, and a port of a classic Sega CD JRPG from days gone by. Here are this week’s top iPhone games.
Lili™ ($4.99)
This Unreal Engine-created game made a splash at Apple’s recent press conference, exhibiting the power of the iPhone 5. It’s a strange hybrid between a classic adventure game and an RPG, and oddly enough, it’s entirely about picking flowers. Of course, these flowers aren’t simply in the ground, but rather they’re attached to large plant creature people. You simply have to jump on their backs and rip the flowers out by force, which is where the action segments are. This is a very hard game to classify, and I’m not sure who the game is really for in terms of target audience. It’s quirky and great looking, and I feel like it will disappoint quite a few people, but it does seem quite well made.
Street Fighter X Tekken Mobile ($2.99)
Capcom seems to be very hit and miss with their iOS fighters as of late. They are generally pretty good, but few games have lived up the legacy of Street Fighter IV: Volt. Street Fighter X Tekken Mobile easily falls into that category. It’s a solid fighter, but like Marvel vs. Capcom 2, it’s a bit low on the features. The character roster is rather small, and while the graphics and gameplay are rather good, the game boasts a rather greedy IAP system, which may be a first for their iOS fighters. If you’re interested though, definitely grab it while it’s on sale for three dollars as opposed to five.
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Rayman Jungle Run ($2.99)
If you get one game on this list, and I am not even kidding, you should get this one. Rayman: Origins was my favorite platformer of last year. It may sound blasphemous, but it easily beats all the latest side-scrolling Mario games. It’s fast, frantic, creative and a blast to play. Now, this game is just a simple 2-D runner based on that game, but anyone who’s played Origins can tell you that the chase/running segments of the game are easily the best, whether you’re freeing trapped fairies or chasing down chests. Heck, this is worth playing just for the incredible color-packed art style. Either way, it’s an intuitive and fun runner, so check it out.
Earn to Die ($0.99)
This is easily the most brutal game on this list. It’s one of those “drive as far as you can” games, set in a post zombie apocalyptic world with a great heavy metal soundtrack. As you play, you’ll upgrade your vehicle, from engine parts to tires, and try to get farther and farther, all while plowing through the walking dead in your path. The art style is crisp and the game is generally very well done, except that it starts off very, very slowly. Your first car can barely get anywhere in one run. Still, it doesn’t take too long to upgrade to something better, and then the game really opens up.
Lunar Silver Star Story Touch ($6.99)
If you are into old-school JRPGs, you should have already downloaded this one. It’s a port of the PlayStation remake of the original Sega CD game, and being on the Sega CD, it never found quite the audience that the Final Fantasys of the world did, but it is a classic in its own right, and hugely popular in Japan. It was one of the first RPGs to have fully-voiced animated cut scenes thanks to the CD format. The old school pixel art is really well done, and quite nostalgic, and the soundtrack has been completely re-mastered as well. It may be a bit pricey, but any old school gamers should find it worth their while.
Recess Riot ($0.99)
This is a really odd title from studio Deceased Pixel, of Super Mega Worm fame, which is awesome. Everything, from the old-school sound effects to the music, make this game feel like something you’d find in an early eighties arcade. It’s kind of like a Game’n’Watch or a Warioware title, in that it’s all about small, simple, but challenging mini-games, such as jumping rope or dodging balls in dodge ball. It’s not just the visuals and presentation, but the very game design that feels like something from the past. It has an oddball charm to it as well, and is worth checking out.
