Top iPad Games
Roundup: Launch to August 2010
Reviewer: Tim McLain

Apple’s iPad is a solid device for gaming. Need proof? Here’s a quick round up of some of my favorites this week, targeting shooter, line- and doodle-drawing, and turret defense fans alike.

Read all of my Apple iPad and Google Android application reviews at Appolicious and Yahoo! Tech.


AirAttack HD ($.99)
If the App Store had a dollar menu, this tasty little gem would be a must-nosh. I started playing video games at my local mall back in the day, pumping quarters into games like 1943. AirAttack HD ($.99) combines everything you like about this type of arcade shooter, and takes it to the next level on your iPad.

Rich graphics, the best soundtrack of any arcade game in my library, combine with super-simple controls to offer up an addictive “use your WW II-era plane to destroy all things Nazi in the air and ground” gaming experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Dodge your enemies and their bullets and grab floating coins, stars, and upgrades to kit out your arsenal. Don’t forget to click on ground targets to drop bombs, all while looking down on a top-to-bottom scrolling battlefield. It’s the best .99 you’ll spend in the App Store this week, or this month for that matter.

The Squadron: Curse of the Aztecs ($.99)
Speaking of WW II-era arcade games, The Squadron ($.99) brings familiar “line-drawing” fun (think Flight Control HD and Harbor Master HD) and non-stop Nazi destruction action to your iPad.

Looking down on a set battlefield, draw paths for your war planes and bombers to navigate, flying over the evil Nazi vehicles and other forces to stop them from getting to the center, where an alien weapon straight out of the last Indian Jones movie is just waiting to be triggered. Fail in your mission and, well, very bad things happen. Don’t let your planes intersect, and use your “kill all” super weapon at those critical moments to prevent the game from ending.

Doodle Blast! HD ($4.99)
My son is 8 years old, and he’s been using his pencil to draw all kinds of gun-wielding robots and tanks for as long as I can remember. Doodle Blast! HD ($4.99) brings these childhood drawings to life, giving gamers the power to crush everything in their path with an ever-growing tower of guns sprouting from the top of a tiny tank. Take out any Jeeps you see first, swat down those helicopters, and blow up legions of soldiers. How far can you make it? (Further than me, that’s for sure.) It’s all so crazy-detailed and unique each time you start a new level, you’ll want to play it again and again.

FieldRunners for iPad ($7.99)
You scream, I scream, we all scream for tower defense (TD) games. The game play is straight vanilla TD – FieldRunners ($7.99) fills every pixel of your iPad’s screen, providing a wide open space to drag out various tower types, which your enemies must navigate to get to the other side of the screen to exit. If enough of them make it across, you lose.

From gun turrets, to “sticky towers” to slow down your opponents, to missile launches and more, you’ll have no trouble dealing with the first 10-20 waves. Beyond that, it will take real skill to get to level 100.

Skilled TD players will enjoy the optimized graphics all fitting on one large battlefield (read: no scrolling needed to keep tabs on your kill box) and clicking on each turret to upgrade or sell towers is a snap. Controls are super-easy to master, there’s plenty of towers to choose from. A trio of game modes and difficulties are available for each map, all adding up to an A+ gaming experience for a mere $8.

EXO-Planet Elite ($6.99)
When I first connected my iPad to the App Store, my very first app search targeted 3D shooters. I was on the hunt for a familiar desktop gaming experience in the vein of Quake, Tribes, or Unreal Tournament from the days of my (relative) youth. EXO-Planet Elite ($6.99) was my very first game purchase, and after taking some time to learn the controls, I count it among my personal Top 5 iPad Games.

Taking advantage of the iPad’s now-familiar dual joystick on-screen control scheme, I was controlling my space warrior across various playfields using my left thumb, while clicking and shooting with my right. The graphics are solid, the soundtrack fits the bill, and the outer-space backgrounds give the game an enjoyable feel. The key? Your grapple gun. You’ll use it to attach yourself to far-off parts of the level, then shoot at your enemies as you’re reeled in.

Engage in PVP with other iPad owners, but start with a few rounds of local target practice to earn Scrip points to kit out your character with better weaponry, armor, and abilities. A solid gaming title that’s worth mastering.

There’s no shortage of worthwhile gaming experiences just waiting to be experienced on your iPad. This week’s top titles span traditional board gaming and strategy to shoot ‘em ups, gem mining, ship docking (?!), and even a solid space shooter, all well worth your hard-earned gaming dollars.

Civilization Revolution ($12.99)
With the App Store littered with one-play wonders, 2K Games bring a serious strategy gaming experience to a device in need of a solid game title in this genre.

If you’re a fan of Sid Meier’s series of Civilization strategy games, this is a must-have. The $12.99 price tag for Civilization Revolution may sound like a lot, but here’s what you get in return: hundreds of hours of game play, an exclusive world and scenerio creation tool, and an optimized gaming experience to draw on your iPad’s stellar graphics and unique control capabilities. It adds up to the most compelling Civilization title since Civ 3. (Don’t get my wife started!)

Start with a humble city, take out other competing countries, explore the world, create and upgrade your armies and cities, all the while expanding your empire to become supreme ruler. Win in all the usual ways – domination, economically, or socially – or make up your own custom scenarios. Civilization Revolution will have you gesturing your way to world domination and gaming goodness for many months to come. Comparing the iPad version to my Xbox 360 edition ($59) is hardly fair; the iPad iteration takes a familiar title wherever my family travels, and adds unique tools not found on Xbox.

We have a strategy game category killer for the iPad, folks, and it’s name is Civilization Revolution. Thanks Sid!

Small World ($6.99)
Fans of this ever-popular board game can now take their favorite game on the road! Small World ($6.99) makes it easy for 2-5 players to choose a race of creatures to take over land and grow their civilization (sound familiar?) on a planet that’s too small to accommodate everyone.

Leverage your race’s exclusive attributes and traits to snag zones of land and their resulting victory points. There’s no game AI, so be sure to have a friend or two along to play. With some minor things to fix in the future, this is an inexpensive way to get your Small World on anywhere you take your iPad. It’s one of the first board game to iPad conversions we’ve seen, with many more on the way in 2011.

I Dig It HD ($9.99)
Calling all globe trotters with a penchant for mining for precious gems and items lost to history! I Dig It HD ($9.99) takes you to five unique locations in need of pillaging by your custom digging machine.

Keep your eye on fuel, temperature, damage, cargo space, and oxygen as you tunnel through the earth, Dig Dug-style, to snag rare artifacts and gems. Sell your diggings to get more fuel and shields, plus upgrade and repair your rig. Watch out for geo-thermal vents, gas pockets, and worse! A treat for the eye and simple controls add up to a unique gaming experience that can only be had on your iPad.

Harbor Master HD (FREE; $1 per Add-On Map)
If you’re a fan of Flight Control HD or The Squadron, Harbor Master HD (Free) will be a welcome addition to your “line drawing” collection of games. In a nutshell, you’re a harbor master in control of a very busy shipping empire. It’s your job to draw lines in your iPad to safely dock incoming boats into their color-coded docks. Once they off-load their cargo, trace a line for them to follow to safely exit the screen.

Sound simple? Sure it is, until you’re helping 4, 6, 8, even 10 boats simultaneously. The free app comes with a simple port that will keep you on your toes for weeks to come. When you’re ready for more, grab six additional maps for just .99 each. These add-ons feature unique geographical challenges along with pirate ships, cyclones, and other obstacles that will challenge even the steadiest of nerves.

With crystal-clear graphics, auto-save/resume, multi-touch support so you can play with others, and a bouncy soundtrack, Harbor Master HD will be a family favorite for months to come.

Meteor Blitz HD ($4.99)
The age of dual-thumb shooters is upon us, iPad be praised. And no other top-down game can match the precision and sheer fun of Meteor Blitz HD ($4.99). The concept is simple – pilot your small ship through wave after wave of asteroids and enemies, blasting away in all directions. Add a flamethrower, ice cannon, and plasma gun to your arsenal as you progress, eventually strapping on the ever-popular gravity gun that will make mince meat out of anything crossing your path.

Try arcade and survival modes, then compete to top the global leaderboards. Now with auto-save and instant resume (plus customizable controls soon) this is a must-have shooter for every iPad gamer.

Whether you’re a pinball wizard or a fan of the zombie apocalypse, the iPad has a game to match your tastes. Throw in some 1970’s era Pong with upgraded graphics for the 2010’s, a pair of military strategy titles, and an accelerometer-powered tilt-fest, and you’ve got yourself a solid collection of iPad games of the week.

Pinball HD ($2.99)
If you’re a fan of pinball, run, don’t walk to the App Store and grab this instant classic. Sporting beautiful graphics, perfect physics, and solid controls, Pinball HD ($2.99) turns your iPad into a handheld pinball machine, complete with a trio of unique tables (The Deep, Wild West, Jungle) that will take you weeks to master. You’ll swear the game is in 3D, it’s that good. Even the soundtrack is unique and perfectly suited to each table. Pinball wizards, take note – feel free to shake your iPad to influence the ball; but not too much. TILT!

Plants vs. Zombies ($9.99)
Who doesn’t love zombies? Especially zombies who are perfectly comfortable to take up positions just off your home’s property line, walking in slow single-file towards your home in one of several straight paths. It’s your job to plant sunflowers (daytime) or mushrooms (at night) to harvest the power of the sun, which gives you energy needed to plant nearly 49 unique perennials that will each do their own unique form of damage or stop the zombies in their tracks.

Stop each row of baddies before they reach your home for a serving of brain pudding. Sporting quality graphics, a fanciful soundtrack, 50 increasingly challenging levels in Adventure Mode, 18 unlockable mini-games, and the ever-crazy Survival mode, this is one app you’ve gotta have on your iPad.

MultiPong for iPad ($2.99)
Looking for a kid-friendly multiplayer game for your iPad? MultiPong ($2.99) is here to take full advantage of your device’s expansive multi touch screen to keep your kids happy on a long drive. Fire up a new game, position your finger over a bumper, and slide it left and right to stop the shiny metallic balls from getting past. With five different ball sizes, eight unique bonuses like gravity, multi ball, and power), and a top-quality physics engine, this is an instant classic you can’t find on any other platform. If you were a fan of the 1970’s rotating-dial version, you’ll love this welcome multi touch update for today’s modern gamer. (Take it from a now full-grown kid who had the original back in the day.)

Modern Conflict HD ($2.99)
The concept of Modern Conflict HD ($2.99) is super-simple. Each map contains a number of color-coded military installations; tap on one, then tap on an enemy base to send your troops into battle. Your units grow larger in number the longer you wait, some filled with tanks, others with helicopters. There are 33 unique missions in all, spanning America, China, and Russia. Add in a random-map generator and special attacks, and you’ve got hours of fun that’s hard to beat for a mere three bucks.

Labyrinth 2 HD ($7.99)
I keep coming back to this title anytime I have a few minutes to burn. Why? Labyrinth 2 HD ($7.99) offers a truly unique gaming experience that takes full advantage of your iPad’s accelerometer. Drop your ball into a simulated wood maze, hold your iPad flat in your hands, then tilt it in every direction to dodge cannons, bumpers, magnets, fans, merry-go-rounds, lasers (yes, lasers!) and more to drop yourself successfully into the exit. The physics are spot-on, the graphics are rich, and an editor (available on your PC/Mac) makes it easy to author and share levels of your very own. Add multiplayer via wifi and Bluetooth and you’ve got yourself a smash hit app every iPad owner should pick up. Now.

Brothers in Arms 2: Global Front HD ($4.99)
If you’re a fan of Modern Warfare 2 or Battlefield Bad Company 2, you’ll instantly appreciate this portable WW II shooter. Sporting cinematic cut scenes, 13 levels set in five locations (Pacific Theater, Normandy, North Africa, Germany, Sicily), and a solid set of vehicles to commandeer, you’ll swear you’re sitting in front of your Xbox as you blaze your way through this title. Multiplayer battles for up to five friends are available in free for all, team deathmatch, and domination modes.

Taken together, you’ve got yourself a solid military shooter for your iPad, with features to spare.