The article 2009 has been building towards is finally here.
For the games industry, the end of the year is synonymous with top ten lists. It’s a chance for esteemed publications to rank the best of the best, to praise great game design and to shock the world with their unexpected choices. As we reflect on the iPhone games of the year gone by, it’s our turn to choice pick the best ten, and rank them in terms of their enjoyment factor, impact and overall quality. Enough of the introductory babble though, you’re not here to read how and why we wrote this list, you're here to know what’s on it. So, without further ado, let’s get stuck into the top 10 iPhone games of 2009.
10. Blimp: The Flying Adventures, Craneballs Studios
First up is the debut game from Craneballs Studios, a simple game with simple controls, but carried out with such style and finesse that it put the small Czech developer on the map. With its quaint visuals and charming score, Blimp saw players taking control of, well a blimp, as they navigated treacherous skies full of enemy ships and all manner of other hazardous obstacles in search of quick times and high scores. Through it's sheer elegance of design, fantastic tilt-based controls and addictive nature, Blimp has effortlessly earnt a spot on our best of 2009 list.
From our review:
"Blimp is one of the finest games currently available on the App Store. Through the originality of its gameplay and its beautiful presentation, Blimp should reside on the home screen of any discerning iGamer."
9. Circuit Strike. One, h.grenade Games, Chillingo
The App Store is full to the brim of games emulating XBLA's smash hit Geometry Wars (both in terms of gameplay and visual style), but only one has managed to do the formula justice. That game is Circuit Strike. One (or CS.One if you're hip and happening), an arena shooter that would be best described as Asteroids on acid. Of course no narcotics are required to play CS.One, as the game is a flourescent firework display of shapes and colour without them. With intense gameplay and addictive high score driven gameplay, CS.One is the obvious choice for arena shooter fans or anybody who likes pretty colours.
What we said:
"It outlooks, outsounds and outclasses its competition by a considerable margin. This is a triumph you need to experience. Click the Buy App button, put on your headphones and lock yourself in a dark room Marshall Mathers-style. Indie developers playing ball in the App Store really need to step it up because right now – All Ur Bases R Belong To CS.One."
Page 1 of 5 Next >>
9 comments
David Tiger / 18th Dec 2009
Holy cow! Thank you! We are truly honored. BTW, we just released our free Director's Cut update with 10 new levels, 24 new achievements, and other assorted goodies, so now there is even more for you to enjoy :) We've also got a free holiday present in the pipe at Apple, so hopefully we will have that to share soon as well. cheers, David Tiger Style
Mike Lane / 18th Dec 2009
Just want to give a big shout out to CS.one, creator shay. He had probably one of the worst launches ever, and yet there are those of us who found the beauty of CS.one to much to be ignored. It's control is so fluid and graceful,..unfortunately however, many found the very same controls to be the games downfall. Even now when you ask you'll get those that drool like retarded fan boys, and those who never really got it. I'm proudly a member of the former, and hope Shay's still kicking it on the appstore....somewhere.
Mike Lane / 18th Dec 2009
Also I'd like to add that no game is more deserving of being named game of 2009 then spider!! It really is a masterpiece of gaming.
Guy / 24th Dec 2009
This list is the worst I have scene so for I am not sure that any one of those apps should be on this list this screams lame sellout. Removing this blog from my rss.
Staff / 24th Dec 2009
Fair enough -- you're just as entitled to your opinion as we are. Key word here being opinion. We didn't make this list to please publishers, we made it to honour good game design, and on reflection, we think we've got a nice cross section of the App Store's finest. Top 10 lists are a very subjective thing my friend, all we did was offer our opinion. We'd be interested to hear your top 10 though, where did we go wrong? What SHOULD be on our list?
menom / 27th Dec 2009
Nice list The fact Blimp made it is great - it's one of my faves but rarely gets the credit it deserves haven't got any of the others so will have to give some a try will certainly get Spider cheers
menom / 27th Dec 2009
oops - forgot you included Real Racing and Zen - I do have those anyone who says either of those doesn't deserve to be included shouldn't be taken seriously (re comment from Guy)
Cheap Online Medications / 7th Jun 2010
Exceptional site, where did you come up with the knowledge in this piece of writing? I'm happy I found it though, ill be checking back soon to see what other articles you have.
Ian T / 18th Dec 2009
Love Monkey Island, hated the controls of the port. Still brilliant though, and has hopefully started a resurgence in adventures with Steel Sky and All Fridges are Psychotic, etc.