Gaming is in an awkward transitional phase of its existence. Console systems are quickly reaching the peak of what they are capable of, Nintendo is going for broke playing a game of catch-up to Sony and Microsoft, and dedicated PC gamers are feeling the sting of console-focused developers. Up for grabs is the area of smartphone and tablet-based gaming. As our Internet usage on mobile devices begins to rival our usage on desktops, it’s becoming clearer that gaming on tablets and smartphones should be taken seriously. But being serious sounds boring right now, so let’s have some fun and check out three light hearted apps instead.

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It’s been predicted by some that our mobile devices are killing the handheld gaming market. With games like Virtual City Playground and Steambirds: Survival in the iTunes app store, there are definitely good reasons to leave your handheld and home. While the vast majority of apps are nowhere near the caliber of the highest rated DS and PSP titles, gamers are beginning to see some of their most beloved titles (Katamari and Scribblenauts for example) ported over to their iOS devices. And with the ever improving processors in smartphones, the potential of apps is only increasing. Check out this week’s selection to see if you agree.

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Inevitably, most things become boring. This fact is one of the reasons I like iOS games. If I spend a dollar on an app and play it for an hour, I feel little remorse when I move on to a different game. Whereas with console/PC games, when I spend between twenty and sixty dollars, if I haven’t invested 5-10 hours (hopefully more) in the game, I’ll typically wait to purchase another title. This week’s collection of apps are all great titles and with the exception of Squids, they’re all titles that are thoroughly enjoyable but don’t require a lot of attention. Essentially, they’re ideal mobile games. I singled out Squids because, as you will soon read, it has an interesting story and mechanics that deserve a little more devotion. Enjoy!

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(Editor’s Note: The App Attack was too big to be contained in a single day. Here’s part 2.)

I was thinking of naming this week’s App Attack the “Depressed Edition.” Why? Because on September 23, summer officially ended. On the plus side, I now have more hours, without the sun, to fulfill all of my anti-social activities (like freelancing and gaming). If you find yourself lamenting the prolonged evening hours, do yourself a solid and buy some of these apps; half of them are free to try!

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Whether you enjoy turn-based RPGs, casual arcade or flight sim games, this week’s App Attack has you covered. A few of these apps have been on my radar for a while (some since E3) while others came as a complete surprise via random PR emails. Per usual, each app is one that I feel is worth the asking price and is sure to keep you entertained during the day’s downtime. If you’re feeling bored with what’s on your iOS device take a look at these apps and pick a few up.

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Despite my best attempts to successfully manage my time, I always overbook myself and wind up behind. True to form, this week’s App Attack has 8 apps total because I couldn’t pass up a good app. I could have pushed two back to next week’s article but several of the games have recent release dates and each app deserves recognition. This week’s apps left me plenty entertained and at times surprised at how fun they were. I hope you’ll purchase a few and experience the same thing.

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The days are getting shorter and some of you may be headed back to school. Fall is right around the corner, but don’t fret, because there are enough iOS games in this week’s App Attack to keep you busy through those boring lectures and premature evenings. A few of this week’s apps are free to try (requiring a purchase for the full version) while a couple of the other apps are from major developers and carry with them a heftier price tag. Each app is worth the asking price, otherwise I wouldn’t waste your time by including them in this round-up. Download or purchase a few of them and watch those Fall hours fly by even faster.

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I almost don’t believe that Thursday’s already here. As is always the case, there are too many video games to play and never enough time to play them all. Despite my frequent negativity towards the massive amount of bloating in the iTunes app store, I’m starting to notice developers testing the boundaries and incorporating new mechanics into games that might otherwise be passed off as clones. The result is games that are familiar, yet still fun to play. This week I have a collection of games that will be immediately familiar to play but with some entertaining twists.

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Get out some tech-device wipes and clean off that finger grease, because I’ve got some good games for you to play this week. Per usual, I’ve mixed up the offerings to cover a wide range of genres. I’ve been talking a lot about Zen Wars of late, and I’m happy to announce that it has finally been released! It’s one of my favorite games for the iPhone, and I’ve had the privilege of playing it with both the developer and publisher. Both are extremely deserving of support, but don’t forget to save a couple dollars for the following titles. Each one provides a unique and worthwhile gaming experience.

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It has been another week where the only games I have been playing are on my iPod Touch. There are some that I would like to play on my Xbox and PC, but the time just hasn’t been there. My lack of time and the portability of my iOS device have made it evident to me why apps have had such an impact on mobile gaming. For those of us that really enjoy gaming but find ourselves consumed with non-gaming priorities, having one of these mobile devices can provide just enough entertainment to curb that urge. This week’s app selection is mostly for a younger audience, but I still found them enjoyable and suitable for short gaming sessions. I was also included on some beta testing for what is shaping up to be one of my favorite apps – Zen Wars. While it hasn’t been released yet, it’s worth mentioning early on so that it can find it’s way onto everyone’s radar.

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It’s another week and I’ve brought you another heaping spoonful of apps. A couple are free and the others are 99 cents, so even if you bought/downloaded them all and only liked 2 or 3, I think you’d still be getting some pretty good entertainment for not a lot of coin.

In related news, I’m super excited at this week’s announcement of Zen Wars which is being published by Liv Games (Legendary Arms). Zen Wars is inspired by Rampart, one of my favorite NES games, so when I watched the trailer I knew that if the game is done right, it will be one of my iPod Touch favorites.

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My inbox was pretty lean this week. I received several press releases but I’ve been noticing some disturbing trends which lead me to believe that iOS games are converging upon being recycled clones of each other. This week I only have 4 apps to offer you, as they’re the only apps that looked remotely interesting as I browsed the iTunes top apps lists.

Call of Mini: Zombies

I know plenty of gamers who have become jaded by zombie games, but not me. When I saw CoM: Zombies in the iTunes store, I checked the reviews to see if there were any credible, negative opinions. There weren’t, so I purchased the app and gave it a spin. The game is an over-the-shoulder shooter featuring cartoony block-head characters and plenty of levels, weapons, and character upgrades.

Level environments range from hospitals to storage yards. If you’re familiar with horde mode, Call of Mini: Zombies is basically a mobile horde mode. A number of zombies spawn and your goal is to survive the wave while collecting crates of ammo and caches of money.The controls are precise and the game is just difficult enough to remain engaging, but not so difficult that I wanted to stop playing. Upgrading your character and weapons may take a while if you rely on the cash you find in-game, but the lazy can purchase in-game currency to upgrade more quickly.

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The Fourth of July has come and gone, and like every patriotic citizen, I spent a lot of money. Parting ways with my cash was a purely altruistic act, I assure you. Our economy needed my support, and I needed bike parts, iPhone games and way too much barbequed meat. The holiday brought with it sales on apps in the iTunes store, and the combination of cheap digital-downloads and a Wi-Fi connected iPod resulted in multiple late-night transactions. I’ve typically reviewed iOS games by indie developers, but this time around I have several titles from major publishers. Don’t worry. I kept it real and have titles from the underdogs too. Even though I bought some of these apps at steep discounts, you can purchase them at full price and still be rewarded by entertaining gameplay from a variety of genres.

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This week I’ve prepared for you touch-based gaming delights from a cornucopia of genres. The games’ prices range from micro-transaction based, value-priced, to just plain free. When you play as many iPhone games as I do, it’s hard to be excited about new ones. While browsing the iTunes app store, I noticed that the game selection is starting to resemble the staggering amount of free Flash games that can be found online. Sometimes you can find a game to which you become addicted, but a lot of the time it’s got the same gameplay with different graphics and quality of development. Allow me to help you navigate through the staggering amount of sub-par iOS games.

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I did it. I broke down and upgraded my iPhone 3G, but not to a newer iPhone. I bought a refurbished iPod Touch (4th generation). It has the newer retina display and faster processor so I can finally play the more demanding games that wouldn’t load onto my 3G. Additionally, I can finally be a part of Apple’s Game Center. Be reassured that, while I do play too many games on my iOS device, I’m nowhere near as pathetic as the person who holds the top spot in Angry Birds. Only one of this week’s apps require a 4th-generation device, but a few of them are graphics intensive, so I’ll let you know what the appropriate device is for each of those apps.

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