The Gangstar series has gained a good following among iOS-using sandbox action gaming fans.  And the latest in the series, Gangstar Rio: City of Saints, doesn't disappoint, easily positioning itself as the best game of the lot.

While it still isn't perfect, the game is a definite step-up compared to its two predecessors.   The graphics are cleaner, the character system is fuller, and the overall world feels very vibrant.  On the downside, the voice overs remain weak, the story isn't the most compelling and cloud saving still isn't supported.  But those are things you should be able to look past, given how fun the rest of the game is.

Gangstar Rio's gameplay and controls remains similar to the previous incarnations, which means it's a heck of a fun action game. Plus, it's a meaty game with over 60 missions thrown into a pile with random events as sandbox games go, dozens of vehicles to run around in (including helicopters and tanks), and tons of weapons. The addition of a new clothing system based on experience and respect levels, which can enhance some attributes (e.g. some clothes make you luckier when it comes to looting enemies), is much welcome, as it adds an extra level of incentive for actually advancing your character.

The visuals still aren't on the same level as the best graphics in iOS, but it's a marked improvement.  Plus, they fixed a lot of issues with physics and building pop-ups, making games feel much smoother.   If you're using an iPhone 4S, by the way, this thing loads and play fast (not sure about older iPhones, though).

While I'm still waiting for Gangstar to truly live up to its potential, Gangstar Rio is a definite leap in the right direction.  It's a heck of a fun game, too, and is well worth the $6.99 price.

[iTunes]

There's no denying the influence of Castlevania and Metroid in Dark Incursion.  Everything from the gameplay to the classically-inspired pixel graphics to the music suggests it.  Good thing, too, since it's a sub-genre that's sorely lacking in the App Store.

At its core, the game is a 2D side scrolling semi-platformer that follow the "explore, find gear, backtrack, use gear, rinse, repeat" mechanics of Metroidvania.  You follow Anya, an underground resistance fighter working to infiltrate a secret military facility that produces super soldiers.  And she'll need to crush an entire army of enemies to make it happen.

Dark Incursion's main deviation from the classic formula is the "fuse" system, which gives Anya four different slots to be filled with enhancement fuses.  These fuses run a wide range: there's one to strengthen your defense, one to let you jumpstart electric devices, one to speed up your movement, and so on.   Each fuse can only be used a finite amount of time, so you need to exercise good management to make them last.  Not doing so can leave you frustrated, looking for new fuses once you realize you still need them to advance.

I've seen a lot of reviews that derided the game's control system.  Fortunately, developers Big Blue Bubble have released an update that brings a major overhaul to the control system.  It's actually playable now, removing the lag between pressing a button and having Anya perform the action, as well as fixing most of the accuracy problems.  Chances are, we'll see more fine-tuning down the line, but the new control tweaks are definitely most welcome.

With the updated controls, I have no qualms recommending Dark Incursion.  It's about time iOS got a Metroidvania formula game and this title does an enjoyable job at it.  You can download it from the App Store for $1.99.

[iTunes]

Unlike what the title initially suggests, Demolition Master 3D isn't a video game version of a Michael Bay daydream.  Instead, it's a thoughtful and meticulous puzzle game that requires some clever thinking.

Your goal in the game is simple: perform controlled demolition on various metal, stone and wooden structures, blasting debris into specified items while avoiding others.  Controlling how the debris will scatter isn’t quite so easy, requiring you to make precise preparations (e.g. choosing the right explosives) in order to clear levels.

The trick to games like Demolition Master 3D is to have an intuitive and predictable physics system that doesn't leave your results to chance.  It succeeds very well on that,  even allowing for multiple ways to solve the same puzzle, making the levels enjoyable to play.  Even as the levels got progressively harder, the physics engine held through, so you'll never be in a position where the puzzle seems ridiculously impossible to figure out.

You get over 60 levels to play through, so there's enough content here to hook you up for a while.  If you fail a level, you instantly go back to your last explosive set-up, too, which cuts out a lot of time in redoing the same things (a nice addition that a lot of puzzle games seem to ignore).  The only downside might be the controls, which aren't quite as intuitive as they could be.  Try to get the hang of it, though, since the game is really worth going through the tutorial.

Overall, Demolition Master 3D is a solid puzzle title that should make for an enjoyable pick-up game.  It's a great purchase for the 99-cent price.

[iTunes]

Being a big mark for third-person console action games, Gameloft's 9mm naturally appealed to me.  With the promise of GTA-style gameplay on the iPhone, even the steep price didn't deter me from scoring a copy.

First, the bad.  There's no free roaming, which kinds of kills the whole GTA-style buzz the game debuted with in the first place.    The writing tries to sell the whole "gangsta" business with a straight face, too, with none of the self-awareness that makes many similar games funny.  And, no, it doesn't come across as a serious and gritty action tale, either.

The single player campaign is quite substantial, although you'll spend most of your time doing the same things, which is shooting drug dealers and other tattooed bad guys.  There's no cover system at all, so you'll have to pray your enemies miss.  Fortunately, you can crouch the protagonist (John Kannon) behind a scenery to regenerate health.

Movement is done via an onscreen thumbstick, with your right hand allowing you to aim the crosshair.  There are various controls available on screen, too, most notably a slo-mo button (which lets you dive in cinematic slow motion across the screen) and a crouch/stand button.  A unique element here is the game's use of the gyroscope, which lets you move the phone around to play with camera angles.  While it looks good, it's a headache to use during play and actually ends up a wasted feature (more likely than not, you'll turn it off).

One impressive addition is the multiplayer, which lets you join up to 11 other people in some crazy action shootouts.  It's serviceable enough, although the mechanical weaknesses of the game gets even more prominent when you have a lot of people playing.

While I commend Gameloft for the effort on 9mm, it just isn't a good enough game, especially for $6.99.  It's too bad, since less unpredictable gunfights and a cover system could have made it much better.  And they could have left off that whole camera-moving thing to put those things in.

[iTunes]

Many iOS games try to be funny.  Quest Runner, though, is genuinely funny and is possibly one of the wittiest games ever to set foot on an iPhone.

If entertainment is what you're looking for, this won't disappoint, starting from the well-designed cartoon-style 2D graphics to the hilarious dialogue to the casual but enjoyable gameplay.  While the premise is formulaic (it's a traditional RPG where you walk around town and stuff), the delivery is really a bundle of fun.

In Quest Runner, you start off picking a character, as well as throwing in a few limited customizations.  The tongue-in-cheek references to older games is strong with this one, so don't be surprised if you see familiar costumes from a game you used to play years ago.  If you're a longtime gamer, you'll love those little bits, which are peppered throughout the game (not just in the outfits).

Action is side-scrolling, so there's no need for a d-pad, which, admittedly, felt odd for the first few minutes.   To move, just tap the spot you want and your hero walks there.  Littering the bottom of the screen are easy access buttons for potions and attacks, with small icons on the top right side indicating your quests and status.  It's a neat, orderly design that maximizes the iPhone's limited screen space.

In town, you can chat up people to help pick up clues for your mission and get basic quests from NPCs, as with the classic RPG formula.  Veering slightly away from that, the game allows you to hire mercenaries and adopt pets, both of which can really help you down the line as the difficulty ramps up.  The witty dialogue and comedic situations will be in full force throughout the adventure, making the game all the more engaging.

Like all RPGs, there's a bit of grinding involved to gain necessary levels, but Quest Runner exactly the type of game you can put down and return to later without feeling like you've forgotten what's been going on.  I blame the clever humor for that.  It's a no-brainer download for the $1.99 App Store price.

[Trident3D]

Gamelab's D.A.R.K. feels like two games in one.  Sometimes, it's plays like a horror RPG with its scary settings and slow pace.  Other times, it morphs into a dual-stick shooter with heavy action and fast pace.

The shift in mood can feel weird, especially since the game transitions from one to the other like it was the most normal thing in the world.  Despite that, I did enjoy the experience of both throughout the hour or so it took to finish the campaign.

In D.A.R.K., you play a space marine in charge of finding a lost ship's black box to find out what happened.  On your way to accomplishing the mission, you're met with roomfuls of robots and zombies that you'll need to fight off.  Granted, it's not the freshest story, but the game is entertaining enough to hold its own despite the lack of a compelling plot.

In between levels of dual-stick mayhem, you get short bits of exploratory leeway, simple puzzles and a few storytelling moments that help round it up into a much more sophisticated game.  Do note that the RPG elements aren't deep (there's little in the way of character customization, for instance), but it's a good start -- one that Gamelab will likely explore in future versions of the game.

Right now, D.A.R.K. is a decent horror shooter for 99 cents.  It's way short, though.  However, there are already rumors of a second episode and an arena mode on the way (multiplayer!), so this can transform into an even better game shortly.

[Gamelab]

Capcom's Street Fighter IV on the iPhone is easily one of the best fighting games the App Store has to offer.  And it gets even better with the Street Fighter IV Volt, which throws in online multiplayer over WiFi into the mix.

The new title is, essentially, the exact same game as  IV.  You get nearly identical graphics, sounds, move sets and controls, so it feels a little iffy having to buy it as a new title.  Still, the online multiplayer is a major selling point and will likely sell the title on its own accord.

SF IV Volt gets three additional characters to play with, namely Cody, Balrog and Vega.  There's also a Wandering Warrior feature that gets you an avatar for your multiplayer profile.  The avatar can be leveled up and upgraded like an RPG character, with points earned during multiplayer matches.  It creates a nice side-game that can keep you occupied (as if you needed more distractions).

The multiplayer, of course, is the star here.   When connected via WiFi, you can challenge any player who's also connected, so there's always a large pool of competitors to battle with.  You probably won't even have to go around looking for people to fight -- your screen will be popping with random challengers shortly after you launch the app (provided you have auto-acceptance switched on).

Actual online play, for now, still suffers from occasional lag and disconnections.   We're guessing they underestimated the load players will put on the system, so this isn't a surprise.  This is the type of problem that gets ironed out shortly as load becomes more predictable, though.  Despite the snags, matches are tons of fun (although that makes the issue a lot more frustrating).

Priced at $6.99 ($5.99 today only), Street Fighter IV Volt is quite the expensive purchase, especially if you already own SF IV.  Still, it's got online multiplayer and that makes it a no-brainer for fans of the franchise.

[iTunes]

Pro-wrestling games have been staples of my console gaming setups for as long as I can remember.  So far, though, mobile platforms haven't been kind to the genre and TNA Wrestling iMPACT really doesn't do much to change that situation.

There are plenty of good things here.  You get a cast well-rendered TNA superstars, including Samoa Joe, Hulk Hogan and AJ Styles, along with 21 others, complete with their costumes, entrances and signature moves.  There's a character creator, too, which lets you fashion some decent-looking wrestlers all on your own.  A generous collection of moves are available, all with good animations.  You can also pick up objects like chairs for going at it hardcore style.

Controls in TNA Wrestling iMPACT consist of a D-Pad for movement and separate buttons for attack, grapple and run.  Special buttons appear when you're in the position to pin an opponent, execute a finishing maneuver, climb stuff and a couple other situations.  There's not much complication when executing moves (think pre-SVR console games), so a lot of the gameplay is fairly basic.  If you like your wrestling games the old rock-em, sock-em style, this could be a regular on your playlist.  Career, exhibition and multi-player modes are all available.

On the downside, if you're looking for a little more gameplay depth, there's really none to be found here.  It's a little slow, too, compared to some of the fighting games on the iPhone.  There are also a lot of graphical glitches that hint at a rushed finished product.

Overall, I'd still recommend TNA Wrestling iMPACT if you're a hardcore fan of old-school, mindless pro-wrestling bash-a-thons.  There's potential here, but with too little variety in gameplay and an overall lack of polish, it's not worth a casual fan's $4.99.

[iTunes]

There's no shortage of retro games repackaged for mobile platforms.  This latest title to hit the App Store, Atari's Greatest Hits, could be the most significant single release to date.

You can download the app for free, although all you'll get is Atari's first game ever, the timeless classic Pong.  Since, let's face it, getting Pong is kind of pointless, you'll likely want to shell out to download a few of the 99 other classic games on offer (99 cents get you a four pack and $14.99 nets you the full lot).

If you find yourself drawn to the seemingly endless copycats of 70s and 80s Atari originals that litter Flash game sites, then this app will definitely keep you busy for a while.   The selection of games is wonderful, with amazing titles like Major Havoc, Yar's Revenge and Missile Command finding their way among the selection pool.  Sure, you get questionable additions like Basic Math, too, but the fun ones do outnumber them a good deal.

Being from an older era of gaming, the gameplay isn't all that sophisticated.  Then again, that's to be expected.  What's pleasantly surprising here are the control decisions, which work exceptionally well.  We also enjoyed the media galleries dedicated to each game, which feature original cabinet art and other bits of memorabilia that really capture the essence of the classic titles.  All the games allow a small amount of settings for gameplay and control customization, too, which is nice.

My favorite part of the whole deal?  Some of the games have been altered to allow multiplayer gaming over Bluetooth.  Personally, that's the part that made this set playable for me -- being rather disinterested in retro games for the most part.

[iTunes]

After skipping a release last year, a new Tiger Woods game just came out in the App Store.   The iOS version of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12  was recently release, bringing more of the same mobile golfing action with a few new features that you might find enticing.

The main strength of the original Tiger Woods on the iPhone was its gameplay and that continues on through this iteration.  A few refinements have been thrown in here and there, but it remains primarily the same as the original.

The main part of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 remains the career mode, which has you competing in various tournaments for cash, which you can then use to both improve your skills and enter subsequent tournaments.  They also added a new Challenge mode, which has you competing in multiple mini-challenges that make for fun pickup games; a Closest to the Pin mode for competing with Facebook friends regarding which ones can get closest to a hole.  Multiplayer over Bluetooth and WiFi is supported for both the career and challenge modes.

Graphics are a definite step up from the original game, with marked improvements in appearance for almost every aspect of the visuals.   You also get more options in golf courses (8), more athletes to play with (8) and a character create mode.  The commentary is still better muted, though, but it's a small downside to an otherwise tremendous effort.

While the gameplay only marks a slight upgrade from the original;, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 still comes across as a big improvement to the mobile golfing franchise.  It's available from the App Store now, priced at $6.99.

[EA]