Welcome to the last must-have games roundup before Christmas. If you’re looking to treat yourself, or maybe gift a new game to a friend, check out some of the titles we have below. There’s the latest game from Cut the Rope creators ZeptoLab, a stunning endless runner from Crescent Moon Games, plus the latest edition to the Final Fantasy series, and more.
Pudding Monsters — iPhone ($0.99) / iPad ($0.99)
ZeptoLab, the creators of the hugely popular Cut the Rope, just released their latest iOS game. It’s called Pudding Monsters, and it promises to be a deliciously addictive puzzle adventure filled with whacky characters and “innovative stick-’em-together game-play.”
The Pudding Monsters are on a mission to save their friends from the cold-hearted fridge owner. Help them through 75 levels that’ll take you from the fridge, over the table, out of the house, and into the city. You must swipe to stick the Pudding Monsters together, which will help them get around, and you’ll need to take advantage of different monster species, the cloning machines, and more.
Last Knight HD — Universal ($0.99)
Love endless runners? Then check out Last Knight HD from Crescent Moon Games — it’s terrific. It’s built with the Unreal Engine, so it looks incredible, and it’s got plenty of character. You play a knight who’s riding through an ever-changing world (no two runs will ever be the same) within forests, jungles, volcanos, and more. Armed with a joust, you must fight off a wide range of fantasy creatures, from dragons to giant toads.
Collect coins and upgrades along the way and try to unlock all the characters. Unlike other endless runners, this one also features a story mode. It’s the prettiest endless runner I’ve ever played.
Word of warning: Some users have been complaining about some issues with the game’s control system, but I’ve been playing on an iPhone 5, and I’ve tested it on my girlfriend’s iPhone 4S, and I haven’t had any issues. There has been an update since its release, so maybe that fixes the problem.
RAD Soldiers — Universal (Free)
Like Last Knight HD, RAD Soldiers boasts some beautiful visuals. It’s created by the award-winning developers of BRINK, and developed exclusively for iOS. You assemble a squad of soldiers and lead them into explosive, turn-based battles against your friends throughout the city of London.
You’ll need to take advantage of the special abilities boasted by your soldiers and “come up with hilarious new ways to leave your opponents eating your shrapnel/bullets/dust.” As you play, your squad will continue to level up, mastering new abilities that will make them stronger. You’ll also be able to unlock new soldiers, weapons, and outfits.
Final Fantasy IV — Universal ($15.99)
I wasn’t going to pick Final Fantasy IV in this week’s roundup for the same reason why I didn’t pick Theatrhythm Final Fantasy last week — I don’t agree with Square Enix’s prices for iOS games, especially when these titles are nothing more than ports of existing games.
Having said that, I sat down with this game last night and decided I couldn’t not include it — it’s wonderful, and if you’re a Final Fantasy fan, it’s a must-have. This game first debuted in 1991, and it’s been on a number of consoles since then, so you may have already played it. As the fourth installment in the series, it introduces the Active Time Battle system, which became synonymous with the series; and the Augment system, which allows the transfer of abilities from one character to another.
Its graphics have been revamped for iOS, as have its controls, while the game difficulty have been “adjusted for improved playability.” It also offers Game Center achievements for you to collect.
What’s Your Favorite?
So that concludes our list of this week’s must-have iOS games. If you’ve picked up something that you think we should have included, be sure to let us know about it in the comments.
