One of my most anticipated games of this year is the rerelease of the Sega classic Sonic CD. Yeah, yeah, I know the poorly emulated previous versions of Sonic on the App Store were nothing to write home about, but Sonic CD stands to be different. It's been recreated from the ground up using a proprietary development kit that started off as an impressive fan project over two years ago, and takes into account the temperamental nature of touch screen controls. It remains to be seen how the final product will work out, but one thing I know for sure is that it will be a huge step up from the normal emulator that has housed all of Sega's previous Genesis iOS releases.

Anyway, stoking the flames of my already hot excitement for Sonic CD is a post on Sega's blog that reveals the addition of a special unlockable character in the rereleased game, Sonic's long-time sidekick Tails. According to Sega, Tails will become available after finishing the game once, though it's unclear whether or not there will be any sort of bonus story elements or other changes to accompany his appearance. At the very least, this shows the kind of versatility that is possible by remaking the game using their special retro engine, which will also allow for several other features and options beyond what was in the original Sega CD game.

In another interesting bit of Sonic CD news, the blog also goes on to reveal that the game is actually available right now, as long as you're willing to buy a tablet from one of your local participating GameStop stores or from the GameStop online store. Sonic CD will come preloaded on a selection of tablets that the gaming retail giant began recently selling, and will even be compatible with a special Bluetooth controller that GameStop is selling specifically for tablet gaming.

As for iOS device gamers like myself, we'll need to wait for the official Sonic CD release sometime next month. If you were already in the market for a non-Apple tablet, and you have a hankering for Sonic CD, it might be worth investigating the GameStop promotion to score a free copy a month ahead of everybody else. Buying a several hundred dollar tablet just to get a game that will likely cost between $10 and $20 might not seem like the most financially responsible idea, but at the very least you can wave the game in my face and mock the fact that you have it while I don't, which is something you really can't put a price on.

Our ratings for games we reviewed in October are now in place, and we now present to you the ones that are on the top of the heap. Each game reviewed receives a 1-5 star rating relative to the other games from that month. Generally, a 3 or higher is considered a "good" rating.

Our final scores are not the product of any traditionally objective measures such as graphics or sound, but simply reflect the games we would most recommend to others. Keep in mind, this listing is comprised of games we reviewed in October, and not necessarily games that were specifically released in October.

5 Stars

Bring Me Sandwiches!!, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Adult Swim is batting 1000 lately with fabulous iOS games, and Bring Me Sandwiches!! keeps that tradition going strong. It's a cross between the collect-everything-you-see gameplay of Katamari Damacy with a platformer game. Additionally, tons of control schemes make the game great to play no matter what your control preference might be.

Mage Gauntlet, $2.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Almost too many games lean on pixel art and chip tunes just because it's in style, but Mage Gauntlet draws inspiration from that era and allows it to permeate every aspect of the game. If you have any fond memories of Super Nintendo-era action RPGs, don't miss this game.

Scribblenauts Remix, $4.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Originally released on the Nintendo DS, Scribblenauts is a game that's so unique that you simply must play it. Remix combines the best elements from both of the DS games along with 10 iOS-exclusive levels. In addition, it's even universal and boasts complete iCloud save syncing support.

4.5 Stars

Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation, $6.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Gameloft has had two solid entries in the Modern Combat series so far, and the third is somewhat expectedly the best one yet. A heavily scripted single player campaign is supplemented by online multiplayer with oodles of maps and game modes.

Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Movie games are almost universally terrible, but I don't have a problem getting behind this trend of taking a great existing game and adding a layer of movie tie-in on top. It worked for Angry Birds Rio, and works just as well here. Bandito mode is a ton of fun, and would be fun regardless of the Puss in Boots tie-in.

Whale Trail, $0.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Most games you can plot along a line graph with "gameplay" on one end and "presentation" on the other. The best games wind up somewhere in the middle, and Whale Trail definitely sits deep into the "presentation" side of things. Still, the game looks fantastic, and the incredibly vibrant graphics almost make you forget the gameplay is so simple.

Forever Drive, Free - [Review - Forum Thread] - This clever racing game, as the title suggests, allows you to drive forever in community-created tracks. It has a cool atmosphere, and a great spin on the freemium model where paying truly feels optional, something I wish we'd see a little bit more.

Dark Meadow, $5.99 - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - Atmospheric horror is a game genre that never really seems to translates to portable devices very well, but Phosphor Games did a great job of it with Dark Meadow. Set in a creepy hospital, and utilizing the Unreal Engine, the game looks and sounds great. A repetitive combat system drags down this otherwise fantastic title.

Slam Dunk King, Free - [Review] - [Forum Thread] - The best part of NBA Jam was always the ridiculous dunks, and Slam Dunk King distills that formula even further to a ultra-casual sports game that focuses solely on wicked dunks. It's even free, and similar to Forever Drive, paying feels very optional.

The rest of the game ratings can be seen in their respective rating categories (also found in the sidebar navigation): 5 Stars, 4.5 Stars, 4 Stars, 3.5 Stars, 3 Stars, and 2 Stars.

As always, we expect there will be some debate about relative scores, but keep in mind that everyone's personal ratings may vary based on individual tastes.

For more of our favorite iOS games, check out our "Best iPhone Games" category which includes all of these monthly posts as well as other special compilations of the greatest games the App Store has to offer:

• So You Just Got an iPhone 4S… Here's What You Need to Know!
• So You Just Got a Verizon iPhone… Let's Get You Up To Speed!
• So You Just Got an iPhone 4 � An App Store Gaming Guide
• Best iPod Touch and iPhone Games: 2010 Buyer's Guide
• 2010: TouchArcade Staff Favorites � Eli
• 2010: TouchArcade Staff Favorites � Blake
• 2010: TouchArcade Staff Favorites � Brad
• 2010: TouchArcade Staff Favorites � Jared
• Best iPod Touch and iPhone Games: 2009 Buyer's Guide

Early this year we got a quick look at the upcoming Sphero iOS controlled ball by Orbotix. Well, nearly a year later and the Sphero is available for preorder at the price of $129.99. In addition, demand has even been so high in the initial preorder rush that orders placed now won't even be fulfilled until 2012.

Check out our video of the device from CES:

Initially, the Sphero will launch with six apps to be used in conjunction with the device. The Sphero app tracks leader boards and achievements, Sphero Golf allows you to play a game of golf in your home or office, and SpheroCam sounds like it'll be the perfect photo companion for people who will be using the Sphero exclusively for harassing their pets. Sphero Draw N' Drive, Sphero Blox, and Sphero Drive all offer different variations on moving he ball around.

It sounds awesome, and I can't wait to get my hands on one.

We've covered the various gamebooks on the App Store quite a bit in the past, and we're overdue for a refresher on all the offerings of Tin Man Games-- Especially with the release of their latest gamebook, Temple of the Spider God [$2.99]. If you're new to the whole gamebook thing, here's the gist- Remember Choose Your Own Adventure books back in the day? Well, imagine those, with greater levels of interactivity via dice rolling, character skills, battles, and more. If this even vaguely sounds interesting to you, you should snag the free version of their first gamebook to give it a try. I've had an absolutely fabulous time playing through them, and highly encourage anyone interested in fantasy novels to check 'em out.

Tin Man Games' series of Gamebook Adventures all are set in the same universe, and even though they were released as a continuing series of sorts, you really don't need to read them in order at all. If the premise of a particular gamebook jumps out at you, you can dive right in without feeling like you're missing much of anything by not reading previous installments.

Here's the current lineup, which are all universal apps:

Gamebook Adventures: Temple of the Spider God, $2.99 - "Cesaro Cortez, a famed explorer-conquistador, set out three years ago on his last great expedition. His ships never returned to an Orlandrian port and he was feared lost until a mysterious cargo appeared recently in Miramar. The nature of this cargo will put Orlandes in jeopardy, sending you on an epic journey to find Cortez, save the country and face your darkest fear!"

Gamebook Adventures 1: An Assassin in Orlandes, $2.99 - "Set within Orlandes City, nobles are being systematically murdered by a ruthless assassin no-one seems able to catch. Finding yourself thrust in the middle of a large conspiracy, you must make decisions that may put yourself and one other most precious to you in great danger. Can you locate the Assassin in Orlandes before it is too late?"

Gamebook Adventures 2: The Siege of the Necromancer, $1.99 - "Set in the coastal town of Myr, you have returned home after a long Summer in the mines of Durath Tor to find your hometown besieged by strange creatures. A dark presence has taken over the town and you are the only one who can rid the stronghold of Erid Buul, the mysterious new Lord and his ghastly cohorts."

Gamebook Adventures 3: Slaves of Rema, $1.99 - "Cruelly taken from your homeland of Orlandes, you find yourself in a far off land at the mercy of a gladiatorial arena. Somehow trying to find a way to escape overseas, can you also unravel a potentially dangerous mystery that puts two nations on the brink of war?"

Gamebook Adventures 4: Revenant Rising, $1.99 - "The mighty city of Falavia, the military backbone of Orlandes, is under attack from an army lead by a man claiming to be a God. How did this come to pass you ask yourself? You're sure it all started as some innocent adventure in search of treasure but somehow it turned into a nightmare. Also, why are people staring at you strangely? It's not as if you look like you've recently been brought back from the dead or something. Oh yes, that's right. You remember now... "

Gamebook Adventures 5: Catacombs of the Undercity, $1.99 - "Captured by one of Orlandes City's most infamous brotherhoods, the Red Hand Guild, you are thrown to the mercy of the subterranean world deep beneath the streets of the great capital. Wading through the sewers and other dark menacing places, your goal is to reach Undercity, the City beneath the City! Only there can you find the help you need to escape this underground horror and bring down the dark brotherhood from within."

Gamebook Adventures 6: The Wizard from Tarnath Tor, $1.99 - "Two hundred years ago, the legendary City of Tarnath Tor was destroyed as it's defenders, the mighty wizards valiantly tried to repel an orcun horde. Now just a place set within stories and myths, it has been lost to the outside world. A chance encounter with one who claims to be a time traveller sends you on a mission to recover some magical artifacts. This search will lead you to great ruins and the dark forces who have made it their home. Who is this wizard from Tarnath Tor and how can you trust him?"

It's hard to say which cliche best applies to Dark Dot. Good things come in small packages? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth? That's the beauty of cliches -- they're all so universal. The beauty of Dark Dot [Free], on the other hand, is that while tiny, it's well crafted, fun and totally free. If you have an iPad, you should be downloading it right now.

But perhaps you want to know a little more about the game. If so, then think of Dark Dot as the result of a clandestine meeting between vertical shooters and line drawing games. You control an army of darklets led by the Darkest of Terrors, affectionately known as 'Dot.' You can corral your darklets into formation by drawing shapes around them. They spread out or squish in to fill the shapes you draw, and fire from their new positions. All the while, they march over a constantly scrolling background as their elemental enemies fly by.

You can pinch, spread and twist your formation around at will, giving yourself more coverage to shoot or tightening up to concentrate your fire. Your individual darklets may take a bullet for you and expire, but as long as you have at least one left the army marches on. Each darklet gives you one projectile, though, so lose too many and you'll be practically unarmed.

You fight an army of air elementals led by the Cyclone King, who has grievously insulted the honor of the head dot. Most are content to simply fly around, occasionally hitting your troops if they get lucky. But some are more vicious, sending out gusts, cyclones and huge blasts of lightning. You can draw and drag your way around the enemy, and collect hearts to revive fallen darklets.

The drawing mechanic seems like a fantastic innovation for the genre, but Dark Dot never takes it very far. Most of the game can be completed by drawing an oval and resizing it as necessary. Occasionally you'll run into Aether Chargers, pads laid out in simple formations that you need to match. Position darklets on each of them to charge up your Darkness Break, which makes you invulnerable, doubles your score temporarily and unleashes a huge barrage of shots. The chargers also increase your score multiplier, so collecting them is a must for the high score seeker.

It's possible the formation drawing would get more complex in time, but we're never given the opportunity to find out. As I said, good things come in small packages and this one is tiny -- only four levels, and one's the tutorial. The levels themselves are reasonably long, and you can challenge yourself with a three-star ranking system and local high score, but it's over all too soon.

And that's the price of Dark Dot. There are no ads, IAP or hidden costs, but there's also not that much game. Don't let that discourage you, though. What's here is absolutely adorable, with great art and music, and every bit of polish that could be packed into its tiny frame. Let's hope that GAMBIT Game Lab comes through with the hinted-at follow up, but as it's an international research initiative, I'm not sure it's big on sequels. So in the meantime, enjoy this gift horse thoroughly. And pop by our discussion thread to tell us what you think.

This past May, developer�Dingo Games brought Laser Dolphin [$2.99/HD] to the App Store, a game that wins all sorts of brownie points from me just based on the name alone. However, before that the developer had released another iOS game that actually proved to be quite popular in an under the radar sort of way. It was called Tasty Planet [$2.99/Lite/HD], and the best way I could describe it would be if Katamari Damacy and Spore Origins [99�] had a gooey grey baby.

As the story goes in Tasty Planet, one day an enterprising scientist was looking to create a more efficient way to clean. He creates a microbial speck of grey goo that he hopes will feast on dirt and grime, but it turns out it has more of a hunger for anything and everything. Naturally the goo gets set free into the wild, and the game follows its journey through different locations as it grows larger and larger by eating everything in sight.

Dingo Games has sent word that they're readying an iOS port of the sequel to Tasty Planet, which is called Tasty Planet: Back for Seconds. The scientist has recklessly created another goo, and once again it gets free. This time though, the goo grows large enough to chomp down on the scientist's latest creation, a time machine, and proceeds to travel throughout history chowing down on everything it can.

I've been playing through a preview copy of Tasty Planet: Back for Seconds, and if you were a fan of the first game then you'll feel right at home with this new one. The biggest change, aside from improved visuals, is the new dynamic level structures. In the first game, you would start out small and would go to town eating the small objects around you, eventually graduating to larger objects as you increased in size. Once a level was complete, you'd move on to the next one, which typically featured the previously large objects as your starter food, with even bigger objects entering the fray after that.

In Back for Seconds, this is still pretty much the formula, but the levels change dynamically as you grow. So for example, in the first level you'll start out as a tiny goo, eating little candies and other small items on the desk in the scientist's laboratory. Once you grow large enough, the view will zoom out and you'll begin eating larger objects and eventually graduate to objects on the floor. Once you become big enough, you'll gobble up the time machine in the lab which will set off your time traveling journey.

The dynamic level changing softens the linear progression that was in the first game, and makes it feel more like you're an actual goo who is constantly growing larger with every meal. While both Tasty Planet games are not much more than simple avoidance/collection games at their core, it's the environments in the games that really make them fun. In the same way that I used to love playing the Micro Machines games and racing around a track lined with pencils, staplers, and paper clips, it's just fun to start out in the tiny worlds of Tasty Planet and eventually grow your way into scarfing down large animals, cars, trees, and even dinosaurs. And from what I've played so far, Back for Seconds does this aspect even better than the original game did.

Another thing worth noting is that Tasty Planet utilizes several control options. The default is tilt controls, but as I'm not typically a big fan of those I appreciate that there's several other touch control options. Also, there's a good amount of variety to the missions beyond just eating larger and larger items, like eating a certain number of items within a time limit or negotiating mazes to collect specific items. Don't get me wrong, the majority of the game is mindless arcade-style fun, but it's nice to break up the gameplay now and then with these sorts of elements, and I'm looking forward to digging even deeper into this sequel to see what other kinds of things are waiting for me.

Tasty Planet: Back for Seconds seems to be in a fairly complete state, so should hopefully be releasing in the not too distant future. We'll have another look at the final product when it eventually hits the App Store.

Blosics [99� / HD] is a casual object-flinging game like Angry Birds, but this is no clone, as it feels fresh and unique with plenty of different features to unlock. FDG Entertainment, the makers of Cover Orange [99� / HD],� advise that the online version of Blosics has been experienced by over 40 million players, which is quite a lot of people, but personally I prefer to play my games on iOS devices. Thankfully, that is now possible with the arrival of Blosics in the App Store.

The idea is to throw balls at unfriendly colored blocks, which are often stacked into piles or structures. The grumpy blocks have little faces which are always frowning as they mutter comments like:� "Yada yada" , "Nom nom nom", "Watch it!", "Hey!" and my personal favorite quote: "Blurgh!" No wonder people throw balls at them.

Initially, you've got one type of ball to swipe at the moody blocks, but by completing levels and earning stars (or just making a quick in-app purchase), you can unlock up to 13 power-balls with special abilities, like bigger balls, heavier balls or multi-balls. There are spiked balls, attract balls, and even psychic balls for you to fling around (please note that any innuendo around my regular use of the word "balls" in this review is mostly unintentional).

Whereas Angry Birds gives you pigs to catapult in a set order, Blosics lets you choose which type of ball to toss each turn ...but there's a catch: Throwing balls costs you points, with more powerful balls costing more points. So the aim is to get rid of all the blocks using the fewest and cheapest balls possible, to achieve good scores and three stars. Game Center leaderboards ('Highest score' and 'Most stars') are provided, along with forty achievements.

As you're playing the level, the screen displays how many of the three stars you've achieved on that level so far, plus how many more points are required to obtain the next star. You don't necessarily need to get all the blocks to obtain three stars and if you're stuck on a tricky level, you can return to it later once you've unlocked more powerful balls to take another crack.

Blosics is a strategic game, in a few ways. First, you need to choose a target, because some colors of block are heavier and worth more points. Next, you need to find a weak-spot to target, as this is a physics-based game where objects fall, collide, roll and float, and the ghost of your last shot is shown to assist with aiming. Then, you need to determine which ball to use: One expensive powerful ball may clear the level, but two well-placed cheaper balls could score more points. And finally, you set the power of the shot and throw!

There are two control schemes available: My preference was "Classic" (tap, swipe back further for more power and release) or "Alternate" (drag the ball around to get up speed, then release it in the right direction, like having a tennis-ball on a string). A handy "restart level" button is provided for quick repeats when you mess up.

The controls are really easy to use, although it's not easy to do precise softer shots (especially with the multi-ball) as the controls seem optimized for harder more direct shots. Also, the ball selection button opens another screen, which isn't too intrusive, but seems unnecessary for such a common action. It would be better to manage the ball selection process right on the main game screen.

There are four nicely varied episodes to complete, with 120 levels in total. The game opens in the 'World of Balls' (which doesn't sound like a particularly appealing place to live), followed by underwater, underground and outer-space episodes, with each level having themed music.� In the underwater levels things move slowly and water currents can drag the blocks and your balls across the screen, or into a whirlpool. In space, the gravity varies and things move even more slowly.

Many players will breeze happily through the early levels, but once you're a couple of episodes in, some levels require more thought to three-star. Blosics reveals new features throughout the game, from the start right through to the last episode, so we're looking forward to trying all the unlocked items on the promised "coming soon" levels.

While in-app purchases have certainly made their mark across a wide variety of genres of iOS games, it has yet to clearly take root with classic role playing games. Dawn of Magic [Free], the latest game from Lakoo, is an experiment in infusing certain elements of in-app purchasing with classic RPG gameplay. For some gamers, such a combination may be a turnoff towards investing a substantial amount of time in Dawn of Magic. However, for those willing to check it out, this classic RPG succeeds in recreating the old school RPG experience, for better or worse.

You won't find any novel gameplay quirks in Dawn of Magic. Everything from the sprite based graphics to the turn based battles is classic RPG, pure and simple. In addition, don't expect much in terms of side quests, as Dawn of Magic is extremely linear and runs through the story relatively quickly (assuming you're able to grind out levels and gold in good order). While I had no problem with Dawn of Magic's linear style and somewhat generic gameplay, I could imagine others looking for something new might not appreciate the game's homage to the classic gameplay.

As mentioned earlier, one of the big questions surrounding Dawn of Magic is how well it integrates IAP into the standard RPG formula. Overall, Dawn of Magic succeeds in successfully implementing the system by leveraging the standard grind that's prevalent in classic RPGs. In addition to the standard experience/leveling and gold/equipment systems, Dawn of Magic also tosses in a few extra perks, such as instant leveling up, and the ability to equip more magic spells on each character. Each of these perks cost standard gold to activate. The IAP comes into play by allowing players to obtain additional gold by purchase or by participating in its sponsorship program (which typically has you sign up for a free deal or download and run an app).

Since gold is earned after each battle, it is definitely possible to earn all of these extra perks simply by grinding gold during battles. However, even if you don't feel like grinding, there are certainly enough free apps you can download in order to earn gold in that manner as well. For folks that don't want to do either of those things (or pay outright for gold), then�Dawn of Magic loses its appeal. However, considering that one of the perks of using such a system is the lower barrier to entry, I think it works well in giving most gamers an opportunity to check it out.

The one glaring issue with Dawn of Magic is with its translation. From the start, you'll find grammatical issues and a lot of strange sentence choices. True, the overarching story of a world filled with magic and a young adventurer on a quest to save the world won't offer any surprises for anyone familiar with classic RPG stories. Still, the disjointed grammar is certainly out of place for a genre that relies on heavy story elements. One other complaint was with its touch based controls, which were occasionally annoying but adequate enough for an RPG.

Translation issues aside, Dawn of Magic does provide a solid RPG experience. While the overarching story is a bit generic, the gameplay is there and survives the freemium/IAP infusion. If you're a fan of classic RPGs and are looking for a new title to grind through, then Dawn of Magic may be worth checking out, particularly with its current deal of being free.