Here's a question we don't consider enough: what happens when a studio pulls the plug on its micro-transaction fueled games? The answer is obvious and a bit unsettling. You don't get to play anymore, and all those ad impressions you handed out, all of those extra games you downloaded in exchange for precious in-game coin, and all the real money you spent just disappears into the ether.

Unfortunately, we bring up this subject as a result of a recent ngmoco decision. The studio has announced plans to "shut down" Epic Pet Wars [Free], Epic Chef Wars [Free], Epic Crime Wars [Free], and Titan Wars [Free] on Jan. 16, 2011. After this date, these games will "no longer be playable."

Epic Pet Wars was one of ngmoco's first major acquisitions as part of a larger acquisition of developer Miraphonic in 2009. At the time, ngmoco's Plus+ platform was a fledgling one and the studio presumably wanted to flesh out its offerings utilizing Miraphonic's comparatively massive player base. Now it has dozens of Plus+ games, most of which support in-game purchases, and many which enjoyed boosts on the top download charts thanks to in-game offers from Wars games.

Games with expiration dates are a new-ish concept, though we should realistically expect all our cloud-based, online-focused romps to come to an end at some point. Business is cold and hard and if the numbers don't line up? Well, this is what happens, though I can't imagine anyone, especially the fans of these latest casualties, can be happy about it.

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After getting together to pick our official 2010 iPad and iPhone game of the year, we also had our writers compile lists of their personal favorites from the last year, and their reasons why.

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This past year was without a doubt absolutely insane for iOS gaming. Assembling our "best of" lists was an incredible task due to the sheer volume of games released, especially as things ramped up near the end of the year culminating in quite possibly the craziest Wednesday in TouchArcade history. The mad rush to play through and review as many of these Wednesday releases as possible between the time they're originally released on the New Zealand App Store and when they appear on the American App Store has made my personal gaming habits a little out of the ordinary, to say the least. My favorite games that I've spent quite a bit of 2010 playing generally are games that offer gameplay that is both conducive to quick plays and drawn out marathon sessions.

I've mentioned it a ton in my various reviews over the years, but more than anything else, I like games that make good iPhone games rather than good games that simply run on the iPhone. For instance, I love that we have highly competent ports like LEGO Harry Potter [$4.99] on the App Store, but I quickly found myself frustrated with its console-style checkpoint based save system which I honestly think has no place on any kind of portable device. When I'm not playing games for TouchArcade, my typical play sessions of games might only be a few minutes long while I'm waiting for something and decide to pull my phone out.

Also, although I don't quite feel as strongly as Brad when it comes to virtual controls, I love games that actually harness the power of the touch screen in ways beyond just plastering a D-Pad and set of buttons on the screen. Unfortunately, this isn't always possible for every game genre, and I can totally get in to virtual controls when they're both necessary and done well.

Anyway, it's impossible for me to list all my favorite games here, but here's a small selection of titles that I've invested a ridiculous amount of time in to over the last year:

Tilt to Live, $2.99 - [Lite / iPad] � [Review] � [Forum Thread] � I can't get enough of this game. I thought it was great when it was first released, and has only gotten better through updates with additional game modes, power-ups, and more. The art style is incredibly bright, and I really like how they've even managed to give red dots personality through different behaviors and formations. Also, few things are as satisfying as narrowly escaping death and obliterating massive amounts of red dots in one gigantic combo.

Pocket Frogs, Free - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � Freemium games have hit the App Store in a major way, and much like similar games on Facebook, your enjoyment with them seems limited to the honeymoon between discovering the game and hitting the usually not that optional pay wall. The great thing about Pocket Frogs is that it seemed to be designed to be a fun game first and a freemium revenue source second. I've played many similar games before where purchases are "optional", but Pocket Frogs was the first where they actually felt optional. Through exploring the frog pond or completing objectives you earn everything you'd ever need to keep going, unless you want to get hardcore with your frog breeding. Freemium developers have a lot to learn from NimbleBit.

Helsing's Fire, $0.99 - [Lite / iPad] � [Review] � [Forum Thread] � Talk about a complete package. Helsing's Fire has everything I like in an iPhone game: A great art style, fantastic touch-controls, a unique gameplay concept, and endless replay value thanks to super-difficult online puzzle challenges. I also like how nothing in Helsing's Fire is time sensitive, as between moves you can just put your phone down if you need to without issue. The developers have also kept the game fresh with updates, as there has been an entire new campaign and several other awesome additions since its initial release.

Baseball Superstars® 2011, $4.99 - [Lite] � [Review] � [Forum Thread] � I'm not really interested in sports, in fact, I've often remarked how much easier things would be if I were into sports as I'd always be entertained by things like whatever football game is on TV. That said, I can't get enough of the Baseball Superstars games. 2011 is little more than a slightly improved sequel over 2010, but that didn't stop me from training up an entirely new team of super players and battling online with them. Gamevil blurs the line enough between sports and RPGs that my natural instinct to fill up experience bars kicks in, making Baseball Superstars 2011 absolutely impossible to put down.

Splode, $0.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � There are a ton of chain reaction type games on the App Store, but what has kept me interested in Splode is how they've taken such a simple gameplay concept and turned it in to something truly special using graphics and sound. I've always thought the transition from black and white to color was a really cool visual effect when used well. (Such as in the movie The Wizard of Oz.) Splode does something similar in that the game starts out dark and dreary with a cold sounding wind, and as you pop a splode, flowers bloom, the sky turns blue, and a musical note plays with each reaction. You can see how this all goes together in the Splode trailer.

MovieCat!, $1.99 - [Lite / iPad] � [Review] � [Forum Thread] � My household consists of huge movie buffs, and as such, it seems like MovieCat! is almost always running on an iPhone at some point during the day. It has enough content in it that duplicate questions still haven't really been an issue thanks to updates and in-app purchase DLC. If you're at all interested in movie trivia, this is the game to get.

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After getting together to pick our official 2010 iPad and iPhone game of the year, we also had our writers compile lists of their personal favorites from the last year, and their reasons why.

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It's truly amazing to look back at 2010 and recall just what a huge year it was for iOS gaming. This past year we saw the release of the iPad and its large, high-resolution screen that takes the multitouch interface to an entirely new level. We saw the release of the iPhone 4 which raised the bar in pocket performance, as well as in pixel density with its Retina display that is downright shocking to behold. And we saw the release of a mountain of exceptional game titles from studios large and small the world around. But what we saw most of all, I think � what no one can presently deny � is the clear truth that the iOS platform is, far from a lame castle, an Epic Citadel standing tall upon the console playfield.

The list of excellent iOS games released in 2010 just goes on and on, but being perhaps the most ancient gamer on the TouchArcade staff, I am particularly partial to titles that deliver a helping of retro goodness with the action, as longtime readers are likely aware. And, as such, my list of particular favorites leans generally in that direction, if not entirely. And so, I present my list of iOS titles that particularly grabbed my attention this year.

Vector Tanks EXTREME!, $0.99 - [Review] � Ahh, the glowing goodness that is Vector Tanks Extreme. I've been playing this one for nearly a year now and I still stick to my original assesment of the game: it's Battlezone on crack. Well more furious than the earlier Vector Tanks, Vector Tanks Extreme is just a ridiculous level of intense action. Kill or be killed � and fast. It doesn't get much more white-knuckle than this superb, modern-retro iOS shooter.

Babylonian Twins Premium, $3.99 - [Review] � A reimagining of a 17-year-old Amiga title, Babylonian Twins is a gem of a game with a unique and clever two-character, tag-team play mechanic. You control brothers Nasir and Blasir in order to solve each level. Each brother has certain special abilities, but only one can be active at once. You switch from one to the other, leaving the unplayed character as a statue. You'll find you need to tag team to make your way past puzzles and obstacles, and even use the other character as a springboard to jump higher. And, this one is definitely not reserved for the retro camp.

Harbor Master HD, Free - [Review] � I quite enjoyed Imangi's line-drawing strategy title Harbor Master when it first arrived for the iPhone (and not just because I've actually been to Fishing Bay). But it wasn't until the game got the big-screen, iPad HD treatment that it earned a place on my list of addictions. The extra real-estate makes all the difference for me and has made Harbor Master HD my favorite game of its sort.

GravSpace, $0.99 - [Review] � I wrote my review of Paul Carter's cave-flyer GravSpace back in March, and titled it "The Closest Thing to 'Thrust' in the App Store." And, that's really all you need to hear to make the leap towards this one. Well, that is, if you've heard of the classic 'Thrust' or appreciate the wonderful gravity game / cave-flyer genre. In a nutshell, it's Lunar Lander, in a cave system, towing cargo with a tractor beam. And it's awesome.

Geometry Wars™: Touch, $0.99 - [Review] � I bought my Xbox 360 primarily to play Geometry Wars. That game, alone, certainly justified the purchase. It's the definitive modern-retro game and is how I thought games in 2010 would feel, as a daydreaming 12-year-old back in 1984. And now, an iOS version of Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 can be played on your iPhone or iPad. For $0.99. (No Xbox required.) (Epic.)

Espgaluda II, $8.99 � [Lite] � [Review] � Cave is legendary in the world of the hardcore shooter, and their App Store release of Espgaluda II brought by far the most intense shooter action to the platform that iPhone gamers had ever seen. Filed under the "bullet hell" genre, Espgaluda II is a touchscreen dance of dodging that will rattle your mind and perhaps change your assessment of just how many sprites an iOS device can kick around the screen at one time. The game was followed by the similarly excellent Dodonpachi Resurrection.

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After getting together to pick our official 2010 iPad and iPhone game of the year, we also had our writers compile lists of their personal favorites from the last year, and their reasons why.

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My recent take on two higher-profile games over the last couple of weeks have left many of you resentful or sore. And while this isn't a perfect place to explain a simple belief of mine that informs my critical analysis, it'll do.

I do not think that our touch devices can recreate the feel of a controller in a satisfying way. On-screen UI, the common "workaround," is a lazy and irritating aspect of an endless list of App Store titles attempting to ape console experiences. The simple fact of the matter is that our touch devices can do two things really well: touch and swipe � not A, B, X, or Y and analog sticks.

What makes the iPad and iPod cool is that they can offer something our Xbox 360s and PSPs can't; they can allow us to directly interact with mobile games in meaningful, totally unique, and sometimes particularly active ways. We can't, after all, stick our hands into our HDTV sets, physically tap on menu options, or carry our consoles in our pockets.

And I believe we should celebrate our touch devices because they offer a fresh and interesting way to play games that no other platform at the moment can. The good games are the ones that take advantage of our hardware. The bad games are the ones that forgo good design by pulverizing our eyes with impure UI elements or other pointless workarounds.

This was a long way of just saying this: here are five of my personal favorite iOS games of 2010, all of which use the platform as I believe it is best used.

Solipskier, $0.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � I love indie games because they're often minimal games that present a single intriguing and polished hook. No flair or filler. Solipskier is a perfect example of this, as it's game about creating Technicolor ski slopes as you ski. It's a wild and fun idea that actually comes together to create an entertaining game.

Game Dev Story, $3.99 - [Lite] � [Review] � [Forum Thread] � I've been writing about games and talking to dudes who make games for a little under five years now, so I think GDS hits me in a spot that it can't for people who haven't devoted their lives to games, games design, and sales. Still, GDS is a remarkable and upbeat simulation that pretty much represents the game development process in an entertaining and streamlined way. And, oh, man, are there carrots that keep you invested in GDS for entirely way too long.

Robot Unicorn Attack, $0.99 - [iPad] � [Review] � [Forum Thread] � OK, I should probably use this space for Infinity Blade or Monkey Island Tales 1 HD, but damn do I love me some Robot Unicorn Attack. It's perfect for on-the-go play, getting a laugh from friends, or even scratching the itch to listen to bad euro synthetic music for a few minutes.

The Tower®, $7.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � A lazy bit of shorthand for Yoot Tower is to describe it as "SimCity in the Sky," and I'll continue using that because I'm lazy. But I guess I'm also using it because it's so accurate � this is SimCity in the sky. The balancing act of keeping guests happy coupled with the need for financial gain and continuous building is satisfying and you've got to appreciate the small touches of humor and personality.

Civilization Revolution for iPad, $12.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � The iPad version of Civ Rev hit earlier this year and I've yet to put it down. I think, actually, I've spent more than 60 hours with this one. Like a good Civ, Civ Rev for iPad is complex, yet careful streamlining makes this accessible for even the most unfamiliar with the series.

Image via my pal @nasluks! Embarrassing, but fun!

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