'Tis the season of giving, and in recognition of this six independent iOS developers have banded together to not only give you a great deal on their games, but also give some cheer to less fortunate gamers around the world. From December 21st to December 31st, 6 games will be available individually on the App Store for just 99� each, one of which has notoriously never been on sale before: Canabalt. It's all for a good cause, though, as one-third of all total sales earned during this promotion period will be donated to Child's Play Charity, an organization that collects video games, toys, books, money, and more for children who are spending time ill in hospitals throughout North America and the world.

Here is a list of App Store links to the 6 games that are 99� as part of the Indie sale along with links to each developer's website and our review for each game:

Canabalt, by Semi Secret Software � Review

Solipskier, by�Mikengreg � Review

Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, by�Tiger Style Games � Review

Osmos, by�Hemisphere Games � Review

Eliss, by�Steph Thirion � Review

Drop7, by�Area/Code Inc. � Review

I could easily talk about each of these games at great length, but the bottom line is that they are all superb games in their own right and are all worth owning if you don't already. Even if you do own some of them, it wouldn't be a bad idea to gift them to some of your iOS owning family and friends while they're on sale, and you can feel good knowing you've contributed to helping kids in need during the Holiday season. You can visit the Indiesale.com website for some more information about the promotion, as well as a link to some bonus wallpapers and ringtones from these developers.

At the beginning of this month, I had the chance to check out all of EA Mobile's holiday lineup at a special hands-on event in San Francisco. There were a number of interesting titles on display, most of which have since been released to the App Store. But there was one title that was easily the show-stopper of them all: Dead Space. This mobilized version of the 2008 console hit looked stunning for an iOS title, and surprisingly encompassed just about all of the gameplay aspects that you would find in the original console release.

Story-wise, the iOS version of Dead Space will act as a link between the original game and the upcoming Dead Space 2 on consoles. There has been a lot of talk in our forums about the possibility that Dead Space would be on rails, and with the recently released games Rage HD [$1.99] and Infinity Blade [$5.99] that focused on limited mobility (though both are still quite excellent), I can see where they're coming from. �After actually playing the game though, I can put those worries at ease as Dead Space is a full-mobility third-person shooter just like its bigger console brother. The onscreen HUD is minimalist, and the controls use a touch anywhere movement scheme and some intuitive gestures for performing actions in the game.

The first level of the preview version I played took place on a moving tram-like platform, and I had to take out enemies that popped up as the platform made its way down a creepy tunnel. Here, mobility was limited to the tiny platform, but once it arrived at its destination, a control station, the game allowed for movement and exploration. There wasn't much time to explore, though, as immediately enemies descended upon me once again. After alleviating enemies of their various limbs, and dispatching the ones that kept on crawling after me, I was able to visit a computer console where I could upgrade my weapons. After that it was time to move onto the next portion of the station, and that's where the much-too-brief demo ended.

What I took away from Dead Space on iOS is that it's one of the most visually striking games I've seen thus far. The lighting and atmosphere of the levels is almost up to par with the console games, and from what I can tell it will come close to matching all the same gameplay functionality as well. Despite the minimal UI, there's a complex control system underlying the gameplay in Dead Space, and it's not something that was easily grasped in a 10 minute hands-on demo but it piqued my interest enough that I can't wait to dive into the final release. Hopefully that won't be too far off, as EA has told us that Dead Space should launch sometime in January, so drop by the discussion thread in our forums to pass the time until launch next month.

Soon, Secret of Mana for the iOS will be released in North America and I'd like to go ahead and put some skeptics' fears at ease: it appears to be a faithful, technically sound port of its SNES source material. Exhaling feels good, doesn't it?

This means, though, that all the issues of the original are present. In that weird, overly sentimental way, I want Secret of Mana to retain its baggage. It wouldn't feel… so right otherwise. Perhaps you share this thought. If you don't, beware.

The controls are the lone new feature I've noticed. Square has implemented a virtual controller into the game, allowing for basic movement and action. Flicks and swipes control the radial menus, while character selection can be done via taps. Strangely, you can't interact with the environment by tapping into it. You'll need to use a context-sensitive action button to do so.

Overall, the controls are serviceable. Despite its appearance as a hack-and-slash type of RPG, the action in�Secret of Mana is pretty spaced out, meaning the occasional slip-up and response delay associated with using a virtual button spread doesn't interfere with the experience too much. That said, whenever the game does require precision or fast actions, you'll probably be left wanting a controller. But do note, again, that the controls are serviceable. You don't need a controller, but hey, wouldn't it be nice? Also, wouldn't it be awesome to own a�Ferrari?

And, really, this is a Ferrari of classic RPGs. Go out and give it a spin if you're a fan or a newcomer. It's a great game and this is a pretty good port.

App Store Link: Secret of Mana, $8.99 (Will be available in US App Store at 11:00 PM EST.)

It's a good time to be a fan of Telltale Games. If you haven't noticed already, the prices of most of Telltale's games are now a mere 99 cents on the App Store.

What's the occasion, you ask? The cuts are in celebration of the release of Monkey Island Tales 1 HD [$6.99] for the iPad, Telltale tells us. And while the sale doesn't actually include the new release, it's nice to save some cash on the companies' other solid titles.

Here's the full list of the games on sale:

• Puzzle Agent � .99
• Puzzle Agent HD � .99
• Sam & Max Episode 1: The Penal Zone � .99
• Wallace & Gromit The Last Resort � .99

I think I think that�Puzzle Agent is the most remarkable game on this list. It has its share of logic flaws, technical baggage, and interface woes, but it rises above all of it with sheer strength of character, oddness, and unique gameplay.�I also think that most Sam & Max fans would agree on this same point in regards to The Penal Zone, too. That game, for sure, has tons of technical issues, but Telltale successfully turns the adventure game formula on its head with Max's newfound time-travel power. You'll see solutions before you see the puzzles and then have to work backwards to solve them. Wild stuff!

Of course, Monkey Island Tales 1 HD is the best of the bunch and it comes highly recommended, though it's not on sale. Sad face. Oh! And this sale ends on January 3, 2011. Buy if you want while you can.