Fuzzy Professor Head's Puppysaurus [$3.99] isn't the Pokemon clone that we expected it would be when our all-seeing eye initially caught it earlier this summer. Inarguably, it cribs a lot from Game Freak's overly formulaic and mega popular franchise, but it also packs a few important twists � namely within the barrier of entry � that gives it some measure of distance. Because of the anticipation surrounding it we thought it would be wise to go ahead and give you a run-down and, sadly, tell you why it isn't for you.

The short version is that it's�Baby's First Pokemon, a very rudimentary take on the series with spectacularly base mechanics and systems seemingly designed for kids. The long version is that it takes just about everything important to Pokemon � the world navigation, the battle system, the training, and the catching of beasts � and simplifies it to a point where it's hard to stomach as a grown-butt dude, but might end up being perfect for little ones looking for a light sort of RPG immersion.

I think there's a slight chance I could be reading Puppysaurus completely wrong, and it could somehow be a game targeted for adults who dig Game Freak's titles. My reservations, though, stem from its overly cutesy art direction and visuals, its overly produced introduction of mechanics and systems, its desire to get parents involved in the play, and its total lack of aggression.

This is a game where you "play" with other beasts in order to catch them, stand on little white sparks to engage in fights, and "bop" and "bark" your way through battle, even though the character lead, Puppysaurus, could obviously rip the head off and spit down the neck of anything rotund and furry that stands in its way. It's a very measured, methodical experience with obvious area level caps, super simplistic navigation, and a fairly linear progression.

Where it departs is within the dialogue, and I guess to some extent, how far down the collection rabbit hole you want to go. NPCs are outrageous in that knowing Saturday morning cartoon nod-at-the-parents sort of way, and it does, I'd imagine, take some level of skill to really get a handle on catching some monsters. New monsters, according to the app's description, will be added every day, too, which is something you don't see from Pokemon. Also, you can draw your own monsters (called "Twees") with an out-of-app drawing program.

Upon playing, you'll immediately get the feel that this isn't a game meant for you. It's a game targeted at youngsters, and even though Pokemon appeals to millions of kids around the world in addition to adults, the series still packs a punch for its older crowd � its systems, mechanics, and world have a satisfying level of depth and complexity, whereas�Puppysaurus doesn't appear to.

Is it uncomfortably close to its inspiration? Yes. Could you argue that this is a rip-off or a clone? Probably. But it's obviously not a game that everyone can enjoy, which, again, gives it a measure of distance from the Pokemon franchise, for better or worse. We were really revved for this back in May, but we can't really get behind this just now. If you have kids, however, this might just do the trick.

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Forever Drive, Supermono Studio's insane-ambitious racing game where you, pals, and total e-strangers will compose and create the game's uber-highway, is still coming "soon." No hard date has been set, in other words, but while the studio crunches, it's been churning out a beauty of a teaser trailer that I think does an awesome job in expressing the game's core mechanics and fleshes out what sets it apart from other top-down racers.

In brief, this is Supermono's attempt to shake-up the racing model. Most racing games give you an assortment of well-designed, though never-changing tracks to compete on. Forever Drive will attempt to always provide something new via the sorcery of user creation. Basically, you'll be charged with constructing pieces of tracks with others that'll be combined into one huge highway. It's a cool idea.

Will this work out? I dunno, man! But I guess that's what makes following this game so fun. It looks great and has a ton of promise. Definitely stay tuned to us as we follow it.

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The previous two episodes of Agharta Studio's conceptually brilliant and artistically gifted adventure game series, 1112, are now on sale. For what appears to be a limited time, you can grab the regular and HD versions of Episode 01 for $0. The regular and HD versions of the second episode, Episode 02, are available for $.99. This price-slashing maneuver comes on the heels of Episode 03's release earlier this summer.

• 1112 Episode 01 � $4.99 ? Free
• 1112 Episode 01 HD � $7.99 ? Free
• 1112 Episode 02 � $4.99 ? $.99
• 1112 Episode 02 HD � $7.99 ? $.99

While the earlier games initially had some weird issues due to localization, we've always been pretty impressed by what it tries to do, how it goes about weaving its story, and the super snazzy art direction. Our review for the third episode is still coming, but take a look at this trailer to see if its up your alley:

It took around a year for Agharta to refine and develop the third entry and it shows: the campaign is much longer than the previous two games and the title incorporates multi-touch puzzles, as well as a new soundtrack. If you've missed out on previous episodes obviously now would be a great time to dive in. You've got nothing to lose when it comes to the first episode, at least.

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When I first saw the banner for Brick People, one of three upcoming titles that Sega was demoing yesterday in San Francisco, it seemed somewhat familiar but I couldn't quite place why. It wasn't until they showed a video of people playing the arcade version that I remembered, "Oh yeah, I've seen that crazy thing before!"

In the arcade version of Brick People, there were actual physical bricks that you used to play the game. They were similar to oversized Legos that you could stack onto a small ledge that jutted out at the base of the game screen. The tiny characters in Brick People would then be able to jump onto the bricks that you had built to reach fruit floating in the sky.

Brick People in the arcades was definitely kind of odd, but also a pretty clever idea. Now, Sega is bringing the game to iOS, though obviously without the physical bricks of the original. That's probably for the best, actually, since lugging around a tote bag full of oversized foam bricks really hampers the portability of iOS devices.

The virtual brick approach actually works quite well, especially on the large screen of the iPad. Brick People is a dead simple game at its core, but contains a ton of underlying strategy and challenge. It's probably best explained by one of Sega's reps in this brief hands-on video:

One interesting aspect to the iOS version of Brick People will be the multiplayer modes. You can connect locally over Bluetooth or WiFi to compete with a friend to see who can complete a level faster. On the iPad, there will be a same-device multiplayer mode as well, and this was the mode I was able to check out at yesterday's event to compete with some of my fellow game journalists.

I use the word "compete" extremely loosely, as I lost 6 times in a row and never won even a single game. The important takeaway from that, though, was that the frantic gameplay style of Brick People was still extremely fun face to face with another live person even when on the losing end. Also, I need lots of practice.

I came away really impressed with just how much fun Brick People is, even without real physical bricks to play with. The simple, fast-paced gameplay is perfectly suited for mobile, and there should be plenty of content to play through when the game ships this Fall. By that time, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to win at least one multiplayer match. Time will tell.

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At a San Francisco preview event yesterday, Sega announced that they would be bringing their classic fishing franchise Sega Bass Fishing to iOS this Fall. Sega Bass Fishing originally launched in arcades back in 1998, but most people will likely remember it from its days as a Dreamcast launch title complete with wacky fishing rod-shaped controller. Since then, it's been rereleased in various forms over the years, and � perhaps most appropriately � as a Wii title using the motion controlled Wiimote.

The iOS version will be based on the 2009 arcade game Sega Bass Fishing Challenge, which was an updated version of the original, hence the "Challenge" in the title. The game is still at an incredibly early state, though it's looking really nice so far. As with most fishing games, you'll be able to cruise around the waters in your boat in various worldly locations, cast your line, and hope to entice a huge fish to take a bite. You control your boat from a third-person perspective, but once your line has been cast, things switch to an underwater view.

Here is where you can get up close and personal with your future prize catch while you orchestrate a careful balance of reeling the bugger in without snapping your line or letting him off the hook. The underwater view really showcases the impressive visuals in Sega Bass Fishing Challenge, with detailed fish models that swim, wriggle, and fight you in a very realistic manner.

The build we were shown today worked well with onscreen virtual controls, but the final release version of Sega Bass Fishing Challenge will incorporate the motion control capabilities of iOS devices, similar to using the fishing rod controller of the Dreamcast original. These motion controls weren't implemented just yet, but I'd imagine they'll work equally as well as other iOS titles that have utilized them like Flick Fishing [99�/Free] or Fishing Kings [$4.99/Free], and add another level of immersion to your virtual fishing endeavors.

Sega Bass Fishing Challenge is vaguely set for release sometime this Fall, and we expect to have more information on the title in the coming weeks. Based on what I've seen so far, if your were a fan of the original, or just a fan of fishing games in general, you should be in for a treat when the game hits the App Store later this year.

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On this week's bonus edition of The TouchArcade Show, Eli and I spit some mad game at Retro Dreamer's Gavin Bowman. At the top of the interview we really dig into his studio's latest game, Velocispider [$.99 / Free], but we also take the time to discuss Bowman's past, what Retro Dreamer is all about, the iCade, and the free to play model.

If you'd like to download the show, go ahead and do so via the link at the bottom. Heck, you can even stream it from there, too. If you'd prefer to get these episodes the second we can upload them, go ahead and subscribe to us on iTunes and the Zune. That's what all the cool kids do. Like, the really cool kids.

�

iTunes Link: The TouchArcade Show
Zune Marketplace: TouchArcade.com Podcasts
RSS Feed: The TouchArcade Show
Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-Bonus-011.mp3, 19MB

Of course, we'll be back in your earholes later this week with another normal episode of TAS. Fill free to shoot us a line: podcast@toucharcade.com.

Oh also, that radical new album art up there? That's courtesy of Mountain Sheep's Timo Vihola who totally went out of his way to whip it up for us. If you haven't yet, check out his games: Minigore [99� / HD] and Death Rally [99�] � Two titles you should totally have on your phone, and if you don't, you should really fix that.

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I had my greasy fingers all over Halfbrick's upcoming Jetpack Joyride in our hands-on preview last week, and one thing I neglected to mention something that got my goat playing over the weekend: The game itself starts in a really weird way. There's an explosion, and suddenly you're flying through this underground lair. Well, Halfbrick's trailer for the game that was released today fills in any potential plot holes by showing what happens just before:

I suppose the only question that remains now is where does Jetpack Joyride land in the life of Barry Steakfries? Presumably he just got the machine gun jetpack now, making Monster Dash a sequel of sorts? Maybe? But then where does Age of Zombies fit in? A better question is, what is wrong with me that I think about these things?!

Jetpack Joyride will be out this Thursday, and you better believe we'll have a review. Spoilers: It's great.

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It seems like physics-based puzzlers are always popular with fans of iOS games, but the genre is undoubtedly saturated. Mikrotie's take on it is prettier than most � in fact, graphics are likely to be the first thing to suck you into Treemaker [$0.99], which has a modern, atmospheric look to it that certainly is easy on the eyes. I admit that I am totally a sucker for extremely pretty games, so I was interested to see if Treemaker could offer great gameplay to accompany its uncommonly good looks.

Some iOS games like to supply a story, but Treemaker doesn't bother, and it's just as well. You play a silent, smiling character who uses frondlike arms to swing from platform to platform in each level, collecting orbs,setting smaller creatures free as you go and planting trees in the process. The levels are very short ( I admit I would have enjoyed it if they were longer), and each gives you the opportunity to score one, two or three stars, depending on how you play the level. You have an unlimited number of connections at your disposal when it comes to casting your branchy arms about, but only certain connections that allow you to score three stars in each level, so there is replay value in figuring out the best way to play each level.

Touch controls are very responsive, but getting the swing of things (yeah, I went there) takes some practice if you don't have a lot of experience with physics-based titles. The movement is pitch perfect, and after you learn to control the treemaker, you'll be swinging him all over the place to land on the platforms you want. You can also pinch the screen to zoom in or out, which makes it easier for you to plan your next move rather than go sailing of finto the abyss.

While Treemaker is a lot of fun to play and really lovely to look at, I have to admit that I was disappointed with the lack of variety when it came to the appearance of the levels. The level design is great as far as gameplay goes, but the look of the levels only changes by way of color, and there are only a total of four platforms in the game to land on. Some new elements are introduced as you progress, such as exploding blocks and spring blocks, but the game feels like it could have benefitted from a wider variety of things to do.

The other letdown in Treemaker is that it has absolutely no online compatibility, so you can't share your scores with friends with GameCenter or any other similar service. Considering the scoring aspect, I think this would have made it more fun. The game itself has a great vibe, and I enjoyed my time with it, but it feels like the ball was dropped when it came to the social elements that people seem to enjoy in iOS titles. Achievements would have been great oto and given the game more of a replay value. In other words, what's there is great, but if you play these types of games often, you can't help but see the missed opportunities that feel as if they should have been fleshed out.

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I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do with EA's Madden 12 [$6.99 / HD]. I mean, a game like Madden we sort of need to review, but I've spent a considerable amount of time with the game and honestly couldn't even say what's different between Madden 11 and Madden 12 aside from adding one more to the numerical suffix, redesigning some menus, and updating the roster. So, I've just updated our Madden 11 review:

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The Madden series hardly needs an introduction, as football player turned coach turned commentator John Madden has had his name on football games for the better part of 20 years now. On home consoles, it has become tradition for EA to release a new Madden game each year with updated rosters, a few new features, and other various tweaks. As of tonight, the second third yearly installment of the Madden series has arrived for the iPhone.

Last year Two years ago we took a close look at Madden NFL 10 and thought it was a really great football game for the iPhone. Madden '10 came loaded with all the licensed players, stadiums, logos, and everything else you'd expect of a Madden game along with game modes ranging from single exhibition games to full seasons. The two hip new features of Madden NFL 10 for the iPhone were hot routes allowing players to draw on the screen to control players, and "action control time" which switched the game to slow motion mode allowing for precise maneuvers with the virtual controls.

There wasn't much to complain about with last year's two years ago's Madden, which really left me wondering what EA was going to include in this year's release to up the ante. The preview we got revealed substantial graphical upgrades including Retina Display support, but it wasn't until I got to spend more time with the game today that I realized just how much more fun the other new features made playing Madden NFL 11 12.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm not a sports person by any means. I don't remember the last time I watched anything more than the Super Bowl on TV, and the only sporting events I've attended have been the result of friends with extra tickets. I play sports games, but generally gravitate towards arcade style sports games like Homerun Battle 3D [$4.99 / Free], or sports games that have RPG elements such as Baseball Superstars 2010 [99� / Free] Baseball Superstars 2011 [99� / Free].

I mention this because I generally never really got into a Madden game, or really any full football game. The weak link for me always came in choosing from an endless array of both offensive and defensive plays, with each yearly iteration of football game boasting even more plays to choose from. I don't know enough about the strategy of football plays to have ever felt like I was making a wise decision, and when it got down to it, play selection just always seemed like a needless interruption every few seconds while playing the game.

GameFlow changes all of this, and I really can't overstate how awesome a feature it actually is. Using some new AI algorithm likely designed by a team of people who know way more about football than I ever care to, Madden 11 12's GameFlow will intelligently chooses plays for you. It is absolutely insane how much this changes both the feel and the pace of the game. Using GameFlow, endless submenus of plays are a thing of the past. Instead, you just play football. The plays it selects work fairly well too, or at least, much better than my typical choice of plays which usually alternate between the hail mary and the fake field goal kick� both favorites of mine.

What's also shocking is how much this actually speeds up playing the game. You can tap the screen to skip through the extra animations, victory dances, and other junk and play through a whole football game in what barely seems like any time at all. Of course, if you are the kind of person who knows exactly what every play does, all you have to do is flip GameFlow to off and you have complete control of each and every play.

The hot routes functionality from last year has been expanded seems the same, and at any point during the game you can pause the action and draw paths for your players. If you're playing offense and do this, you can save those routes as an audible, or if you're playing defense you can just send your players wherever you want. The whole system works very well, and by drawing lines you can send dispatch players to man to man duty, follow the ball, or really anything else. This really makes defense a lot more fun because you can now actually sensibly direct your team around instead of just tabbing in between players and chasing after whoever has the ball.

As mentioned already, the graphics of Madden NFL 11 12 look fantastic. The stadium crowd has actual depth now still, and they even still wave around signs for the home team. The included weather effects look good, and overall it seems like all the player models and animations are more just as detailed, if not a little more. Every texture in game also seems to have been substantially marginally improved, making going back and forth between 10 and 11 12 seem fairly drastic.

Madden 11 12 also is host to some other noticeable tweaks over Madden 10 as well such as controls that feel a little better and a spruced up interface. There's an in-game store which currently is home to a free roster update, but seems like it might be used for future DLC. Finally, Madden NFL 11 12 behaves beautifully as an iPhone game, gracefully saving your game and resuming quickly when you load it again.

At the end of the day, people who like Madden games likely don't need this review, or anything more than the iTunes link to download the game for that matter. Who I really expect to sway into checking out Madden NFL 11 12 are the casual sports fans, or people like me, who are vaguely interested in sports games but found the various technicalities of football games to generally be annoying. GameFlow fixes all this, and I can hardly believe that I spent the majority of my day today playing Madden 11 12 on my iPhone� not because I was trying to power through it to write a review, but because I was actually really enjoying a football game for the first time since Mutant League Football on the Sega Genesis.

The iPad and iPhone versions are essentially the same aside from the price difference and UI tweaks to make the controls more comfortable for playing on the iPad. The iPhone version is workable with pixel doubling if you don't mind big pixels.

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With the release of Madden 12, EA also seems to have removed Madden 11 from the App Store. Unless you're really into having the most up to date roster, there really isn't much reason that we can see to upgrade. They've also shoved EA's Origin into the game as well, so if that service ever takes off in a big way, there's that too. On the other hand, if you're into the Madden series, and hadn't picked up Madden 11 previously, 12 seems to be just as good as a game.

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If you needed one more reason to be jealous of folks who live in Austin, TX, aside from having nearly unlimited access to the best barbecue on the planet, try this on for size: This weekend, Tiger Style's new game will be playable at Juegos Rancheros at The Highball. If that sentence doesn't hold much weight for you, allow me to explain.

Tiger Style is the team of guys behind Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor [$2.99 / HD], which not only was our 2009 iPhone Game of the Year but also took home several other awards such as the Independent Games Festival's best iPhone game. Juegos Rancheros is an equally awesome monthly gathering of independent game developers that started as a casual thing and since turned into an event that even has attracted the attention of Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward.

Details on what Lost Mars is all about will likely be incredibly limited until the event this weekend, but the Juegos Rancheros site offers this tidbit:

What do you get when you mix one part METROID, one part 1970's-era sci-fi film, and one part… gardening?!

I don't know what you get when you mix those three things, but I do know I couldn't possibly be more excited about it. The second we get more details we'll post 'em.

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Looks like we were right. Kairosoft's next English iOS release will indeed be Grand Prix Story, the racing simulation game that hit Android devices earlier this year. According to a small blurb on the studio's page, it's heavily suggested that it'll see a September 8 launch, which gives it exactly four weeks worth of breathing room from Mega Mall Story [$3.99 / Lite].

Previously, we reported on the game's launch on the Japanese App Store and speculated that, since the English translation work is already done, it would be the next release. Word on the street was that this specific version also included an English language toggle, so no wonder we're receiving it so soon.

Grand Prix Story thrusts you in the role of a manager of an auto racing team. As such, you'll be expected to gather sponsors, drivers, and develop new cars and their respective parts. The app description on the Android market says that no formal racing knowledge is needed, just like how you don't need to be a hot spring owner to really come to grips with Hot Springs Story [$4.99 / Lite].

Obviously, we'll be all over this when it hits. As a personal aside here, I'm ready to explode from anticipation. Kairosoft makes my gym time that much better.

[Thanks for everyone who sent this in - via App Advice]

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Just over a month ago, we checked out some screenshots for the upcoming fixed-turret battling game Siegecraft from Crescent Moon Games and Blowfish Studios. The goal here is to control the siege team for one of several different races and wreak havoc on your opponents using all manner of catapults, crossbows, battering rams, and more. As you do well in the game, you'll earn cash that will let you purchase upgrades for your various weaponry.

Siegecraft was looking pretty darn good in still shots, and today Crescent Moon has offered up the first trailer for the game, showcasing what it looks like in motion. Spoiler alert � it's looking pretty awesome so far:

Siegecraft is boasting some impressive bullet points for "the back of its box", including 6 different campaigns over 27 unique levels, universal iPad support and specific enhancements for the iPad 2, and a same-device multiplayer mode exclusive to the iPad. Things seem to be shaping up well for Siegecraft, and if all goes according to plan the game should drop sometime in early October as a Universal app, so keep your eyes peeled for new information both here and in our forums leading up to release.

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Last month, developers Polarbit and Pixelbite Games delivered Reckless Getaway [$2.99] into the App Store, a game we liked a lot in our review. In Reckless Getaway, you play as a bank robber who is desperately trying to evade a police pursuit immediately following a bank heist. The goal is to make it past the police barricade that marks the end of each level while racking up as many points as possible along the way, and avoiding taking too much damage in the process.

Despite being a fun, arcadey, and explodey experience, one of our chief complaints with Reckless Getaway was that it was a rather short game, containing just 16 levels. With a new update that was released last week, the developers have done a good job of addressing this issue, and have effectively doubled the amount of content in the game.

This update brings a new "Wreckless" mode in addition to the normal Getaway mode. In Wreckless mode you'll take the driver's seat of a big, green semi-truck; and rather than worry about collecting coins for points, your only task is to run into as many cars and cause as much damage as possible before the finish line. You'll play through all the same levels that are in Getaway mode, but with their own separate 4 star grading systems for Wreckless mode, giving you twice the amount of goals to shoot for as before.

Reckless Getaway was a fun game to begin with, and with the new Wreckless mode there's now even more to like about it. Pixelbite has also said on their website that more updates are already in the works, with another brand new mode and new levels planned for the future. I can't wait to hear more about that, but for now the Wreckless mode update is more than satisfying, and players in our forums are enjoying it as well.

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In June of last year, Revolutionary Concepts and Tangible Games brought us Banzai Rabbit [99�/HD], a modern take on the Frogger formula with slick 3D graphics and a bunch of new gameplay elements. We thought they did great justice to the classic arcade game in our Banzai Rabbit review (and even more so after they nerfed the difficulty a bit), and put a fresh new perspective on the gameplay while keeping the core Frogger mechanics intact.

Fast forward to just this last month, and Revolutionary Concepts struck a partnership with Konami to bring Gesundheit! [99�/HD] to the App Store, with the help of artist Matt Hammill offering his whimsical style to the graphics in the game. Now, Revolutionary Concepts has announced that they're once again partnering up with Konami, Tangible Games, Matt Hammill, and even esteemed composer Alex Khaskin to honor this year's 30th anniversary of Frogger with the upcoming Frogger Decades.

It's somewhat ironic that Revolutionary Concepts is being handed the keys to the Frogger IP from Konami. In fact, Banzai Rabbit was originally known as Frogman, but due to concern about the possibility of infringing on the Frogger IP the main character in the game traded in his warts for floppy ears and a cotton tail. But, Konami was impressed with the studio's ability to pay homage to classic franchises as they had with Karate Champ [99�/HD], Road Blaster [$1.99/HD], and Cobra Command [99�]. Now, more than a year later and Revolutionary Concepts is bringing yet another modern take on Frogger, this time with Konami's full blessing.

Frogger Decades begins when Frogger heads out to catch a few flies for lunch, and while out and about his friends leave a note on his door with directions to a party they're throwing for him in celebration of his big 30th birthday. But, the evil Doc Croc gets his hands on the map first and changes up the route to the party, forcing Frogger to traverse through 5 dangerous locations and 10 huge levels in order to finally end up at the party. The story is told in-between levels using fantastic cutscenes drawn by Matt Hammill which are just oozing with personality.

Like Banzai Rabbit, the core Frogger mechanics are kept intact in Frogger Decades, but expanded upon and taken in new directions. You'll still be hopping around on a grid-like play field, but rather than the single screen of the original that had you continuously moving your frogs back and forth, the levels in Frogger Decades are lengthy vertical affairs, filled with all sorts of interesting terrain and plenty of enemies out to get you. Poor Frogger, if only he'd known about the safe and direct path his friends had originally laid out for him!

Controls are either swipe gestures or a virtual d-pad and buttons, and both work pretty well, though so far I'm preferring the swipe-based controls. In addition to just hopping around, Frogger has several special moves, like flicking out his tongue to collect flies or move objects and various kinds of jumps which help him make it through the challenging terrain in the game. If you've played Banzai Rabbit, many of Frogger's moves will feel pretty familiar.

You're also under time constraints in each level, so you'll need to keep moving rather than just admiring the gorgeous 3D scenery. Thankfully there are plenty of checkpoints along the way, so dying at the hand of an enemy or hazard, or not moving quick enough before the level scrolls past your position isn't too much of a hindrance as you'll just get sent back to your checkpoint. Frogger Decades has been a difficult ride during my time with the game thus far, but it's a nice kind of challenge that pushes you to keep at it and rewards you for thinking on your feet and acting quickly.

I'm really enjoying what I've played so far of Frogger Decades, and look forward to continuing on through the rest of the game. If you're liking what you're seeing and reading here as well, then you'll be able to get your own hands on Frogger Decades when it launches as a Universal app this coming Thursday at an introductory price of $1.99.

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Firemint's Spy Mouse [$.99] probably won't spawn a billion copycats like�Flight Control [$.99 / HD] and it lacks the�jaw-dropping 3D prowess of�Real Racing 2 [$4.99 / HD], but it's a mechanically solid and visually pleasing game that, in addition to being flat-out entertaining, breaks down a lot of stealth game barriers of entry. Basically, I'm just saying it's really good.

Stealth games are notoriously fickle things; genetically linked to arcade stock that treated players like quarter-pumping cattle, stealth's central conceits have revolved around failure, punishment, and the gaming of its systems instead of things like fun and rewards. Spy Mouse mitigates a lot of the not-so-fabulous parts of its mechanics by being pretty up-front about its moment-to-moment stealth: it clearly shows you enemy pathways, its top-down perspective quickly gives you a handle on what you can do and when, and it's mechanically simple, which eliminates execute grand schemes or interact with complicated systems in second-long bursts.

In a couple of words, it's strikes me as a 'balanced' game. It isn't super action heavy and as forgiving as the new Splinter Cell title, but it's also not as stringent as an early�Metal Gear or a Hitman. It's challenging without being stupidly hard; its AI is predictable but capable; its level design provides allows for autonomy but doesn't sacrifice vision; its boss battles are tough while simultaneously entertaining; and it gives you just enough information to succeed without overloading you.

It's also pretty pure. This is a game about a mouse grabbing cheese underneath cats' noses. The cats patrol on highlighted pathways, while you move around similarly to how you draw a plane's path in Flight Control. It's indirect, but it serves the game well and keeps pacing on an even keel, ensuring few stealth "Oh Crap, Get Behind The Wall Quick" messes.

There are times in which I really, really want more direct control over my character, but those are few, and frankly, it's because I'm approaching situations in stupid ways. Just like Flight Control, Spy Mouse is all about economy of movement and good planning; it's not about dancing in front of cats and stumbling away in the nick of time, even though you can, if you want, do just that.

What strikes me as odd is that the core mechanic in this joint isn't its biggest draw. I've been having more fun with the situational content that you apply movement to, as opposed to drawing raw joy from stalking around behind corners. For the better, Firemint has loaded Spy Mouse with oodles of levels, all of which have something fun or strategy-light to offer. It even throws in a bunch of power-ups, side cheese, and hidden areas into the mix, brightening up and differentiating the overall offering, while still maintaining a cohesive feel.

And, sure, while Spy Mouse does a great job of tossing out a lot of stealth game garbage, trial and error are still very much a part of this package. The catch is that it does a fantastic job of putting you right back in to the action in a snap, Super Meat Boy-style.

Artistically and visually, I love what I'm seeing. I'm not the kind of dude who usually reflects on this stuff, but it's hard to deny the appeal of the soft, Disney-like overall aesthetic. It oozes character without beating you over the head with it, and, you know, its colors and contrasts also look pretty sharp on 'HD' devices.

If you couldn't tell, I'm pretty pleased with Firemint's latest offering. It's a neat change of pace from a talented development house, and more importantly, it's a fun and good game. Give it a try, especially if you're into stealth without a lot of the mess.

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Mobigame's Edge [$2.99] is a game with a ridiculous amount of history behind it. There are several incredibly detailed accounts of everything went down, but in a nutshell, Edge was the first high profile game on the App Store to face serious legal troubles via trademark disputes. It flashed on and off the App Store at seemingly random intervals, often times with a sale, until EA won a court case against the previous-trademark holder Tim Langdell which resulted in a judge specifically referring to him as a trademark troll. Following that, Edge was back for good, and this new-found era free of frivolous legal threats has ushered in a fantastic pseudo-sequel: Edge Extended [99c].

If you're unfamiliar with the original Edge, here's a quick run-down. You navigate a rolling cube around maze-like levels built from blocks, collecting prisms and trying to reach the ending destination in the fastest time possible. The platform levels are dynamic, with moving floors and walls which sometimes transform into objects unexpectedly. It's a unique experience, which we described in 2009 as being "inventive and an overall joy to play".

Edge Extended has not been released as 'Edge 2'. Instead, it's designed as an extension of the original Edge: keeping all the things which worked well, while adding some improvements.� Edge was already an incredibly fun game, so extending it further is like pouring some awesome on top of something that's already awesome.

The first Edge appeared to feature a 3D world, but surprizingly, it was actually created using a sophisticated 2D engine. This introduced some limitations around things like camera effects and other things that require a true 3D engine. For Extended, they've implemented a whole new 3D graphics engine, which is optimized for retina displays and the iPad 2 (with some great anti-aliasing). The new graphics engine allows them to switch from a perspective view to an isometric view in real-time, which they call "the Vertigo effect," which is really cool when you first see it.

There's 44 brand new levels in Extended. This includes 41 normal levels plus 3 additional bonus levels if you obtain all the prisms in the game. That's only 4 levels less than the original Edge (48 levels), so this is a whole new release in terms of levels alone. Mobigame even engaged a new level designer for Extended (Jérémie Torton) who has brought in a ton of fresh level design ideas which I dare not spoil here. (Trust me, the game gets crazy later on.)

If you completed all 48 levels in Edge, you unlocked a faster paced 'Turbo mode', but that feature is not present in Extended.� Instead, they've implemented a 'ghost-mode'. While you play, your device is actually recording your movements, and if you beat all 44 levels you can race against your own ghost, to try and better your earlier performance.

Another significant change is the introduction of a sinister new black cube, which speeds around the level, causing trouble. This new cube, named "Dark Cube" is introduced in one of the early levels, so you don't need to wait long to encounter it. Dark Cube interacts with the level , such as triggering switches which make things change around you, forcing you to race.� The presence of another cube brings a whole new dimension to the game. Sometimes the Dark Cube is helpful, as he shows you how to pass certain obstacles, as a new way of delivering in-game tutorials.

Oh, there's even a whopping 23 music tracks, including some from the original, which brings back happy memories and the new tracks sound as great as the original ones.

Extended is a universal game, so it can be installed on all of your iOS devices, but it also syncs your progress automatically across devices using Game Center. This allowed me to start playing Extended on my iPad, then pick up my iPod later and continue playing from the same point, as the levels automatically showed up as unlocked on both devices� I wish more games worked like this.

Edge Extended [99c] is currently cheaper than the original Edge [$2.99], making it the logical option to purchase if you haven't got either. If you don't have one of these games in your platform game collection, then delete something to make room for at least one of them, as Edge and Edge Extended are both brilliant platform games.

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