Top iPhone Games - August 19, 2011

It's Friday again, which means it's time for GameSpot to share our top picks for what's piqued our interest on Apple's App Store. Because, after all, we know you're busy and there are plenty of games in the store that aren't worth your time. So what do we think you should check out this week?

iBlast Moki 2--iPhone and iPad
It's been a few years since the original game wowed iOS users, but the cute fluffballs of iBlast Moki are finally back in the long-awaited sequel. For those unfamiliar with the basic concept of the game, your job is to guide the mokis (who look more than a little like Loco Rocos) into a portal to send them home, and you do this by using high explosives to propel the mokis in the direction you want them to go. New additions to gameplay here include paint bombs, which, when exploded, coat the surrounding areas and allow the Mokis to bounce, speed up, or even stick to surfaces (a little like Portal 2's paints). You'll need to be creative as the levels in iBlast Moki 2 progress, with the puzzles becoming increasingly complex and requiring great timing, as well as placement when it comes to bomb explosions. This sequel looks to pack in as much fun as the original, and it's an easy recommendation if you're looking for a new physics-based puzzler.
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Zombie Minesweeper--iPhone and iPad
Another week, another zombie game, but this one takes the classic PC time-waster Minesweeper and adds a horde of undead animals into the mix. In Zombie Minesweeper, you play as a girl trying to get across town to join her date, and you're forced to traverse dark, suburban locales filled with all manner of living dead beasties. Each level you have to play through is laced with mines; and in classic Minesweeper fashion, moving forward on the grid unveils squares that indicate how many mines are in the immediate 3-by-3 square area. The trouble here, though, is that zombie creatures are also prowling the levels, which means you have to think fast and move quickly to survive. And it wouldn't be a zombie game if you weren't able to do bloody, bloody damage to the undead, so along the way, you'll also pick up weapons like shotguns and bombs to help thin out the zombie ranks. You have to play with patience as well, as blindly rushing forward and hoping you won't step on any mines is usually the best way to get blown up.
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Deo--iPhone and iPad
Deo is a strange, contemplative title with a unique look and equally unique gameplay. In Deo, you play as a small, round, red blob trapped on a series of slowly rotating meteors. Your only ability is to jump, which you have to do to stay on your moving meteor and reach a red-marked endpoint on the other side of the rock. Each meteor has different safe spots that you can land on, and each has its own shape. You'll need a surprising amount of finesse in Deo--small taps on the screen will result in hops, while holding down your finger charges up a bigger leap. The game's stripped back, almost monochrome graphics give Deo a somber mood, but despite its downbeat style, this game presents a good challenge for those looking for something a little different on the App Store.
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Emissary of War--iPhone and iPad
First things first--this action role-playing game/dungeon crawler is free, which is more than enough reason to download it off the App Store right now. In Emissary of War, you control Ghent, a burly warrior on a mission to make peace treaties with his homeland's neighboring nations. Along for the ride is Hassock, a faithful companion whose job is to support Ghent by using his arsenal of potions. While you directly control Ghent as he hacks and slashes, you can only control what order Hassock throws which potions, adding a small layer of strategy to the gameplay. Emissary of War boasts some impressive production values, such as full voice audio (still a rarity in iOS games). And while the game is free, there is a catch: Only the game's first chapter if playable, and it's a short one, clocking in at less than 30 minutes gameplay. If you want to play the second chapter, then you'll need to pony up some real-world cash.
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Temple Run--iPhone and iPad
Temple Run could have easily been just another title in the saturated auto-running genre (a la Canabalt and Robot Unicorn Attack), but the game distinguishes itself by moving away from the typical side-scrolling perspective of the genre and switching instead to a behind-the-back 3D environment. This gives the action a more thrilling quality because even from the beginning, you'll need quick and accurate reflexes to navigate your way around the world. In Temple Run, you play as an Indiana Jones-style adventurer running away from a bunch of what looks like evil, deranged apes. You'll need to swipe left or right to turn corners, while swiping up will make your character jump and swiping down will make him do a sweet knee slide to avoid low obstacles. You'll also need to tilt your iOS device to subtly move him left or right to collect coins (the implementation of tilt is way less intrusive than it sounds). Temple Run is fun for short, action-packed bursts, and it is a great challenge for auto-running genre fans.
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GameSpot's weekly mobile games recommendation list aims to bring you a snapshot of what games the editorial team members around the globe are enjoying on their phones and tablets. For a more in-depth explanation of GameSpot's mobile games coverage policy, click here. For more games, be sure to check out our previous coverage:
Top iPhone/iPad Games - August 12, 2011
Top iPhone/iPad Games - August 5, 2011
Top iPhone/iPad Games - July 29, 2011

And for even more mobile videos, check out our new show Appetite for Distraction.