10 Best iOS Games of 2012 You Haven’t Played Yet

What a strange name for such an awesome game. A gelatinous blob has to find the thief who stole his panties. At least that's what the original storyline was. Seems as if the developer changed the name of the game from Wimp: Who Stole My Panties, to Wimp: Who Stole My Pants. Why, we have no idea, but we're not changing our review because that's not the game we reviewed when it came out! Despite this small change, it's still a pretty nutty game, but it's also pretty fun, and we gave it high marks for originality. This is one app that might fly under your radar, so make sure you check it out. Now where did those panties ... sorry, pants go?

Behind its crudeness, there lies a great game here (though perhaps only for 8-bit masochists). Like its early gaming ancestors, Bit-1 is a title that is not very friendly towards its players. But if you liked floating around and shooting things in old NES games like The Legend of Kage, then this iOS old school title just might be for you.

What do you get when you combine Jetpack Joyride with Plants vs. Zombies? Well, you get one of the better endless running games out there - Zombie Tsunami! It's a game that delivers just what its title promises: a giant wave of zombie action. Only it's up to you to create that wave of undead. Your ultimate goal is to keep turning humans into zombies by biting them as you scroll through. If you enjoyed either Jetpack or PvZ, you will certainly dig this one.

This bizarre title is a great experiment in the elements of what original iOS gaming is all about - simplicity. All you're really doing in this game is manipulating a line. That's it. But the fast-twitch mechanics you're required to master make Gauge way more entertaining than you would think. It's purposefully disorienting at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be hooked. This feels like (and is, really) a game that's designed to work only on mobile devices.

One of the best-looking games on this list, Super Lemonade Factory is on the opposite end of the retro spectrum from a game like Bit-1. Where that title fetishizes the difficulty of old games, SLF is all about the spare beauty of the pixel. Presenting you with a game-world that's set in a post-WWII factory, it's also pretty quirky and funny as well. Even though it could use a little more level variety, this is a pleasant game for pixel art lovers.

A platforming and adventure gaming bonanza, this one is. Swordigo goes right for what classic game enthusiasts want, offering up plenty of side-scrolling action that harks back to the days of Donkey Kong and ActRaiser. Guide an unnamed hero, who looks like a cousin of Cloud Strife, through the two-dimensional game world filled with obstacles and baddies. If you love double-jumping and sword-slashing, this 2012 game you haven't played yet is more than worth your time.

For a game that looks to be drawn out on sketch paper, Gunman Clive plays way tighter than you would think. Unlike games like Crayon Physics, which could be loose and frustrating, Gunman Clive is razor sharp. It's extremely well-constructed, with a surprising amount of shine. Given how polished the whole package is, we are surprised that more people haven't played it!

Imagine an iOS game that was developed by the makers of Powerthirst. Now take that game and drown it in a swimming pool of Brawndo. There you have it. A warning though. If you are prone to seizures, PUNCH THOSE SEIZURES IN THE FACE! RAWR!!!... Interactive Ltd., that is. They are the makers of this insane game.

Making a bizarre combination work that you wouldn't necessarily think could work, Cthulu Saves the World is a tribute to the classic NES and SNES Final Fantasy games and H.P. Lovecraft. And it hits the mark! How does it pull this off? Perhaps because the game is equal parts parody and love letter. Or perhaps because it's also just a well-made game with excellent details.

Band Together is a hefty download at over 200MB. Once you boot it up, though, it will become abundantly clear why that is. It's amazingly detailed and gorgeous to look at - a game clearly made by pros. With a Django Reinhardt-like clip looping in the background, you guide the lemming-like "Bandies" through this dark and moody game world. Clocking in at only 30 levels, it's not terribly difficult. But this title is more about the experience. This game feels like material for a Tim Burton movie. This is by far the best game of 2012 you haven't played yet.