As we close out the first year at Touch Reviews, we’ve put together end-of-year iPhone games collection. iPhone games in 2009 achieved a new high after the release of OS 3.0. We witnessed iPhone game developers taking advantage of over 1000 new APIs and OpenGL ES Version 2.0 in the iPhone 3GS.

We asked our team of iPhone game reviewers to nominate their best iPhone games of 2009 and we finally came up with 10 must have iPhone games.

The 10 Best iPhone Games of 2009

1. Flight Control – Firemint set the standard for time management games when they released Flight Control and it has been a firm fixture in the App Store charts ever since. (iTunes Link)
2. Asphalt 5 – Gameloft redefined racing games for a portable device with Asphalt 5 by offering HD graphics, hidden shortcuts and true multiplayer over internet. (iTunes Link)
3. Backbreaker Football – If you are talking about American Football games for the iPhone/iPod touch most people will be all about Madden 10 and NFL 2010 but Backbreaker is a great looking game where your simple goal is to run the ball to score a touchdown. The jukes, spins and not to mention the big, big hits makes this a winner for me every time. (iTunes Link)
4. Auditorium – Not so much a game as a surreal journey of light and sound showing that EA can make the big games big and the small games special. (iTunes Link)
5. Doodle Jump – It’s all about simplicity and addictiveness and with DoodleJump you get both. Simple navigate your DoodleJumper up the screen jumping from platform to platform trying to avoid the aliens. It sounds simple enough but it will have you coming back for more every time you play. (iTunes Link)
6. Zen Bound – I have yet to come across another game that combines all the elements from the accelerometer and touch screen into a peaceful and beautiful game with such atmospheric music that draws images in your imagination while you play. No mere game but a thing of beauty, a work of art. (iTunes Link)
7. Tap Tap Revenge 3 – Tapulous have been able to dominate the App Store with their immensely popular Tap Tap Revenge games. It is one of the oldest rhythm based games in the App Store and continues to be a sensation among iPhone gamers. (iTunes Link)
8. 8 Track Mind – Many developers have created their own variations of memory and puzzle games but, 8 Track Mind is certainly one of the most unique musical games, a beautiful blend of  rhythm and memory based puzzle game. (iTunes Link)
9. Homerun Battle 3D – Slamming a home run out of the stadium without worrying too much about running or catching has never been so much fun. The action is fast and frantic and it all results in a game that just can’t be put down. (iTunes Link)
10. Eliminate Pro – ngmoco:) was one of the first established game publishers to offer their premium game for free. Eliminate Pro is an extremely addictive FPS with smooth controls and offers a very satisfying online multiplayer experience. The game was successful in creating a competitive gaming environment which compels the user to buy upgrades. (iTunes Link)

Gallery

Rock Band iPhone_1

Rock Band Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The rhythm based music game genre has been going from strength to strength over the last few years from the monster cross platform selling Guitar Hero in it’s many forms to the iPhone touch classic of Tap Tap Revenge there is never a reason to not be rocking out and tapping along to your favorite tracks. And now the game that pushed this style of game on the consoles is now being launched on the iPhone/iPod touch by EA Mobile. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce to you the one, the only Rock Bank!

Everyone should know the premise of this style of game, you choose a song and in time with the music you tap the screen to build multipliers and ultimately the highest score that you can. The great thing about Rock Band though is you get four games in one with the option to play Bass, Guitar, Drums or Vocals, however it must be noted that with this version the vocal part of the game is not played by singing but also by tapping on the screen.

Rock Band iPhone

The handling of the vocal part of the game is pretty much the only difference in this immaculate port of this game. Playing the solo game allows you the Quick Play option but also allows you to take your band on Tour where your aim is to attract as many fans as possible, travel the world and most importantly unlock some of the 20 songs that aren’t initially available.

Talking of songs the is a good mix of tracks here including the Beastie Boys, Motorhead, Foo Fighters, Blondie and more. Just like the full version of this title there is also a Music Store to add additional content too. At present there are 6 music packs to download each containing 2 songs, one is a free pack while the rest will set you back 99c each. It remains to be seen if the music packs for the portable version of Rock Band will have a similar amount of content as the other versions.

Rock Band iPhone_2

For those of you that want to fulfill the true spirit of the game and rock out with friends there are options to connect locally over Bluetooth which works perfectly and is great fun or to connect via Facebook. The Facebook option is a little different with the band members not participating in real time but instead playing their tracks interdependently before you are updated via the in messaging to enable you to view your scores and how many online fans you have gained too.

So as you can see there has been a lot packed into this app and it’s all presented beautifully too with the same style, graphics and sound effects being utilized through-out the game it’s as if you’ve zipped up your console and placed it in your pocket.

Rock Band iPhone_3

The game plays as you would expect it too, the ‘beats’ scroll down the screen for the Bass, Guitar and Drums and while only the virtual buttons change all three over their unique take on each of the songs. The only difficulty I found was that as the buttons are virtual it can be a little easy at times to miss a note at a vital time.

The vocal aspect of the game plays horizontally across the screen and while it’s the same technique of tapping in time with the vocals this reviewer found it much more difficult than the vertical aspect of the three other modes.

Navigation system not only looks great but is also simple to use and as with the rest of the application if you are used to the console versions of the game you will find yourself perfectly at home here.

My recommendation is whether you are playing Rock Band on your own, over Bluetooth with friends or online via Facebook, plug in your head phones and rock out to the best rhythm game on the iPhone/iPod touch.

The Good

• Perfect port of the console game
• Seem less Bluetooth multi player
• Great range of tracks (with the promise of more to come)

The Not So Good

• It’s all good!

Reviewed By: Craig Willis

Video by: touchArcade.com

Rock Band is a music/rhythm based game, iPhone version of this genre defining game will feature 20 legendary songs and in-game Music Store to purchase additional tracks from OK Go, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Lenny Kravitz, Social Distortion, Devo, and more.

Games like Tap Tap Revenge 3 and Guitar Rock Tour have taken iPhone gaming to a new level of entertainment and with features like push notification and multiplayer, one can never get enough of it.

Game Features

• FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER play Rock Band, the best band music game of all time
• Go solo, or push it to the limit with LIVE BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
• If you can’t get your band together over Bluetooth, synch up via Facebook on your own time.
• Rock out on guitar, bass, drums or vocals to MP3-quality songs on easy, medium or difficult.
• Play solo, or start a band with friends from around the world.
• Jump into Quickplay for casual sessions or take it on the road in Tour Mode.
• Play along with 20 legendary songs from great bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foo Fighters, Blink-182, The Beastie Boys, and more!
• Start out playing in grungy dives and work all the way up to stadium-rock stardom.
• Collect rewards and achievements that provide replay value and depth to even the most experienced Rock Band veterans.

Rock Band for iPhone: Song List

30 Seconds To Mars – “Attack”
AFI – “Girls Not Grey”
All American Rejects – “Move Along”
Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”
Blink-182 – “All The Small Things”
Blondie – “Hanging on the Telephone”
Foo Fighters – “Learn To Fly”
Foo Fighters – “Everlong”
George Thorogood & the Destroyers – “Bad to The Bone”
Jethro Tull – “Hymn 43″
Joan Jett – “Hymn 43″
Lynard Skynard – “Simple Man”
Motorhead – “Ace of Spades ’08”
Pixies – “Debaser”
Presidents of The United States of America – “Ladybug”
Rise Against – “Give It All”
Silversun Pickups – “Lazy Eye”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Cherub Rock”
Steve Miller Band – “Take The Money and Run”
The Go Go’s – “We Got The Beat”

First Screenshots (Scroll down for Video!)

Rock Band iPhone_8

Rock Band iPhone_7

Rock Band iPhone_6

Rock Band iPhone_5

Rock Band iPhone_4

Rock Band iPhone_3

Rock Band iPhone_2

Rock Band iPhone_1

Rock Band: iPhone Gameplay

Video By: Touch Arcade