Top 10 mobile games of 2010

Published on Dec 27, 2010

We shortlist the top 10 smartphone games of 2010 for Windows Phone 7, iPhone, iPad, Android and mobile devices

Published on Mar 17, 2011

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Whilst innovation and risk taking has been in steady decline in the console and PC games mainstream for some time, partly because of the increasing risks in game development but also relying on proven franchises, the advent of the iPhone and smartphones has ensured creativity and effort thrives on the smaller screen. 2010 has been an incredible year for gaming on all platforms, well, except for Blackberry. We've seen Call of Duty / Halo-esque first-person shooters feature up to 10-player online multiplayer, graphics that make the PSP look like the original Gameboy, major developers getting behind mobile platforms and a whole lot more. For exactly that reason, choosing ten from the year was about as difficult as getting Julian Assange voted as person of the year in the US. There were so many games we could've put in this list, but there's only space for ten. On with the show… Infinity Blade - iPhone Although Apple's Game Center was predictably poor, there was a game demonstrated at the time that wowed the audience. Apart from its gorgeous visuals that are almost on par with modern consoles, albeit on a much smaller screen, it displayed interesting gameplay mechanics and a very promising multiplayer aspect. Then the free 'Project Sword' tech demo was released, causing many jaws to hit the floor as players navigated in and around the castle incredibly detailed and crisp environment. Everything looked incredible. Naturally, people began to worry Infinity Blade, as it is no known, would feature very on-the-rails gameplay and its visuals were just a cover for wafer thin content and a poor narrative, but thankfully that wasn't the case. We could describe the game, but there is little point. Just go buy it, and see why we said it is, unquestionably one of the best games yet released on the iPhone. N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance 2 - iPhone We would start off by referencing this game to Bungie's Halo series, but we've done that so many times we fear the keys on our keyboard will cave in. So instead, we will say that N.O.V.A. 2 has raised the bar for what iPhone shoot-'em-ups should be like. Not everyone likes Gameloft's copycat style, but when some of its games represent some of the best experiences on the platform, and its ability to port quality versions to Android is better than most, credit has to be given. If you have even a small passing interest in sci-fiction, aliens, walking robots, large guns, making things explode, online deathmatches, first-person shooters, incredible visuals or saving the world, N.O.V.A. 2 should be on your iPhone, no questions asked. The Harvest - Windows Phone 7 Whilst The harvest - one of Windows Phone 7's launch games - was far from perfect, you really got the sense it was more than just a mobile game. Impressive visuals, huge environments, a dollop of RPG goodness and brilliant presentation really demonstrated Microsoft's commitment to its latest foray into mobile. We found we had sunk a whole lot of time into The Harvest, certainly enough to forgive a few shortcomings here and there. It may be a bit pricey and far from perfect, but it represents the future of deeper gaming experiences on not only Windows Phone 7, but smartphones as a whole. Microsoft has demonstrated it knows its gamers with Xbox Live and its consoles; we are excited to see what else will be added to the 4,000 apps on its marketplace in 2011. Max and the Magic Marker - Windows Phone 7 Time has proved genres are immune to dying out in the land of videogames, and one of the finest examples is the platformer. Somehow, jumping from one set of solid pixels to another with a well-timed press is as addictive as it once was. Things have progressed somewhat, though 2D maintains its iron grip. In Max and the Magic Marker, you make use of a magical marker, drawing your way through levels. It's a system that seems strangely intuitive. Shield yourself from the rain? Draw a roof. Bridge a gap? Draw a bridge. Like with The Harvest, it isn't a perfect adventure but it's definitely one of the finer platformers you can buy on a smartphone. Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus - iPhone Clearly first-person shooters are hot property. First, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 shattered previous sales records, and then Treyarch's Black Ops went and toppled it, making a billion dollars just a few days ago. So it would make sense for Gameloft and other developers to take advantage of the popularity, which is fine by us. For us, Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus was the first that made us want to rank up. Its deathmatch gaming packs in that competitive edge with a control system that is actually pretty adept at doing its job. The story mode is typically over-the-top, but a few moments of vehicle combat and varying challenges, like protecting a tank from the rooftops, ensure the ride is thrilling. For a few quid, you would be mad not to give it a go. << Previous 1 2 Next>> 

 

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