iPhone games round-up – Rainbow Six, Doodle Jump: Hop, Land-a Panda, Hockey Nation 2011, Get Outta My Galaxy

Welcome back for another round-up of the week’s top iPhone game releases. Whether you’re after a quick fix of cutesy fun or an intense console-like multiplayer shooter, we’ve got the game for you. Step right this way…

Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard

Gameloft’s made quite a name for itself in the smartphone first person shooter genre. More than any other developer, it’s managed to circumvent the usual restrictions of limited screen space, lack of physical controls and low power to produce a number of worthy blasters. Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard is the latest and most ambitious. As well as attractive visuals and a prestigious console brand, it’s the first iPhone FPS to allow you to play the whole game co-operatively with another player.

Doodle Jump: Hop The Movie

Angry Birds isn’t the only best-selling iPhone game to have jumped into bed with Hollywood. Lima Sky has released this tie-in with the Russell Brand-voiced animated movie, Hop. The gameplay will be familiar to any Doodle Jump fan, as you help E.B. the apprentice Easter Bunny to learn how to jump. Naturally there’s an Easter theme to proceedings, with eggs and chicks and chocolate either helping or hindering your ascent.

Land-a Panda

This one actually came in last week, but we couldn’t possibly let it slip by without a mention. Big Pixel Studios makes some of the most attractive and downright cute games on iPhone, and Land-a Panda is no exception. You must reunite a couple of love-struck pandas by firing one of them around a series of obstacle-strewn courses, utilising a strong of handily placed cannons for transport. You’ll need timing, luck and a good head for physics-based challenges if you’re to succeed.

Hockey Nations 2011

This one arrived late last week too, but it’s another  that can’t really be ignored. Distinctive has created a console-like sports game that sees you taking direct controls of an ice hockey team. As with all the best sports games, it’s good enough that it doesn’t really matter if you’re not the biggest fan of the featured sport – it stands on its own two skates withs its fast-paced goal-a-minute action. There’s local multiplayer, too, which makes any sports game more appealing. Oh, and you get to indulge in a some fisticuffs, which is always good.

Get Outta My Galaxy

This clever little action-puzzler takes a leaf out of Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii’s book by offering you a variety of 3D planetoids to run around. Rather than jumping around like a loon, though, this is more about bopping any enemy “wikus” that come into range. With a combination of tilt and touch controls, Get Outta My Galaxy is thoughtfully designed for the host platform, and anyone looking for a gently absorbing (and technically impressive) way to pass the odd 10 minutes should check it out.

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