PixlBit

Action games are a tricky business when using just a touch screen, which is all you get with an iPhone or iPad, and the App Store has the entire quality spectrum covered. Coming in right about the middle of the road is Konami's venerable run-n-gun franchise Contra with a remake of the NES original called Contra: Evolution. The developer, a Chinese outfit called Punchbox Studios, did their best to cater to the difficulties inherent in touch-only play, like adding an out-fire so that you don't have to worry about an additional virtual button (though you can change that if you like). They've also given a number of control input option, like using a floating or stationary stick for movement or plastering a big d-pad on the screen for you. To be honest, the game is better suited for iPad since you have to cover part of the screen with your fingers or thumbs in order to play. At the same time it's hard to imagine how it could control better and the developers added a rudimentary progression system that rewards your persistence in playing with perks like additional lives in your default pool and expendable weapon upgrades that can be used any time in game, so props to them for making a concentrated effort to tailor the game to its platform. But still, even with the nerfed difficulty (another good idea), I've yet to beat it. I'll keep trying though. The game is a winner on the audio/visual front, with nice clean polygons and remixed music, and the multiple difficulties and challenge mode give you plenty to do. It's hard to argue with the 99 cent price point either. Contra fans will find enjoyment here as long as they don't go in expecting an NES-perfect experience.

There are also two original characters to unlock when certain conditions are met

ARC Squadron is an excellent example of action on iOS. In the same vein as Star Fox, ARC Squadron is an on-rails space shooter and it requires just a single finger to control. Simply slide you finger over the screen to move and your ship will shoot whenever your crosshairs touch an enemy. The only problem is that if your finger gets at all sweaty while playing, it won't slide very well on the screen, so make sure to play in a cool place. The game has great graphics thanks to the Unreal Engine and solid sound design. It does start to recycle levels at higher difficulties after a while but a smart ship and weapon upgrade system help alleviate that frustration because even when replaying levels it still feels like you're making progress. I'm not a big fan of the completionist approach to the level design—you're graded on the percentage of enemies destroyed and collectable cubes picked up—but it's hard to complain when the act of playing is so much fun. Wormhole challenge levels interspersed between the main levels help add some variety by giving you specific goals or restrictions, like ending the level if you miss an enemy or giving you an enemy-free obstacle course to fly through at ever-increasing speed or bringing your life down to a single hit. Some varied and challenging bosses round out the package. All in all it's a great game I'd recommend to anyone hungry for a Star Fox-ish experience. It's been free once (that's when I nabbed it) and otherwise the price has fluctuated between $1 and $5, so wait for a sale...or don't, 'cause this game is a lot of fun.