The original iPhone games: Favorites from the 2008 Ars staff

The App Store has introduced a bevy of third-party apps in every category imaginable. Admittedly, some are of questionable quality, but others, we have discovered, are made of pure win with a sprinkle of crack cocaine. At the Ars Orbiting HQ, we find ourselves frequently chatting about which apps we can't live without, and games are naturally at the top of everyone's lists. Because we love our readers, we thought we might share with you a list of our favorite iPhone games that you should check out. Here we go, in no particular order.

Dizzy Bee

Price: $2.99, free version available (Free in 2017)
Developer: Igloo Games

A favorite of our Creative Director Aurich Lawson, Dizzy Bee lets you run around various levels collecting flowers, avoiding "baddies," and helping your friends by tilting your iPhone around. The accelerometer is quite sensitive, making this game pretty addicting. Plus, you know, it's cute.

MotionX Poker

Price: $4.99 (Original is unavailable in the US app store in 2017)
Developer: MotionX

Recommended by Gaming Editor Ben Kuchera, MotionX Poker is a dice poker game that once again makes use of the iPhone's accelerometer. Shake the iPhone to toss the dice and see where things land. This one has gotten good reviews overall, so if you're into dice poker, it's worth the $5.

Scrabble

Price: $9.99 ($7.99 in 2017)
Developer: Hasbro

As you could tell from his recent review of the app, Infinite Loop writer Jeff Smykil loves Scrabble. An iPhone port of the classic board game should please any hardcore scrabble fan with a handful of more techie touches, like being able to shake the iPhone to shuffle your tiles and keep statistics to show your friends, like "Best Game," "Best Word," "Best Turn," "Wins," "Losses," "Games Played," "Games Won," and number of "Bingoes."

iDrops

Price: $9.99 (Original is unavailable in the US app store in 2017)
Developer: Agant Ltd.

Infinite Loop and front page writer Iljitsch van Beijnum is addicted to iDrops like some people are addicted to Tetris. The puzzle game is actually a bit reminiscent of Tetris, but with "bubbles" that you tap to pop, forcing the bubbles above them to fall down and connect with others of the same color. The more large bubbles you pop, the higher your score.

Aurora Feint: The Beginning

Price: Free (Original is unavailable in the US app store in 2017)
Developer: Aurora Feint

This MMO puzzle game (of sorts) was recommended by Infinite Loop writer Charles Jade, and lets you rearrange tiles in order to eliminate them from the screen. The music may be a little cheesy, but as with most puzzle games, it's addicting and even has a community feature if you're the social type, which Jade is not.

Enigmo

Price: $9.99 ($1.99 in 2017)
Developer: Pangea Software

Front page and Infinite Loop writer David Chartier loves using tools, like trampolines and sponges, to redirect the water streams in Enigmo and guide them to their destination. This game was voted WWDC 2008's "Best iPhone Game," and for a reason.

Critter Crunch

Price: $5.99 (Original is unavailable in the US app store in 2017)
Developer: Capybara Games

Critter Crunch is a favorite of Ars developer and contributing writer Clint Ecker, perhaps because it reminds him of the old Flash game Poppit. In Critter Crunch, you use your tongue to rearrange differently-sized bugs so that they get fatter and fatter and eventually pop. You want to pop them all before they reach the bottom (where you are), or else... well, you're crunched.

Five Dice

Price: $3.99 (Original is unavailable in the US app store in 2017)
Developer: Pelted Software

Suggested by our Managing Editor Eric Bangeman, this Yahtzee-like dice game lets you play alone or with friends to score point combos. That's uh, pretty much it, but if you're into dice games, then this could be really riveting.

BattleAtSea

Price: $4.99 (Original is unavailable in the US app store in 2017)
Developer: Pelted Software 

Saving the best for last (hey, Jacqui Cheng originally authored this post) is BattleAtSea, an iPhone recreation of the classic board game Battleship. This is not only my favorite pick, but also Ars Editor in Chief Ken Fisher's too. The game lets you deploy your fleet and make blind shots at the other side, which can be the computer or another iPhone user that you're playing against over WiFi. To us, there's no question that BattleAtSea is worth the $5, especially if you're an old Battleship fan.

There you have it! Of course, there are a ton of other games available for the iPhone that are worth a look, but these are the ones that we've decided would send us into withdrawal if our iPhones ever got lost or stolen. Feel free to chime in with your own favorites in the comments, and if you have any specific review requests, be sure to let us know.

Listing image by Pelted Software