The best gaming apps for your iOS device this month

Below, we run through the ten best new iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch games released within the past month. All titles are playable on all iOS devices unless otherwise indicated.

Buy from Apple1. Gemini Rue 87

Adventure, $4.99, ages 12+, from Wadjet Eye Games

"Gemini Rue is an essential game for point-and-click fanatics. It's got atmosphere, a compelling narrative, and clever puzzles. If you missed it on PC, don't let it pass you by again." —Pocket Gamer UK

Sci-fi noir meets point-and-click adventure in this port of the indie PC game.

From the Publisher: A sci-fi noir adventure in the tradition of "Blade Runner" and "Beneath a Steel Sky." Azriel Odin, ex-assassin, arrives on the rain-drenched planet of Barracus. When things go horribly wrong, he can only seek help from the very criminals he used to work for. Meanwhile, across the galaxy, a man called Delta-Six wakes up in a hospital with no memory. Without knowing where to turn or who to trust, he vows to escape before he loses his identity completely. As fate brings these two closer together, we discover a world where life is cheap, identities are bought and sold, and a quest for redemption can change the fate of a whole galaxy.

Buy from Apple2. BADLAND 86

Action-Adventure, $3.99, ages 9+, from Frogmind

"BADLAND doesn't simply look pretty, it's an absolute treat to play as well as you guide flocks of disturbing creatures through a labyrinth of hazards in an attempt to uncover the secret behind its strange pseudo-mechanized world." —AppSpy

This tricky side-scroller is drawing raves for its looks as well as its gameplay.

From the Publisher: BADLAND is an award-winning atmospheric sidescrolling action adventure platformer located in a gorgeous forest full of various inhabitants, trees and flowers. Although the forest looks like it's from some beautiful fairytale, there seems to be something terribly wrong. The player controls one of the forest's inhabitants to discover what's going on. Through his journey he discovers astonishing amount of imaginative traps and obstacles. BADLAND takes side-scrollers to the next level with its innovative physics based gameplay combined with the extremely beautiful atmospheric graphics and audio. BADLAND also features highly original local multiplayer for up to four players playing with the same device. The multiplayer is all about survival of the fittest with no rules in the BADLAND forest. It's completely okay to push your rivals to spinning circular saws in order to survive.

"Robot Unicorn Attack 2 takes everything that was great about the original and just adds more depth to it to make it a tremendous experience." —148Apps

Adult Swim's popular game returns with a freemium sequel.

From the Publisher: Get your hands on the latest, greatest, most epic installment of the Robot Unicorn Attack series to date, available for FREE! Brought to you by PikPok and Adult Swim Games, makers of "Monsters Ate My Condo!!" FEATURES:

Choose between Team Rainbow or Team Inferno and compete on a unique level every day for prizes

Race through 2 worlds at war, one of Rainbows and Harmony and one of Ice and Wonder

Build and customize your very own unicorn, selecting from different bodies, manes, wings, horns, trails and more

Unlock and arm yourself with 12 different boost abilities, including "Rainbow Savior" and "Gallow's Gallop"

Achieve both personal and community goals, updated daily

Battle mighty giants and dash through their dangerous Solar Beams

Journey through such cosmic spectacles as Space Whales, Leviathan Seahorses, Ice Owls and more

Both worlds change to new and different layouts every single day

Personalize your quest (and support the artists) by purchasing new background songs for $.99 apiece, including Erasure's "Always"

Game Center Achievements & Leaderboards

Oh, also? You can fly now. Yeah. Yeah, man.

"It's just another sequel, right? Nope. Time Travel offers a unique twist on an already solid formula. It's an excellent time waster, one that every member of your family should enjoy." —TouchArcade

The third game in the popular physics puzzle series doesn't veer too far away from established formula, though you now must feed two monsters in each level.

From the Publisher: Join Om Nom as he travels back in time to feed his ancestors with candy. Cut the Rope: Time Travel is a completely new adventure filled with time-traveling, candy-crunching, physics-based action! With two cute monsters to feed in each level, Cut the Rope: Time Travel is twice the fun but familiar to play. If you like Cut the Rope, you'll love Cut the Rope: Time Travel! There's no time to waste! Visit six exciting locations including the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, a Pirate Ship, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Stone Age. Om Nom's ancestors are waiting – and they're getting really hungry for candy!

"If you don't mind a virtual joystick, getting a complete console game for use on your phone for $5 is a sweet deal. The levels certainly aren't meant for mobile play, but it's not the kind of game that causes you to frequently lose your place either." —Gamezebo

This hefty port of Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes brings the console game intact to iOS devices.

From the Publisher: Legends Unite! Batman and Robin join forces with other famous DC super heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and more to stop the notorious villains Lex Luthor and The Joker from destroying Gotham City. Batman fans everywhere will enjoy this original story that's filled with classic LEGO videogame action and humor as players fight to put the bad guys back behind bars! Justice League favorites such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and The Flash can be unlocked as you progress through the game or accessed at any time through purchase via our in-game store. Have Aquaman, Green Arrow, Cyborg and Hawkman help keep Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Penguin, and Catwoman in check! This game includes many hours of content and cinematics that take up a lot of space! You will need 2.6 gig of available space on your device if you install over wifi, but only 1.3 gig of space if you download on your computer and then sync.

"It's not a full-blooded action title, and it certainly doesn't have the depth of a traditional RTS, but it does lie somewhere happily between the two, occupying its own little niche. Put simply, it's an awful lot of fun, and that's as much as anyone can ask for." —Modojo

This sequel to last year's Tiny Troopers retains the bobblehead war aesthetic and basic gameplay while adding refinements (and minigames) throughout.

From the Publisher: Tiny Troopers are back and better than ever! Decked out in new uniforms and sporting the latest in military hardware, the troopers are just itching to get back into the fight! Test your mettle and lead your troopers to victory in three thrilling special operations! LOCK AND ROLL! Jump on a humvee and man the .50 Cal turret-gun as your driver makes his way through the enemy infested territories while avoiding tank shells and a rain of bullets. A-TEN HUT! Customize your troopers with new uniforms and train them up the military ranks. Upgrade their rifles and body armor to help them survive longer on the battlefield. SPECIAL FORCES Recruit specialists ranging from medics and machine gunners to the elite Delta Force and the flamethrower wielding Flamer to help you on your missions. MEAN AND LEAN Use slick touch controls to move your squad, unleash a hail of bullets and decimate the enemy ranks with grenades, rockets and air strikes. SURVIVE THE HORDE! Help the Tiny Troopers fight through endless waves of zombies in 3 action-packed maps. How long can you survive among the undead hordes?

"It's packed with new surprises and better gameplay." —148Apps

This sequel offers more levels of 2D platforming with shifting gravity and ravenous plants.

From the Publisher: Run and jump in this 360 degree gravity platformer! Gravity in all directions means you can never fall off, but that's not to say the game is easy! This is the sequel to the original They Need To Be Fed, which received much acclaim. They Need To Be Fed 2 is bigger, better, full of new surprises but also "more of the same"! NEW: Epic Mode Epic Mode will be unlocked once you complete Classic, and lets you play the game all over again but in a completely different way. Levels are upside down, full of explosions, without checkpoints(!), and new things to collect. It is accompanied by a new track from Jake Almond that is utterly epic.

Buy from Apple8. Knight Storm 79

Action-adventure, free, ages 9+, from 505 Games

"There's so much to absorb here, but all of it's made to a decent standard, with the element-based jousting a particular highlight." —Pocket Gamer UK

Help your inexperienced knight master jousting, dueling, and town management skills in this free-to-play title.

From the Publisher: Ride to victory in an age of bravery and honor as you win jousts, defeat monsters, complete epic quests and become a legend. Meanwhile, upgrade your castle, forge mighty armor and wield powerful relics to tame a troubled kingdom!

Buy from Apple9. Talisman Prologue HD 79

Board game, $4.99, ages 9+, from Thumbstar Games

"If you like fantasy board games with a hefty dose of luck, Talisman Prologue is an able translation of a classic." —Slide to Play

The fantasy board game Talisman: The Magical Quest Game comes to iOS devices for the first time.

From the Publisher: 30 years young, the prologue to the seminal fantasy adventure board game now available! The legend begins with a single-player series of adventures designed to invite both veterans and newcomers to explore the land of Talisman. While multiplayer gameplay will be available in upcoming expansions, Talisman Prologue focuses on creating narrative depth through its single-player campaigns. The story unfolds as the player rolls dice to move around the outer, middle, and inner regions of the board. Each space will require the player to draw a card or resolve a special effect, leading your hero to encounter monsters, discover friendly followers, and gather treasure.

Buy from Apple10. Slayin 78

Action-RPG, $0.99, ages 12+, from FDG Entertainment

"A charming, fast and overwhelming arcade game that offer short but intense play sessions, with simple rules but a neat score system." —Multiplayer.it

A retro-styled endless action-RPG that pits your knight, wizard, or knave against dragons and other foes.

From the Publisher: Slayin will test your skills like no other endless game on the App Store. Don't get yourself fooled by its charming retro graphics and motivating chiptune soundtrack. In this game, death lurks behind every corner! Your task sounds all so simple. First choose from one of three heroes: knight, wizard and knave. Then slay as many monsters as possible, while leveling up and getting more powerful equipment and spells along the way. But there's a catch: once you die, you're gone for good! On your journey you will travel through numerous locations and encounter dozens of different monsters and fearsome bosses. Eventually, you will even have to face the giant dragon of legend. But he will not part with his treasure easily. Only the most worthy adventurers will be able to complete this task and become a true hero. Get ready for some slayin!

A few to avoid

Ark of Sinners Advance 49 is the month's worst-reviewed iOS game, with Duke Nukem 2 50 and R.I.P. Rally 51 not far behind.

What are you playing?

Have you tried any of the games above? If so, what did you think of them? Are there any other new iPhone or iPad games that deserve a download? Let us know in the comments section below.