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.

"Ridiculous Fishing is absurdly fun and seriously memorable." —MacLife

It's like shooting fish in a barrel, except for the "in a barrel" part. This unconventional fishing game boasts a sense of humor, a great design, and the best reviews for any iOS game this year so far.

From the Publisher: A handcrafted game about fishing with guns, chainsaws & toasters. Follow Billy as he tries to find redemption from his uncertain past. Chase your destiny on the high seas and embark on a heroic quest for glory and gills.

Hours of gameplay across the continents including a never-ending Infinite arcade world.

Dozens of unlockables, weapons and items including popular fishing gear like the Most Expensive Hairdryer In The World and A Bowling Ball.

Fish that become hats.

No IAP - buy the game, play the game. No additional costs, no hidden fees. Even the hats are IAP-free.

Fish that become hats.

Buy from Apple2. Magicka 90 iPad only

Action-Adventure, $1.99, ages 9+, from Paradox Interactive

"This isn't quite the Magicka you may already know and love, but it doesn't matter - this is 2D brawling taken to the next level and the free-form magic system means you'll always have a novel way to dispatch the goons (and even friends) around you." —AppSpy

This iPad-only title (also known as Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet) reinvents the Windows action-adventure fantasy game as a side-scrolling brawler.

From the Publisher: Magicka - Wizards of the Square Tablet: Now you can accidentally set your friends on fire from anywhere! From the publisher that brought you Magicka, it's more Magicka! Featuring the innovative and dynamic spellcasting system from the critically acclaimed PC hit, Wizards of the Square Tablet brings to your iPad those lovable robed rascals from the popular RPG spoof. Now you can bring them with you wherever you go, in a brand new campaign set before the original tale of Magicka. Touch, tap, poke, and prod your way through the new campaign by yourself, or "accidentally" obliterate your friends in multiplayer co-op, which supports up to four wizards! Play together with fellow mages across multiple platforms, which may co-exist in the same game session thanks to a twisted union made possible by dark sorcery! Cast your spells across multiple levels, and unlock new powers unique to the mobile Magicka experience. Experience the humor and chaos of this satirical fantasy world, and don't worry too much if your tablet isn't exactly a square!

Buy from Apple3. Super Stickman Golf 2 87

Sports/Action, $0.99, ages 4+, from Noodlecake Studios Inc

"Despite reducing the total course count to nearly half of the original, Super Stickman Golf 2 has improved upon and enhanced nearly every other aspect of the game." —AppSmile

This sequel to the 2011 arcade-style 2D golf game brings new challenges and multiplayer modes.

From the Publisher: Super Stickman Golf 2 out does the original in almost every way possible. With over 20 dynamic courses, new power-ups, customizable characters, 60 achievements and two different multiplayer modes, Super Stickman Golf 2 will keep you on the fairway for a long time! 20 Dynamic Courses. Never have the links been better looking or as unique as now. Moving obstacles, portals, magnets and more await you on the most creative courses to date. Turn Based Multiplayer. What is better than golfing alone? Why bringing a friend of course. Now you can go head to ahead against all your friends on your schedule with the new Turn Based multiplayer mode. Earn big rewards and even bigger bragging rights. Race Mode Multiplayer. The frantic race mode is back and bigger than ever! Play online against up to 3 people and battle it out to see who can get to the cup first. Or kick it up a notch and try out the local 8 player option. Chaos reigns in this mode. You have been warned! Customizable Characters. Stand out from the crowd with new unlock-able characters and even more valuable hats. Each hat contains a unique ability and some or more rare than others. Can you collect them all and become a certified Super Stickman Golf Legend?

Buy from Apple4. NightSky 86

Action/Puzzle, $4.99, ages 4+, from Nicalis, Inc.

"Tight controls and effective ambience make NightSky one of the best physics platformers around." —MacLife

This port of the physics-based puzzle computer game is a bit pricey compared to similar iOS titles, but critics are praising its elegant design and ambient soundtrack.

From the Publisher: NightSky is the critically acclaimed and award-winning physics-based puzzle game--now on iOS! With varied and beautiful worlds, each is broken into different areas. Use intuitive touch controls to maneuver a mysterious crystal sphere and unlock the mystery. There are no enemies, no bosses and no violence in NightSky. BEAUTIFUL WORLDS Combining black silhouettes with vibrant colors and beautiful artwork, NightSky will capture your imagination instantly. Roll through picturesque worlds, each with its own atmosphere, environment and personality. Discover its secrets. SERENITY THROUGH AUDIO Experience this world through high-quality ambient audio effects and sounds. Over one hour of professionally composed and produced music (by international musician, Chris Schlarb) will accompany you on your journey. THE PERFECT TOUCH Tuned for iOS, NightSky feels right at home on your device. Swipe to play! Alternate controls include tilt and virtual control pad.

Buy from Apple5. King Cashing 2 85

RPG/Casino, $2.99, ages 12+, from Productions Multimage Inc.

"King Cashing 2 improves on the original in ways I couldn't even imagine, and takes the formula into a completely new realm. This is the kind of game that you can play for hours without knowing it, or just as well play for five minutes on the bus. No matter how, and when you play it you will have a great time." —TouchGen

Comic book-style art design, slot machine-style combat, and an RPG framework combine in the improved sequel to King Cashing.

From the Publisher: The King is back in this sequel to the first RPG/Slots on iOS! Many years after passing away, the King rises from the dead with the same old goal: Get more gold pieces! Using a unique combination of role playing elements and slot machine mechanic, battle your way through more than 50 enemies in a quest for more gold pieces and more loot! Get more and more powerful loot as you progress. Equip your loot to customize the outcome of the slot machine! Pick from 7 zombie classes, each with different weapon mastery and a unique play style! Combine any 3 of them as you see fit throughout the game! Invest skill points in your zombies as you level up to make them more powerful! With King Cashing 2, we wanted to make the game more appealing to everyone while keeping the fun factor of King Cashing: Fun for casual players and RPG enthusiasts alike! Go through the game mindlessly or take your time to aim yourself to victory!

Buy from Apple6. Penumbear 85

Platformer, $1.99, ages 4+, from Bulkypix

"Cute but incredibly difficult, Penumbear oozes brooding malice and will cause a great deal of frustration - but the unique gameplay is tight and appealing enough to keep you enthralled." —Pocket Gamer UK

Guide a teddy bear through a spooky castle along the line where light and darkness meet in this huge and challenging puzzle-platformer.

From the Publisher: Penumbear awakens in a dark castle basement, completely alone aside from a small purple firefly to keep him company. Luckily this firefly has a special ability to turn lights off and on, and Penumbear has his own unique ability to walk on the lines where shadow and light meet! PENUMBEAR is a classic platformer with an emphasis on danger, exploration and puzzle solving. Each of the game's 100 levels combine lights and blocks to create drastically different layouts for Penumbear to explore as he tries to find his way out of the dark castle. He'll explore the castle's basement with it's shadowy creatures and tentacles, before traveling to the grimy and spiky dungeon, the vast cavern, up the fireplace and through the tower to reach his freedom. Along the way he'll encounter increasingly vicious monsters, fiendish puzzles, and gigantic bosses determined to stop his progress. Hundreds of fellow bears are hidden through the castle and it's up to Penumbear to save them all. Secrets are in every corner; secret levels, warp zones, special achievement bears and especially elusive Golden bears. Taking the time to fully explore the castle's many levels will prove rewarding! Penumbear is an immersive experience that recalls the best of classic platformers while presenting something new and exciting for the genre.

"Everything is presented with a whimsical charm befitting of the Toy Story name. The levels can get quite challenging, requiring actual planning instead of rewarding random shots, but the simple pleasure of knocking down block structures is so rewarding that it is a difficult game to put down." —Digital Spy

This physics-based puzzler (filled with characters from the films) asks you to aim and throw powerful bouncing balls to break up block formations; think Boom Blox and you won't be too far off.

From the Publisher: The Toys are back! Join Buzz, Woody, and the rest of the Disney Pixar "Toy Story" gang on their latest adventure! "Toy Story: Smash it!" is an all-new, 3D physics-based puzzle game featuring your favorite "Toy Story" characters! Embark on new adventures with the Toys through hilarious encounters in outer space, alien chases in the Wild West, and more! With 60 levels of nonstop puzzle play, this game will provide hours of explosive and thrilling fun! ★ Block-breaking puzzle play Throw unique bouncing-balls with special power-ups to knock down aliens and break through their defenses! ★ Play as Buzz Lightyear Team up with Buzz, and work on perfecting the angles and aim needed to beat every level. Encounter your favorite "Toy Story" characters along the way! ★ 4 imaginative episodes Take a fun-filled journey "To Infinity… and Beyond!" Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime as you stop the evil Zurg, catch alien bandits, and more! ★ 60 challenging levels Encounter new challenges in every level. Find creative ways to smash through bricks, glass, trains, and more to get the highest score possible!

Buy from Apple8. Fetch 84 iPad only

Adventure, $4.99, ages 4+, from Big Fish Games

"Fetch is an adventure title that knows its audience is quite young, but still manages to remain appealing to all ages thanks to its richly designed set pieces and novel series of mini-games." —AppSpy

This interactive animated adventure (with puzzles to solve and arcade-style minigames to play) follows a boy in search of his dog.

From the Publisher: How far would you go to save your pet? Follow a young boy on a sensational journey like no other as he sets off to rescue his dog Bear from a mysterious fire hydrant that snatched the canine in the night! Big Fish Studios is proud to present Fetch, an adventure tale that will warm your heart and keep you glued to the screen! One part interactive animation, one part childhood delight, equal parts adventure and arcade, Fetch captures the timeless emotion of puppy love and takes you on a journey through dark tunnels and sandy shores to save your best friend. Do you have what it takes to save Bear? Prepare yourself for a wild ride filled with wagging tails and boisterous barks!

Buy from Apple9. Block Fortress 83

Action, $1.99, ages 12+, from Foursaken Media

"With plenty of depth, replayability and a great melding of genres, there's plenty to check out and enjoy." —TouchArcade

Tower defense meets first-person shooter—with a bit of Minecraft-style construction thrown in for good measure.

From the Publisher: Build your fortress, and defend it to the end! Block Fortress gives you the freedom to create a stronghold in almost any way you can imagine, and then puts you in the middle of the action trying to defend it from the relentless attacks of the menacing Goblocks! Put your skills as both a builder and a fighter to the test as you try to survive as long as you can! Features:

a unique mix of TD and FPS gameplay

complete freedom to build your base any way you choose, from towering fortresses, to sprawling castles

customize your blocks, weapons, and equipment using a massive crafting system

fortify your walls with over 30 different building blocks

defend your base with 16 advanced turret types

gear up your avatar with tons of weapons and equipment

lots of support blocks - including power generators, depth charges, land mines, spotlights, teleporters, and more

day and night cycle - build lights and spotlights to prepare yourself for the harsh night!

several game modes, including a "free build" sandbox mode and a more intense survival mode

6 different types of terrain to conquer

Buy from Apple10. Star Wars Pinball 83

Pinball, $1.99, ages 9+, from ZEN Studios Ltd.

"Pinball fans shouldn't hesitate in grabbing Star Wars Pinball and all of its tables; there's just too much to enjoy and it's easy to find yourself pumping in virtual coin after virtual coin for hours on end as you master each one." —AppSpy

It's what the title says: pinball, played on Star Wars-themed tables.

From the Publisher: Set in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars Pinball lets you interact with the most iconic characters, and relive the greatest moments of the Star Wars universe in 3 Star Wars-themed tables: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Boba Fett. Choose to support the Galactic Empire or the Rebel Alliance with your high scores as the Star Wars Pinball community fights for the Balance of the Force! The initial Star Wars Pinball download comes with the Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back table. Other Star Wars Pinball tables can be purchased as in-app purchases. Additional Star Wars Pinball tables are coming soon!

One to avoid

The Croods 40, an iOS game tie-in to the recent movie of the same name, is easily the lowest-scoring game of the past month.

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.