There are over 100,000 apps in the iTunes store, with hundreds more being added every day. With ten’s of thousands of these apps being games, how can anyone sift through the bad ones from the good ones? Well I feel I have chosen the best “quick sit” games that you can play in short bursts. Whether you are on your commute to or from work/school (I don’t recommended using your phone while driving), waiting for your favorite television show to come on, or simply just needing a short video game “fix;” all of these fit that mold; plus they are all superb games.

Some of these games have been on the iTunes store for many many months, gaining more and more “5 star” ratings and great reviews, while others have only recently come out, but are topping the charts ‘out of the gate.’

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Doodle Jump

iTunes link: Doodle Jump

Price: $0.99

iTunes rating: 4.5/5 Stars

This extremely simple looking game may look outdated and childish, but it is anything but. Doodle Jump has been the #1 app in numerous countries since it was released over a year ago. It has been featured in dozens of “best game/app” lists all over the web, and is still getting “5 stars” and excellent reviews daily. With the current version being 1.14, fourteen updates since its release is almost unheard of for iPhone apps. The updates always bring new dimension and fun to this simple, yet great game.

All-In-1 GameBox

Link to iTunes: All-In-One Gamebox

Price: $0.99

iTunes rating: 3.5/5 Stars

This compilation started off with 8 games and has grown (fairly quickly) into 25. At the time you are reading this, there could be even more than that too. This is another game that has been sitting happy at the top of the “Top 25″ in the iTunes store, and deserves to be. I’ll admit, not all of the 25 included game are “great,” but there are at least a dozen or so that are worth playing and fun too. Even if only ONE of the 25 included games was perfection-in-game-form, it would still be worth your money at $0.99.

Hook Champ

iTunes link: Hook Champ

Price: $2.99

iTunes rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Hook Champ is a very fast and fun game, with tons of upgrades, unlockables, and challenges. If you love side scrollers, running from one-eyed monsters with big teeth, swinging from a grappling hook “Indiana Jones style,” or just fun quick games, Hook Champ is a must for your iPhone arsenal.

Canabalt

Online Flash version: Canbalt (you can also play in HD, which is just wonderful)

iTunes link: Canabalt

Price: $2.99

iTunes rating: 4/5 Stars

If Semi Secret Software hasn’t won any awards for Canabalt, it needs to as soon as possible. This game is the definition of “quick simple game.” The point of this scrolling platform game is to simply not die. The main character just runs, and runs, and runs, and your objective is to time the jumps right to keep him safely on top of buildings (while avoiding random futuristic bombs that crash down in front of you). The graphics are 8-bit-style, but are beautifully done. The two song soundtrack is one of the best two songs I have ever heard in a video game. Oh and did I mention this game only has one button? (jump).

Angry Birds

iTunes link: Angry Birds

Price: $0.99

iTunes rating: 4.5/5 Stars

When I first saw this game in the iTunes store, I thought “Angry Birds? I’m in!” I tried the lite version, loved it, moved onto the full version (and for $0.99 you can’t go wrong) and played it for the next week straight until I beat it. Even when you “beat it,” you can still go through and earn more “stars” for each level. Basically, green pigs stole some eggs from some birds, which pissed these birds off enough to let you fling them in a slingshot at the pigs, attempting to take out as many as possible. The concept is very simple, but the levels get increasing harder and harder. Yet the game progresses as a steady pace as to not overwhelm you with the difficulty (which is very appreciated). Also, the gravity engine is very smart and reacts like it should when a bird is thrown suicidally into a wooden house with pigs living in it.

Bejeweled 2

Popcap games link: Bejeweled 2 free online

iTunes link: Bejeweled 2

Price: $2.99

iTunes rating: 4/5 Stars

Bejeweled was the first game I purchased for my iPhone, and I still play it today. The concept is extremely simple; match three (or more) jewels in a row, and those jewels blow up and are replaced with more jewels, rinse, repeat, score big! If you haven’t heard of this game, do yourself a favor and go purchase it now! (or at least play it for free online first)

Cartoon Wars – Gunner

iTunes link: Cartoon Wars:Gunner

Price: $0.99

iTunes rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Cartoon Wars:Gunner is a great game if you love stick figures and shooting things. You play as “Captain J,” who is out to get revenge on the king who betrayed him. You basically run around and shoot at all monsters who come near you (who are also drawn “stick-style”). You have 11 types of weapons (each with their own skill set) to attack 30 different types of enemies. The more you kill, the more money you get (with bonuses given at the end of the level). This money is then used to upgrade your stats (more heath, more defense, etc), weapons, and skills.

Bloons

NinjaKiwi – The Original Bloons: Play Bloons Free Online

iTunes link: Bloons

Price: $0.99 (60% off sale – buy now!)

iTunes rating: 4/5 Stars

Your a monkey on a floating platform in the sky, armed with darts, attempting to pop all the balloons that you can. Why does this monkey hate balloons so much? Why is it hanging out in the clouds? And who gave this monkey darts of all things? None of the answers matter, because this is a great simple game that you can pick up at any time and play for as long as you want! With more and more level packs added with free updates, purchasing this game is a no-brainer.

Plants vs. Zombies

Popcap link: Plants vs Zombies Official Site

iTunes link: Plants vs Zombies

Price: $2.99

iTunes rating: 5/5 Stars!!!!

Angry mobs of zombies are about to take over your home, and your only defense (for some reason) are 49 zombie-killing plants. You have 26 different zombies (including a Michael Jackson Thriller zombie) to fend off before they reach your front door. If one makes it inside, game over. You purchase plants with sun (that falls from the sky, and is produced by what else, ‘sunflowers’ haha). You battle the zombies in your front yard, back yard (which has a pool), roof, and through fog.  This game is my new favorite game. It helps me sleep at night knowing that I just killed a bunch of zombies, and they won’t be able to enter my home.

Bookworm

iTunes link: Bookworm

Price: $2.99

iTunes rating: 4/5 Stars

Bookworm has been around for awhile, but it is still a classic game in every aspect. The basis of the game is to make words by connecting letters that are on the board. It seems simple, but you will be surprised how your vocabulary increases after playing this game over and over again. The iPhone version has added content (such as a “bonus book list” that gives you extra points for collecting certain words, plus it gives you something to shoot for).

Peggle

Popcap Games link: Peggle

iTunes link: Peggle

Price: $2.99

iTunes rating: 4.5/5 Stars

The premise is simple, ‘shoot and clear all of the orange pegs.’ Ten different master peg shooters (each with their own magical power they allow you to use) guide you through 55 levels of peg-shooting fun.  $2.99 is a steal for this great game, seeing how there are PC and Nintendo DS versions of this great game.

Booooly!

iTunes link: Booooly!

Price: $0.99

iTunes rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Booooly is a very cute, simple, yet fun game to play. Simply touch any booooly’s that are grouped together (three or more) in the same color, and they disappear. Sounds easy right? It is easy, but gets tougher as the levels go up and new booooly’s drop in faster and faster. If you have ever played Poppit on Pogo.com, this is your type of game!

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