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.’

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This extremely simple looking game may look outdated and childish, but it is anything but.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!

Two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one.”
–John Keats

In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities.”
–Janos Arnay

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.”
–Aristotle

Take away love, and our earth is a tomb.”
–Robert Browning

To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven.”
–Karen Sunde

Mondayn00dle (Brian Kescenovitz )

Jerac

Legohaulic (Tyler)

If RSS feeds aren’t your cup’o'tea, I have provided you with (most) every twitter account as well.

While your in the RSS mood, make sure to subscribe to my feed to stay updated.

OVERALL

Smashing Magazine – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Noupe – (rss) / (direct)

Colorburned – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Just Creative Design – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Naldz Graphics – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

WEBDESIGN

Web Designer Depot – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

NetTuts+ – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Function Web Design & Development – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Fuel Your Coding – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Line25 – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Honkiat – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Cats Who Code – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

24 Ways – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Carsonified – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Theme Forest (In The Woods) – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Design Workplan – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Pro Blog Design – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Speckyboy Design Magazine – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

You The Designer – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

PHOTOSHOP

PsdTuts+ – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Psd Fan – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

10Step.SG – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

VECTOR

Vectips – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Vectortuts – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

365 Icon – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

WORDPRESS

WP Beginner – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Hack Wordpress – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

WP Switch – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Cats Who Blog – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

WP Recipes – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Fuel Your Blogging – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

FREELANCE

Freelance Switch – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Guerrilla Freelancing – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

TUTORIALS

Tutorial9 – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Tutorial Magazine – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Abduzeedo – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Outlaw Design Blog – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Six Revisions (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

DESIGN NEWS

Web Design-Newz – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Design Newz – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Design Float – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Design Moo – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

MISC

Spoon Graphics – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Chris Spooner – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Bittbox – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

David Airey – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Lee Munroe Blog – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Mac.AppStorm – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Web.AppStorm – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

UX Booth – (rss) / (twitter) / (direct)

Download the xml/opml file here (83). All you need to do then is to open your favorite feed reader and find where you can “add feeds” or “import,” and import the file. Then you will be all set with all of these great feeds. Happy reading!

Won Park is the master of Origami.  He is also called the “money folder”, a practitioner of origami whose canvas is the United States One Dollar Bill. Bending, twisting, and folding, he creates life-like shapes in stunning detail. Enjoy.

Feel free to leave comments with other great websites or inspiration.

3D Waterfall Floods Shopping Center

This is a collection of 3D paintings done in shopping centers, town squares, etc. It is really interesting to witness how the passers-by interact with the art.

Photo Journal of Amazing Shots

Breath-taking collection of photojournalism at its best. If you have any interest in photography, this is a must-see!

100 Meters of Existence

Photographer Simon Hoegsberg explores how humans exist in this world. 100 meter long image taken over 20 days in the same spot. He captures some really amazing shots, plus the website is really cool.

Ball Droppings

This is more fun than anything else. The dynamics of this very simple ‘game’ is really smart. Maximize your window and have some fun.

A Woman From Inside Out

This video is of an artist drawing a woman from ‘the inside out.’ Starting from a skeleton and finishing fully clothed and fashionable. It’s great to see talented artists out there doing interesting things.

Mario

What happens when you combine extremely bored college students and push pins? This Super Mario picture is the answer.

Totally Amazing Posters

Ever need some poster inspiration? Well these posters not only are great for inspiration, they also take up the entire screen all over the place. Your eye sees nothing but great posters.

My Modern Movies, Reimaged

Love movies? Love art? These pieces of art combine both of those into some spectacular pieces.

Paintjam Dan Dunn

Not only does this artist paint on huge canvases (in front of audiences), but he spins the canvas around and paints with his hands. When it all comes together after some showboating, the end result is great. Watch it until the end.

Storage | Glee

Do you love organizing? I know I do, and this site is great to spend some time on and see the great ways to organize things in this world.

50 Dazzling Polar Panorama Photography

Polar Panorama Photography is a really amazing concept. This is a huge collection of some of the best out there. Must-see.

Super Sexy Body Art

Nude body painting is always fun to see how people can be completely covered, but nude at the same time. This has some of the best that I have seen.

Creative Flash Preloaders

Flash preloaders have become less and less popular in today’s web. Yet, when they are good, they are GOOD. These are some of the best from around the web. Spend some time and check out these great animations.

A-Z Photoshop CS Essential Reference

Even though I have CS4, I still refer to this guide to brush up on Photoshop shortcuts and tricks. The CS4 version is here on Amazon if you want the newest one.

Principles of Beautiful Web Design

This is a must-own for all beginner web designers. The author explains all web basics with plenty of images and easy to understand language.

Complete Index

Whenever I am stuck for inspiration, these gems of books (3 books in one little case) provide just the answer. Whether I need general design ideas, layout ideas, or color palette ideas, these books have it all.

Design of Dissent

This controversial design book by Milton Glaser and Mirko Ilic is packed full of excellent design. The topics range from the Iraq War to ‘corporate media,’ with plenty of great design mixed in. Plus Milton Glaser is one of our times greatest designers.

CSS Mastery

Whether you are a beginner or expert web designer, this book provides tons of tricks and tips to spice up your design using only CSS. I learned something new in each chapter.

Graphic Design History

Every graphic designer must know the background of his profession. Each and every style of design today can be traced back to thousands of years ago. This books explains it all, from 35,000 year old cave paintings, to present day design.

Dreamweaver CS3 – Missing Manual

‘Missing Manual’ books are literally that, the manual that should have shipped with the product. If you own DW CS3, this is the manual for you! (or pick up the CS4 one here.

Graphic Design That Works

This book looks at examples of logos, identities, promotions, brochures, and magazine design that have proven, successful track records. It then explains why each was successful. Very useful book and knowledge to have about design.

Flash in 24 Hours

I have only begun learning Flash, but this book is proving very useful to a beginner. It splits each chapter into one hour sessions of learning, which is great for someone who wants to learn, but doesn’t have much spare time.

Editing For Designers

This book is geared more towards magazine and printed material, but nonetheless an interesting read. The author hand sketches most of the artwork showing the do’s and dont’s of print layouts. Even if you just flip through this one at the book store, you will get something out of it.

HTML, XHTML & CSS

This ‘visual quickstart guide’ is a great start for anyone wanting to learn web design. This book covers all of the basics of HTML and CSS.

InDesign Type Professional Typography

Geared specifically for InDesign and print designers, this book explains how to take advanced of all of the programs great features.

Web Designers Idea Book

This book is THE source of inspiration that I come to first when I am designing a website. The author has spent countless hours separating all of the web into distinct categories, and then picking the cream of the crop sites that belong in each. I am patiently waiting for the second installment of the book (maybe this site will be in there).

JavaScript Definitive Guide

This is the standard for learning Javascript (or refreshing your knowledge). I have only begun to learn the language, but I have learned tons from the small amount of this book that I have read. Must have!

Letting Go Of The Words

I have not finished this book yet, but from what I have read, it is a must read for anybody that writes for the web. Whether you write a blog, do web design, or copy-writing work, this book will greatly increase your knowledge of web writing.

Thinking With Type

THE book for learning everything you could possibly want to learn about typography. From the history, to definitions, this book covers everything about the subject.

Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul

Goes into every tiny aspect of being a graphic designer (mainly freelance but also in-house), from picking a good partner to work with, to setting up an office. The book is a very quick read, with priceless knowledge from some of the todays top designers (it also has great interviews with some of them as well). I would recommend this book to every designer out there!

Web Design Index

There are 8 (that I know of) Web Design Index’s published, this one (number 3) being the most common one, that you will find it at most book stores. I own volumes 1-3 and each is packed full of great inspiration of amazing websites.