Tap Tap Revolution was an early hit when it appeared for “jailbroken” iPhones prior to the introduction of the App Store. built on the game’s success by releasing it again once the App Store debuted, rebranded as Tap Tap Revenge. Absolutely free to download and play, the game features a long list of songs and gameplay that’s familiar to anyone who’s spent a few minutes playing Guitar Hero, Rock Band or other similar music rhythm games—you tap colored balls as they descend to the bottom of the screen, all in time with music. If you hit the ball on the beat, you get points—the more balls you tap in sequence, the higher your score. (Read our .)

Best Mac retread

has had its best year ever, thanks to the iPhone. A Mac developer that had all but turned its back on Mac game making after years of diminishing sales, Pangea got a whole new lease on life by adapting its classic Mac titles for the iPhone and iPod touch. One of the first of these retreads—and still one of the best—is Enigmo, a kinetic puzzle game that has you assemble apparatuses to make water, lava and oil move through mazes. The game features gorgeously detailed graphics, the ability to zoom in and out using pinching gestures, and time-based bonuses that emphasize both speed and accuracy. (Read our .)

Best mix of creativity and gameplay

Aqua Forest is a puzzle game with a twist: Designed around a physics engine that models how gases, solids and liquids interact, the $8 game from features drawing tools that let you create your own puzzles. A quirky interface and less-than-stellar help mars the experience a bit, but once you get into it, you can spend hours doodling with Aqua Forest, and playing with the results of your creation. (Read our .)