distance

Super Trick Snowboarder is a 2D snowboarding game that uses rag doll physics as you jump, flip, and spin down the slope, but it might be a bit too rag doll for its own good. The game features nice-looking cartoonlike graphics; your snowboarder makes his way past obstacles while pulling off big tricks. The control system involves a snowboard on the left with four buttons for grabbing the front, back, and sides of your board in the air. On the right you have buttons for jumping and rotating either clockwise or counterclockwise.

The problem with Super Trick Snowboarder is that … Read more

This week I've gathered up some 2D snowboarding games that are not as good as being in the actual snow, but might be the perfect time-waster while we wait for winter to settle in.

As we hunker down for the winter months in the northern hemisphere, many are dreaming of another great season of winter sports. While there's probably nothing I can offer on the iPhone that will give you the feeling of snowboarding on powder-covered slopes, maybe these apps will make the days slip by a little bit faster.… Read more

Temple Run is a survival/escape game from the makers of Harbor Master in which you play as a character who's a lot like Indiana Jones from the popular action movies. The simple storyline is that you've stolen a cursed golden idol, and now you need to run for your life from demon guardians through all kinds of obstacles. A little different from the other games in this genre, Temple Run gives you a 3D perspective as you run, jump, turn, and slide down pathways while grabbing coins. You'll definitely want to grab as many coins as … Read more

Jetpack Joyride is a new distance game from the makers of Monster Dash and Fruit Ninja, but in this game you use a machine-gun jet pack to maneuver past obstacles and use discovered vehicles to try to survive as long as possible. The control system is incredibly simple: touch the screen to propel your jet pack.

As in Monster Dash, you play hero Barry Steakfries, but in this game you'll break into a secret laboratory to steal and use experimental jet packs. As you propel yourself through this side-scroller, you'll need to gather coins you can use between … Read more

Hook Worlds is the latest sequel to one of our all-time favorite game franchises in the escape genre on iOS, Hook Champ. Though there are four different game types in Hook Worlds, the object remains mostly the same as in its predecessors: use your grappling hook to swing from object to object to achieve the longest distance possible. The graphics are smooth with high frame rates as you swing through caves, under rooftops, and over hot lava. Unlike the earlier games in the genre, Hook Worlds has dynamically created maps with no end--you simply need to last as long as … Read more

Some time ago, a friend sent me a YouTube link with no explanation. In fact, I'm pretty sure the e-mail didn't even have a subject. Once I clicked the link and started watching the video I realized why: how does one neatly describe the hilarity of a video in which a monkey forcibly rides a pig backward? Even better, the video's creator, Perry Gripp, wrote a silly song to go with the video. If you haven't seen it, the video is worth checking out for a good laugh, but be warned: the song will stick with … Read more

NinJump Deluxe HD is the souped-up version of the free, popular NinJump, an infinitely scrolling vertical-climbing game with a super-simple one-tap interface.

As with other games in this genre (whether vertically or horizontally oriented), the goal is to get as far as you can without dying. You play an ultranimble ninja, jumping between two walls on the left and right of the screen to avoid obstacles and enemies. You're always moving up--quickly!--and you tap anywhere on the screen to leap between the two walls. In the game's classic version, you scale generically pagoda-like structures and fight ninja-esque … Read more

Lane Splitter is a fun distance game that challenges you to weave through traffic at high speed on a motorcycle. The graphics are crystal-clear on the iPhone 4, with well-detailed cars and interesting scenery as you blow by on your motorcycle. The idea is that you're late to your wedding, and you must speed through traffic wearing your tux in order to make it on time. The game uses the iPhone accelerometer for steering and touching the screen gives you a burst of speed that results in a wheelie and less control--perfect for getting out of the way when … Read more

Since the launch of iOS 4.3, several iPhone users have complained their batteries are draining much faster. I haven't personally noticed a difference, but for those of you who have, you'll happy to know that iOS 4.3.1 unexpectedly launched today. (It was rumored earlier this week that it might launch in two weeks).

Though there aren't many details about the release besides minor security and maintenance updates, it is likely that this early launch for the iOS means that Apple is trying to smooth out the bugs and hopefully take care of battery drain quickly.

Please let us know in the comments if you've experienced issues with iOS 4.3 and whether you noticed a difference in this latest update.

This week's apps include a well-designed barcode scanner and a game that challenges you to race through traffic on a motorcycle.… Read more