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This list is not a reflection of all the games released to the App Store in 2017. Instead it is a list of the best games we played or reviewed this year. This means plenty of decent titles will be left off since we're not a gaming website and don't play every game released for iOS devices.
This is the first year that it was a struggle to put together a top 5 list. While we played a lot of fun games, only one really blew us away. It may be because this wasn't a great year for mobile gaming, or maybe we just missed out. Either way, the titles on this list may not make many other top lists of the year, but they're good titles you may want to check out. Who knows, maybe you will discover a hidden gem you didn't play this year.
You can visit our App of the Week archive for more great games and apps from 2017.
Last Day on Earth: Survival (Free) I only played the beta of this game and I loved it. Plenty of new features have been added since I've last opened the app and the game is constantly being updated and improved. The developers also keep in communication with all their fans on social media answering popular questions and criticisms. This helps make Last Day even better since it is influenced by player feedback and you can keep updated on new features and changes.
Last Day is a strategy/building title where you must craft items to survive a zombie apocalypse. You begin the game with nothing and must scavenge to build your home, tools, vehicles, weapons, furniture and more. You not only need to worry about zombies, but you also need to worry about hunger, thirst, the weather, other survivors and wild animals. No matter how many supplies you hoard, you'll always find yourself needing something new or replacing a broken tool or weapon.Last Day is very addictive, and will be enjoyed by anyone who loves crafting or building titles.
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South Park: Phone Destroyer (Free) I have to give a shout out to South Park Digital Studios because they could have released any typical game with the show's name just slapped on it, but instead they actually launched a fun game, especially for South Park fans. There are so many lackluster Family Guy and Futurama titles available on the App Store, that it was nice to finally see a decent game based on a popular television show. Phone Destroyer isn't the greatest game released this year, but there was a lot of work put into it.
Phone Destroyer is a collectible card game that works in a crowded genre because of its original story and its brand of humor. The game can be enjoyed by fans of the show, casual gamers looking for a decent freemium title, and hardcore gamers. It features fun versions of all the show's characters, PvP battles, a single player story written in collaboration with South Park Digital Studios, tons of cool cards to collect and upgrade and more.
On an App Store full of crappy movie and television tie-ins, Phone Destroyer is one of the best games based on a popular IP released this year.
Gunman Taco Truck A fun twist on the cooking genre --Gunman Taco Truck combines taco making with a simple shooting game. Drive from place to place in your taco truck across a post-apocalyptic world full of mutated bugs and creatures. Sell tacos to survivors to earn money for gas and ingredients to survive, then hit the road and blast your way to your next location.
Gunman Taco Truck is known for being difficult, so swallow your pride and try it on Easy at first. The best part of the game is that your tacos are named after the monsters you kill on the road because that's where you get half your ingredients.
Iron Marines ($2.99) It is no secret that I love the Kingdom Rush series, and that's why I was super excited for Ironhide Studio's first real-time strategy game. Iron Marines is basically Kingdom Rush set in the future, although you will find yourself scolded by fans if you call it a tower defense title. While it does feature a few TD elements, the game is a casual strategy title with the same cartoon humor as the KR franchise.
In Iron Marines you control an elite fighting force made up of different soldiers all with different abilities, strengths and weaknesses. You must lead your troops in 14 campaign missions across two different worlds while using different combinations and strategies to complete your objective. Each mission is unique with different objectives, obstacles and enemies to tackle. This forces you to change your troop combinations and strategies to complete each level, and is what makes the game so much fun.
While it doesn't have the same high replay value as the Kingdom Rush games, Iron Marines is another great series by Ironhide Studios. The game is full of Easter eggs, unique enemies, missions, upgrades, weapons, achievements and it includes a fun story to follow.
Dead Ahead: Zombie Warfare (Free) This zombie strategy game probably isn't going to make a lot of Top Lists, but it is one of the more addictive games I played this year. Zombie Warfare is a side-scrolling tower defense title where you send out different troops to take on different types of zombies. The goal of the game is to defend your school bus while trying to take out barricades so you can advance to the next level.
What makes Zombie Warfare fun is there is a different type of enemy introduced each level. This makes how you use your troops change as you advance through the game. It is also fun to try and complete each level without taking any damage. This gives the game a new level of difficulty and why I found myself playing it so much this year.
Let us know your favorite games or apps of 2017 in the comments section below.