Every week, Pocket Gamer sister site Quality Index (Qi) highlights the newest games to make a critical splash in the cool, seductive waters of the iOS pool.

Grabbing scores and opinions from all corners of the web, including from 148Apps, AppGamer, and IGN, Qi answers all your iPhone-related questions before you've even asked them.

Today, we're going to focus on two new contenders vying to be crowned king of your iPhone. Both are worthy, but do they have what it takes to win your head, your heart, and your wallet?

It's in the trees / It's coming!

Setting up fortifications at #2 on this week's Qi chart is the eye-catchingly attractive iPhone tower defence title Elf Defense.

Jellyoasis has dreamt up over 100 beautifully rendered enemies for you to mercilessly mow down with a selection of uniquely equipped combat units.

With a range of items to help bolster your defences, Game Centre support, and tweakable difficulty levels, this cutely titled addition to the App Store should give fans of the genre something to fire off over.

The game is already leaving a lasting impression on the critics, with 148Apps's reviewer confessing to be "absolutely obsessed with Elf Defense".

Cumin get it

Spice Invaders, the second - yes, second! - tower defence game in this week's Quality Index round-up, has its eye on your resources.

While Elf Defense pitted elves against humans, Chillingo's sci-fi-oriented offering has you defending a bunch of scavenging space pirates as they pillage Earth for its natural resources.

Thanks to a spec sheet that contains online multiplayer support, some cleverly designed levels, a variety of different modes, and a host of unlockable items, Spice Invaders really stands out from the pack.
Pocket Gamer's reviewer succumbed to Spice Invaders's assault, deeming it "a charming and audacious re-imagining of the tower defense genre".



You can get the up-to-date information about which games are reviewing best over at the Quality Index.