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Quality Index: The week's best iPhone games - Ant Raid for iPhone, Dariusburst: Second Prologue

Critically acclaimed

Quality Index: The week's best iPhone games - Ant Raid for iPhone, Dariusburst: Second Prologue
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?

Tiny Tower (of mud)

Building a hill on this week's #2 spot is the insect-centric strategy hit Ant Raid for iPhone.

Prank Ltd has finally marched this microcosmic marvel over to the iPhone - after it had enjoyed a highly successful stint of iPad exclusivity - where it has quickly made an impact of chart-topping proportions.

You must tap the screen to direct your plucky army of ants towards oncoming insect invaders, and keep the encroaching creatures at bay.

With a 60-level Story mode, 40 Challenge levels, and visuals that will have your eyes out on stalks, it's no wonder Ant Raid for iPhone has iOS reviewers positively mesmerised.

Insert coin

Exploding into 8th place on the Qi leaderboard in a shower of plasma, meanwhile, is Dariusburst: Second Prologue, the most recent instalment in the long-running arcade shmup franchise.

Essentially a port of Taito's Dariusbust for PSP, this iPhone adaptation serves up a home console-quality experience, featuring stunning visuals, challenging gameplay, and a scorching soundtrack from house band Zuntata.

If you're already familiar with the original, iPhone-exclusive features like the "remixed" SP Mode and the arcade Assault ship may be sufficient to tempt you back into the cockpit.
PG's reviewer took quite a shine to Dariusburst: Second Prologue, believing it to contain "decades of refinement and a plethora of game modes that'll keep you busy for some time to come".

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

Video Editor

Enchanted from a young age by colour, motion, and sound, James divides his time between obsessing over all things digital and lamenting the death of VHS. He looks forward to a future where machines rule the earth and all political disputes are solved via one round of rock-paper-scissors.