Developer FuzzyCube Software has just released their new iPad title iQuarterback 2 [Free] for free into the App Store. iQuarterback 2 is something of an arcade-style mini-game that lets you toss the ol’ pigskin at various types of targets using an intuitive touch screen interface.

There are two modes in iQuarterback 2. The first is called Shoot Out, and has you throwing at targets that move laterally across the field at different speeds. What’s especially fun about this mode is that you must lead your passes so that they end up hitting the targets in motion. This can be pretty tricky due to the different speeds the targets travel, but incredibly satisfying when you time a throw just right to nail one.

The second mode is simply titled Accuracy, and has you aiming for a series of stationary targets that pop up at various spots in the field. This mode is considerably easier just to hit the targets since they don’t move, but you are rewarded for quickly getting your passes launched as you’re then able to hit more targets in the allotted time. There are special targets in both modes that once hit will allow you things like extra round time, a huge ball that makes hitting targets easier, or the ability to throw multiple balls at once.

Competing in either mode will earn you fame and experience for your character. As your character levels up, you’ll unlock additional items to purchase with your collected fame, like special ball types, new helmets, and different field environments. If you aren’t the patient type, there is also the option to purchase packs of fame as IAP to speed up the whole process, though this is entirely optional. Another nice addition to the overall package is Game Center integration with achievements and leaderboards for each mode.

Also, it’s free to download the full game of iQuarterback 2 that is ad-supported with banners running along the bottom of the screen. You can disable these ads with an IAP of $2.99, but I’ve found that they really don’t interfere with the game at all.

iQuarterback 2 is definitely a lot of fun. The gameplay is simplistic, but the upgrading aspect is a real hook, and the crazy items you can unlock along the way are great motivation to keep playing. Plus, it’s free, so there’s really no risk to give it a try. Players in our forums have been liking it as well, so for some fun arcade-style gameplay give iQuarterback 2 a look.

Over the years there have been tons of sports games released on the App Store, and as time goes on, each release seems to get better and better as developers refine their offerings. First Touch Soccer [99¢] follows this trend beautifully, with some great AI, awesome graphics, fantastic controls, and even online multiplayer. Released by X2 Games, First Touch Soccer is a continuation of the X2 Soccer series released in 2009 and 2010, which we had a great time with in previous years.

One of my favorite things about First Touch Soccer is how smooth the controls are. X2 Games has really refined their virtual controls, and every function in the game is easily accomplished using a set of three buttons and a virtual joystick. Switching between players is incredibly easy, and through screen tapping you can perform a variety of different maneuvers.

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Ever dream of managing your own baseball team? How about wishing you could run out on the field and yank that lousy pitcher off the mound yourself? Out of the Park Baseball 2011 [$4.99] has finally come to iOS devices, and satiates both those desires and more. Developed by Out of the Park Developments, iOOTP is a text-based baseball management sim originally released for the PC back in 1999. Despite shockingly low user ratings, the 2007 version of OOTP Baseball actually holds the title of 2nd highest rated PC game of all time by Metacritic. The reason? This is the baseball management franchise to own.

Sports management simulation games are all about statistics and strategy. Instead of getting in the game and taking direct control of the players, you sit on the sideline and make all the game changing decisions playing as the teams owner or manager. With a pile of statistics at your fingertips, it's up to you to make the right calls. Because of how technical most aspects of iOOTP are, if you're not an absolute baseball fanatic it's probably safe to steer clear. However, for those of you that pour over every line of your fantasy lineups season after season, dying to make those crucial trades, and can't get enough of running their own franchise-- This game was made for you.

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Have you played Let's Golf [99¢ / HD] or Let's Golf 2 [$4.99 / HD] yet? If you like arcade-style golf games, Gameloft has really nailed it with their clone of Hot Shots Golf. We liked the original a lot in our review, and the sequel improved upon the formula further. Gameloft released the following trailer this morning for Let's Golf 3:

What am I expecting from the third installment in the series? Mostly just further improvements much like Let's Golf 2. I doubt 3 will have anything that new or amazing, but I'd be happy as a clam with some new unlockables, a new set of courses, and some new characters. Let's Golf 3 is "coming soon" which in Gameloft-speak could mean next Thursday!

Soccer simulation games are a huge deal on mobile devices. You can’t give baseball sims the same kind of pat on the back, but perhaps we’ll be able proclaim something similar in the near future: Out of the Park Baseball is poised to make its debut on the smaller Apple handhelds later this month, bringing with it it’s own brand of MLB management.

For a little context here, Out of the Park Baseball is a text-heavy baseball manager. It made its first appearance on PC back in 1999. Since then, it’s seen a handful of iterations, each increasingly gaining more popularity and critical awareness. The games are good, so of course there's going to be a mobile port.

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Straight up: I’m not a soccer fan because honestly, it's hard to be a soccer fan in the USA. The whole non-stop nature of the game makes it really difficult for TV stations to inject advertising into the game, so aside from gym class soccer has yet to catch on.

We cool now? Great. Because here’s the thing about Soccer Superstars 2011 Pro [$4.99]: it’s not a simulation title, and it’s not an all-out action sports title, either. I like to frame it as a mix of the two, as it somehow marries the spirit of the actual game of soccer with video games antics, whimsy, and some light RPG elements that the Superstars series is known for.

For me, this is a great thing. I don’t need to know squat about soccer to dig what is being done in Soccer Superstars 2011, just like how I didn’t need to know anything about the actual game of hockey to be to enjoy the NES classic Blades of Steel. (Also similar to Baseball Superstars where you need to know nothing about baseball to get immersed in training up your super batter.)

I think you get the gist, but just in case, think of Soccer Superstars as a lean arcade kind of sports title. You can only pick from a few teams, none of which offer real players or likenesses from the actual sport. In fact, each team sports a whacked out super player who can, quite literally, kick flaming balls into goals with the touch of a button.

Doing that requires a simple press of one of the three-to-four action buttons displayed at all times on the game’s not-so-beautiful HUD. There’s also a virtual analog stick present one the screen, too, which is how you move around your dudes on the field. Sadly, much like last year's iteration of the game, the controls aren't as precise as we wish they were as the virtual joystick just flat out feels clunky at times.

The fundamentals of soccer are all present and accounted for on the face buttons, which in turn, keeps the game simple: you can only, really, dribble and shoot as well as steal and tackle. Holding some of these buttons increases the strength of a move.

You get your standard amount of players on the field, all of which have assignments, so you’ll need to shift from character to character as you would in a simulation soccer game as the ball bounces around. Also, each person on the field also has his own set of stats, so you’ll need to keep an eye on what player can do what the best.

I’d like to say that there’s some sort of grand strategy to the play, but if there is, I haven’t discovered it. Most of my matches -- and they’re all lightning fast -- have been “pass and shoot” fests, which is to say, I’ve just been driving the ball to the hole and dominating.

So, I can with without a care. Frankly, I think this is stellar; I don’t want to bother with elaborate defensive or offensive strategies I don’t want to think soccer. I’d rather just put the ball in the hole. This game allows me to do that. Instant bliss!

I can see this being a problem with people who require deeper experiences, so do keep away from this one if being a great Pitch Commander is necessary. Thankfully, there are tons of incredibly in-depth soccer simulators such as Football Manager Handheld 2011 [$9.99] that are worth a look if you want something substantially less simple.

Of course, there’s more: Soccer Superstars boasts a variety of different campaign type modes ranging from a full season to exhibition to Cup matches and the like. The season mode in particular is pretty hip: you play as a coach charged with construction the best team possible, and you’ll get a range of tools to do so. Similar to an RPG, you’ll train your players, exploit their strengths, and even go out to get other game-breaking special characters who can ... oh, I don’t know, kick lightning balls into nets turned arcade voids.

The presentation of players is done in this really cute throwback SNES-style, full of color and rich with life. It lacks fine detail as a result, though.

One thing I really would like to see would be an improved out of game UI -- the in-game menus are labyrinthine. Though this may be a design trap constructed around getting you to believe that you need to sink real cash into the Gamevil's weird credits system, but just like the other Superstars games, this isn't required to enjoy Soccer Superstars at all.

Overall, I really like what I’ve seen so far. If you enjoy soccer, or at least, want to get your game on in a cute, lighter kind of action-arcade soccer marriage, check this out. It might lack the fist-to-face antics of Blades of Steel, but it’s satisfying in its quirky, not-so-serious kind of way.

Back in February, EA Mobile released NBA Jam [$4.99/Lite] into the App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch. It was based on the well received new version of the long-standing series that hit home consoles late last year, and for the most part made the transition extremely well to iOS. The key missing features were a couple of the less popular game modes and any form of multiplayer, but the core campaign along with all of the hidden bells and whistles remained intact and as fun as ever. Here’s a brief synopsis taken from our original review of NBA Jam from February:

The familiar NBA Jam gameplay returns here featuring a relatively rule-free game of 2-on-2 basketball with an emphasis on pulling off insane physics-defying dunks and ridiculous shooting sprees. Besides adhering to a 24 second shot clock and a no goaltending rule, pretty much anything goes in NBA Jam. Any player that makes 3 consecutive shots will then be “on fire” and during this time will make a higher percentage of shots, have unlimited turbo, and be immune to the goaltending rule. If you’ve played NBA Jam in the past, not a lot has changed here, but that’s most likely for the best.

The iOS version of NBA Jam uses a smart control system that works incredibly well. There’s a virtual stick for movement, a turbo button in the opposite corner, and based on if you’re on offense or defense a button for passing/stealing and another for shooting/blocking. Using your limited turbo meter not only increases your player’s speed but also enhances your other moves, like turning a simple steal attempt into a full-blown shove of an opponent. This is cleverly and elegantly handled by holding down turbo and then sliding to one of the other two buttons, which works great in practice.

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One of my favorite games that never seemed to get a lot of attention is Noodlecake Games’ Stick Golf [99¢/HD], which was released in May of last year. Far from being a traditional golf game, Stick Golf was more of a 2D artillery style game where each shot required figuring out the correct trajectory to launch your ball in order to get it into each hole in as few shots as possible. This particular gameplay fit extremely well as a golfing game, and Stick Golf featured a ton of content with 16 different 9-hole courses that ran the gamut from fairly typical to wildly fantastical.

Then this past December, the sequel Super Stick Golf [99¢/Lite] was released, and improved upon the original in practically every way. It contains all of the courses from the first game plus 13 brand new courses, and it introduces special ball types that you can use for extra abilities like more powerful shots or saving yourself from landing in a water hazard. Due to a trademark problem, the game is now known as Super Stickman Golf, and the original game will eventually be renamed to Stickman Golf as well, but this minor name change doesn’t diminish the fact that the Stickman Golf series is a total blast to play.

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Looking for something to do during the commercials commercials while you watch The 2011 Masters Tournament? Why not also play a game of golf yourself? In honor of the Masters, EA has dropped the price of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 [$4.99 / Lite]. Sure, it's only two bucks off but Tiger 12 only came out a few weeks ago.

We liked Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 a lot in our review, and it's even easier to recommend now that it's priced on par with a Subway $5 foot long. Also, the closest to the pin challenges have turned out to be really cool. If that's all you're interested, you only need to download the lite version.

Here’s a weird one: NBA Jam [$4.99] on consoles won’t be receiving a roster update that reflects all the mid-season moves teams made as the NBA trade deadline closed, but the mobile version of the title will -- and has. Starting now, one can go on a massive losing skid as the Knicks led by Carmelo “Defense Is For Babies” Anthony or, even better, get some insight into Deron Williams' surely deep, deep depression as a member of the Nets.

As if roster updates weren’t enough, EA has also thrown in some “tweaks” to the core experience. The patch notes aren’t available online, but I’m assuming some of the bugs users have been freaking out about since release have been addressed.

Don't mind that Felton guy. He's gone now, too!

If you’ve been on the fence about NBA Jam, well, this is as good of a time as ever to get into the experience of the terrific arcade basketball title, especially since EA is obviously willing and able to update the game with current rosters -- something even the console owners won’t be getting after dishing out 40+ dollars for their version. We can point and laugh at these guys now, right? Finally!

Nearly two years ago, EA released Tiger Woods PGA Tour [99¢] into the App Store. This game was remarkable at the time for providing a fairly robust golf experience that was akin to the Tiger Woods series on home consoles. While the graphics were fairly lackluster, the frame rate was incredibly smooth and it was exciting to have such a fully featured golf game in your pocket. The real standout feature, though, was the touch screen swing meter which offered a very direct and organic way to swing clubs in the game, which we talked about in our original review of Tiger Woods PGA Tour.

Now, after skipping a new release last year, EA is back with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 [$6.99/HD]. This iteration of the franchise brings with it several new features and greatly improved graphics, but the gameplay feels extremely similar to the last version. This isn’t necessarily bad, as the gameplay was the strongest aspect to the last iOS Tiger Woods, and if you enjoyed that game then you’ll likely enjoy this one even more. If you’re looking for a completely new mobile golfing experience however, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 doesn’t offer that.

The meat of this year’s Tiger Woods is again the PGA Tour which has you entering and competing in the various golf tournaments for cash prizes. Your winnings go towards buying better equipment to improve your game and entering subsequent tournaments throughout the year. Besides this mode, a Tiger Challenge mode has been added where you can play through a number of different types of mini challenges for money, which typically have alternate rules and are generally better suited for a quick play session than playing an entire round or multiple rounds of a tournament.

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I wish I could explain why I've recently found myself so infatuated with a golf game of all things, since my real-world golf experience is limited to doing poorly on driving ranges... But, I digress. EA just released a gameplay trailer for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12, and it looks sweet as heck. We were expecting this game to land next Thursday, and EA just confirmed that date on their end.

Check it out:

Keep in mind the original Tiger Woods PGA Tour [99¢] is still just a buck, and it's hard to say if that price will remain the same or not once its successor is released. (Or if the game will even still be sold or not.) So, if you want the old version, or don't particularly care about having the new hotness, don't wait too long on picking it up.

Last month we reviewed the (Universal) iOS conversion of the classic cybersports title Speedball 2 Evolution [App Store] from Tower Studios, Vivid Games and The Bitmap Brothers. We were thrilled to be able to relive the fun we had with the 1990 original on our favorite mobile game devices today -- and we aren't the only ones, looking at the title's impressive App Store rankings since launch.

To bring the undecided on board, Tower Studios has just released a free "taster" version of Speedball 2 [App Store] that provides a hands-on glimpse of what the game is all about. This free version delivers only a few minutes of gameplay -- the Career mode Speedball Cup (one game) played up to half time -- but it should help in deciding whether to grab the full version which, incidentally, was recently reduced in price from $2.99 to $.99 for a limited time.

Speedball 2 is a futuristic cybersport that's something of a mix between handball and ice hockey. The game takes place between two opposing teams — nine players to a team — in an enclosed, metal arena littered with power-ups and arrayed in warp portals and various score-enhancing mechanisms. Points are scored by getting the metallic ball past the opposing defense and into the goal, but brutality and violence are rewarded along the way. The overall feel is something akin to Atari's earlier, football-inspired arcade cybersport Cyberball, I've always felt. It's nicely visceral.

I recommend that anyone who hasn't played Speedball 2 Evolution give the free demo version a try.

EA just dropped us a note about the upcoming Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 which apparently is coming to the App Store this month. Knowing what we do about EA and how they release games, that only means two possible dates for its release: This Thursday the 24th or next Thursday the 31st. While we're not entirely sure which of these two dates it will drop on, we do know quite a few details about what it will include-

The coolest addition is also the feature EA boasts about first, a "closest to the pin" Facebook challenge which kicks off twice a week. Apparently, much like how you're able to compete with friends in Bejeweled 2 using Facebook, you will soon be able to take a shot on a par 3 hole to see who can get the closest to the hole. It sounds cool, but seems to be entirely dependent on having friends who use Facebook, have an iOS device, and have purchased Tiger Woods 12. There's also the "Tiger Challenge" which is an array of over 20 mini games that earn in-game cashola to then be spent on the entree fee to PGA events or to pump up your golfer's stats.

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Blanket statements are usually reserved for the uninformed, but I can safely say that I haven't liked a single boxing game in the App Store up to this point. Some of them have admirable qualities, but the vast majority either make me long for Super Punch Out or Fight Night on the PS3. It turns out that all I was waiting for was EA's masterful Fight Night Champion [$4.99].

What makes Fight Night Champion so satisfying is that it never strays too far from its console roots, but at the same time does a great job embracing the touch screen technology for combat and the accelerometer for movement. Like the console, the control system in Fight Night Champion works by splitting the control system into quadrants. Where on the console you pop the stick up to do a high jab, here you just have to tap the upper half of the screen. The same goes for the low right hook, where all you have to do is swipe from right to left on the lower half of the screen. Every punch, grab, and hold, from the simple bob-and-weave to each boxers signature punch is done via easy to follow gesture controls, and once you get a round or two in you'll be ready to punch with the big boys.

In addition to the slick fighting, Fight Night Champion comes loaded with 20 boxing legends, from Mohammed Ali to Manny Pacquiao, and also lets you create your own boxing fantasy in the Legacy Mode. I don't know about you, but taking down the amateur hour fighters in record speed with my ripped heavyweight doppelganger sporting American flag shoes ranks right up there with fried PBJ's and Thin Mint cookies. Hop on a multiplayer match over bluetooth or local WiFi and you'll find yourself in iOS gaming bliss… which I guess would taste something like an A1 Thick 'n Hearty Burger.

As killer as the game is though, there's always room for improvement. My first complaint (and this seems to be echoed frequently in the forum) is that the parrying system is unnecessarily hard. I've nailed a few counters in my play, but my fights tend to become brawls with very little blocking (not that I play any different on the console version). I would also love to see the Legacy Mode flushed out a bit with some interactive training sessions and maybe a cutscene or two, or perhaps a pre-fight Rocky montage to really pump me up.

The bottom line is that if you are a boxing fan, and especially a Fight Night fan, Fight Night Champion is a must have app. The controls are outstanding, the boxer selection will please any boxing fan, and the ability to create your own boxer and start your own career is gold. If you ever find me in a restaurant or airport and want to take me on in a bluetooth match, you're on. As Drago would say, "I must break you."