Paper Monsters

Paper Monsters 
(Developed by Crescent Moon Games)
Available for: iOS
Price: 99 cents

A delightful homage to Super Mario Bros. and other vintage platform classics from the pre-smartphone era when gamers walked 10 miles in the snow--uphill both ways, no less--to acquire new titles, Paper Monsters updates old-school fun via new-school 3D graphics and gameplay mechanics, even including a virtual joystick control for maximum nostalgia.

Paper Monsters is set in Paper Land, a world where most everything is made of (you guessed it) paper; gamers lead the cardboard robot hero through a series of adventures in locales like Paper Hills, Yibiki Peaks, Cardboard Dunes and Papyrus Ruins, collecting coins and paper clips while dodging evil creatures and maneuvering past obstacles. The game looks exceptional--the characters and environments are presented with remarkable attention to tactile detail, and the overall look pulsates with energy and color. Paper Monsters also delivers imaginative twists and turns on the basic platform experience, offering players a multitude of items to collect, places to explore and achievements to conquer. It's a breath of fresh air in a genre in need of a jolt.