SouthPeak Interactive Big Bang Mini

Big Bang Mini's title boggles me a bit, mostly because I can't seem to find a normal sized Big Bang game anywhere. Putting aside such sundry concerns, Arkedo has done it again: it's made a concept that sounds like it could be incredibly mediocre (Remember Nervous Brickdown, one of the most awesome break-out clones ever?) into a game that you should really consider owning.

Party All Over The World

Big Bang Mini is a shoot'em up with some 4th of July flare. Use your stylus to flick fireworks at enemies, and drag your ship around to evade enemy fire. Sometimes the level-specific special moves with more precise stylus motions were hard to pull off, but that is my only real complaint.

No plot explains why you are needed in such disparate locations as Rio de Janeiro, Paris, and Kamakura to battle drumming monkeys, evil robots, and other unusual foes, but that won't affect your ability to appreciate the immense variety between worlds, not to mention the sheer amount of stuff to do. Each of the ten locales features different graphics, music, and enemies, not to mention unique themes mean you won't have to deal with boring palette swapping. Right as you feel like the current groove (and its gimmick mechanic such as walls that close in or bonus damage for rhythm) is getting old, you're into a multiform, bullet-hellish boss battle, and then an exciting new area. Occasionally, random chance dumps you in a retro round where, I have to admit, they almost had me feeling the Twilight Zone vibe with their ominous intro, "There is nothing to win."

Pyrotechnophile

Besides arcade mode, you can shoot it out with a friend (using a single cart!) with complete missions involving limited ammo level completion, speed runs, and other hardcore tasks. You can also fight for Wi-Fi high scores in Challenge Mode, "Relax" while admiring displays of each level's exclusive fireworks designs -- I love the New York comic-style exclamations: "KABOOM!" -- and, finally, unlock a cute alarm clock that allows you to wake up to any BGM track. Talk about full-featured-Big Bang Mini is a $59.95 package that is hard to pass up.