When you're facing a long journey, there's nothing better than distracting yourself with a good game - so we've provided that will keep you busy.
By now, you know that iOS is a wonderful platform for games, and that it's matched by the sheer ingenuity and creativity of developers. But not all games, however brilliant they might be, are suited for travelling.
Those that need an internet connection, for example, are no good if you have a Wi-Fi iPad and are on the road. And games that need precision control, including realistic driving games and fast action shooters, are just too difficult to control while you're in a moving car, bus or particularly wobbly train.
Puzzle games, on the other hand, are perfect for long train journeys or short commutes. We've also included a couple of pass-and-play board games, because these are a great way to entertain both yourself and any travelling companions you have with you. We've avoided those that require a Wi-Fi network or internet connection for multiplayer support, though.
Strategery is our favourite Risk-like game, but it's far from the only one. Likewise, we've included Words With Friends rather than Scrabble because it's more, well, social. If you'd rather play chess, Ludo or Monopoly, there are plenty of games to choose from on the App Store. And, of course, there's no reason you can't download Modern Combat 2 or Real Racing 2 HD and play them when you're hanging out in your hotel room.
Zookeeper DX Touch
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Fiendishly addictive, massively polished, genuinely brilliant
Price: 69p
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad
App size: 15.1MB
Age rating: 4+
If capturing animals who have escaped from their compounds before they get out of the zoo altogether doesn't sound like your thing, think again. Zookeeper DX Touch is fiendishly addictive.
The back-story is mere window dressing here (and that's a generous term for it, to be honest). The real fun to be had in Zookeeper is continually matching the animals.
Arrange three of the same species in a row to put them back in their cages. But just as you do, more escape and so you need to track them down and put them back.Again, what we really mean is that you match them on the grid, they disappear, and more fall back onto the screen in their place.
The pace of this puzzler is quick enough to keep you interested for long periods and coming back over and over, but slow enough that you won't lose out if you fail to react instantly when your plane hits turbulence or the bus driver suddenly hits the brakes. The music is terrific, too.
Strategery
Become a tactical master while on the move
Price: £1.49
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad
App size: 6.6MB
Age rating: 4+
Release your inner megalomaniac. Nothing short of world domination will win you anything in Strategery.
This turn-based puzzler can be played on your own or with a friend. It's particularly suited to long flights or train journeys because you can pass the iPad or iPhone between you when it's your turn to play.
Plan several moves ahead. Anticipate your partner's moves. Don't be too ambitious. We'll make a General out of you yet.
World of Goo
A gentle and absorbing puzzler
Price: £2.99
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad
App size: 80.6MB
Age rating: 4+
World of Goo requires a little more manual dexterity than some of the others here, so it's probably not one for the back of a bumpy cab. It's perfect, though, for the slightly more stable conditions of a long train journey or a wait in the airport lounge.
World of Goo is witty, charming, surreal, and beautiful. Drag the Goo Balls around the screen to build towers and bridges to help the loose ones get to their destination as you wait to get to yours.
The varied hostile terrain keeps things interesting, as does the quirky style. The visuals and music are wonderful, and if it doesn't make you laugh, nothing will. This is an engrossing game, and one with enough challenges to last for some time.
Osmos
Arcade action that works perfectly on a touchscreen
Price: £2.99
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch
App size: 20.2MB
Age rating: 4+
In Osmos, you control a mote - a throbbing, pulsing, jellyfish-like organism. But don't let that put you off. This complex, absorbing and atmospheric game is perfect for eating the hours while you wait in the departure lounge for that boarding call that never comes, or when you're standing on a train at 7am trying to ignore the three people inside your personal space.
The aim is simple: grow by absorbing smaller motes. But to do that you must move. And when you move, you expel matter and shrink. Take it slowly and think carefully to win.
Trainyard
Find out what it's like to cause a train to be delayed
Price: 69p
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad
App size: 7.7MB
Age rating: 4+
This rail malarkey seems so simple in Trainyard! Put the blue trains in the blue station and the red trains in the red station by drawing track for them to run on.
Sound easy? Well, sure, it is. At first. But as you progress, it becomes more and more difficult, like all good puzzle games. You'll have to split and merge trains to get them to their correct destinations, and use colour theory to combine trains of different colours to complete challenges.
The difficulty curve is perfect, too - you won't get bored, but it doesn't frustrate, either. There are 100 puzzles and another 50 bonus puzzles, and the developer has designed Trainyard so that it puts as little stress on your iPhone's battery as possible, so you'll get plenty of game time during even the longest journeys. You can also share your solutions.
10 Pin Shuffle
Bowling mixed with poker? It works!
Price: £2.49
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad
App size: 12.8MB
Age rating: 4+
The real draw with 10 Pin Shuffle is that it's three different bowling games in one. There's shuffleboard, 10-pin bowling using a puck instead of a bowling ball, and a third game that mashes up bowling, shuffleboard and five-card draw poker.
In that mode, you earn new cards for spares and strikes, giving you an element of skill to help fuel your luck. Draw a new card when you have five and, after 10 frames of bowling, the best hand of cards wins.
The whole thing might sound bonkers ('Might!?' we hear you cry), but there's loads of fun to be had from it, and it keeps what could be a slightly samey game from getting too stale over a long journey.
Words With Friends
Flex your vocabulary wherever you are
Price: £1.99
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch
App size: 15.2MB
Age rating: 4+
Words With Friends tends to polarise iOS gamers. For some, it's a poor imitation of Scrabble. For others, it does a better job than the original, particularly where multiplayer is concerned. It's also much less expensive than the original.
You know how to play: arrange your tiles to form the highest-scoring word you can while keeping an eye out for opportunities two or three moves ahead.
Pass and play is the order of the day here, but you can play online with a chosen buddy, too. So there's no reason to give up your nightly game of Scrabble with your nearest and dearest just because you're hundreds of miles apart.
Cut The Rope
Solve a succession of one-screen puzzles and feel clever
Price: 69p
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad
App size: 19.8MB
Age rating: 4+
Om Nom wants candy, and it's your job to get it for him. Cut The Rope is another physics-based puzzle game in which you have to, wait for it, cut the rope to make the candy on the end swing free.
But it's not that simple for long, of course. Multiple ropes of different lengths see to that. Cut the wrong one first and you're in trouble further down the line. The mix of realistic physics with adorable cartoon graphics has made Cut the Rope a monster hit. Play it and you'll see why. And with 200 levels, there's enough here to keep you going on even the longest of intercontinental flights.
Zen Bound 2
Price: 69p
Works with: Universal
Zen Bound 2 is another physics puzzler, yes, but one that's lovely to look at and relaxing to play.
Denki Blocks!
Price: £2.99
Works with: Universal
In Denki Blocks! you slide stocky blocks around and join those of the same colour. Simple? Maybe not.
Halcyon
Price: £1.49
Works with: iPad
Part spacial action puzzler and part stringed instrument, Halcyon is an engaging and addictive way to spend your time.
Contre Jour HD
Price: £1.99
Works with: Universal
In Contre Jour HD you propel chubby cyclops Petit to safety in this eerie, moonlit world. Lovely.
Flight Control HD
Price: £2.99
Works with: iPad
The iPad version of Flight Control HD gives you more space to play (or more rope to hang yourself with).
Greedy Bankers
Price: 69p
Works with: Universal
With Greedy Bankers you match the coloured gems and watch them grow, then cash them in.
Horror Vacui 2
Price: £1.49
Works with: Universal
You be Water, we'll be Earth. Together we'll fill a vacuum in the unusual board game, Horror Vacui 2.
Master Of Gomoku
Price: 69p
Works with: Universal
Master Of Gomoku is an appealing strategy board game where getting five-in-a-row wins.
MultiPonk
Price: £2.99
Works with: Universal
MultiPonk is like Pong. On a wooden board. In 3D. With ball-bearings. Beautiful.
Super Stickman Golf
Price: 69p
Works with: Universal
Super Stickman Golf is amazingly like golf, but with added puzzles. Surprisingly addictive – you'll be at it for ages.
Forget-Me-Not
Price: £1.49
Works with: Universal
Chomp your way around the maze, picking flowers and eating fruit with Forget-Me-Not.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 2011
Price: 69p
Works with: iPhone, iPod touch
Everyone loves a good quiz, and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 2011 will keep you going for hours.
