I love Penny Arcade. I remember years ago when Official PlayStation Magazine was still alive and printed a Penny Arcade comic each month. I still get a kick out of remembering the writers’ comments about Ico. Mainly because it’s true. At the same time, what makes Penny Arcade difficult to read is that it quickly rotates through bathroom humor, slapstick and college humor. I believe this makes the commentary more visceral. So imagine my delight when I finally got my hands on Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode One.

Recently, I was introduced to what I think may be my favorite iPhone game to date: Glyder 2. Before I get into the review, I need to mention that I expect iPhone games to be easy to play, have mechanics that are quick to learn, and have addictive gameplay to quell the raging hunger for electronic stimulation for which my brain begs. I don’t expect iPhone games to have too much depth, nor do I anticipate them to keep my attention for longer than a couple of weeks. However, from the moment I started Glyder 2, my imagination was flying wild.

The word “calling” is awesome. That simple word conjures up various actions. I could simply call for help or to a friend. I could be referring to what lead me to my profession, or I could be referring to the act of making a phone call. All of this was swimming in my mind as I played through a horror game for the Wii aptly named Calling.

Games and music aren’t always mediums that complement one another. Although, think about the song “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas. Go ahead and dance for a moment. The song, like the game Mini Ninjas, is funky, fun and a tad goofy. I’ve also decided to put “Kung Fu Fighting” on repeat while I write this since the game and song work well together.

Certain series have roots in old-school gaming centers, such as arcades. Arcade games were tough because they were designed to absorb as many shiny quarters as possible. Console games in the late 1980s and early 1990s retained that spirit. If the timing was off on a jump, you would die. Hesitation meant certain death. For a game to be like that in this day and age is a rarity, unless it has the name Contra in its title.