Mobile Games Roundup

You're probably wondering where the promised Windows Phone 7 coverage is, right? The problem is partly that the games are too damned good. We figured that, rather than slip a couple into this week's roundup, we'd save them up and review all the best launch offerings in one go, providing a definitive guide to the gaming on the platform. [Kristan WILL do this next week. -Ed.]

On the plus side, it means that we've had a chance to take a look at some rather tempting new titles elsewhere – the best being the iPad-only Jubeat Plus, a Japanese 'Bemani' rhythm action arcade game that the West saw only very briefly last year.

The rest include some rather tasty puzzle games, such as the gorgeous Ancient Frog, which is a very welcome new addition to Android, and another iPad exclusive, Spirits, which gives Apple fans yet another reason to feel happy about their slab.

Jubeat Plus

• iPad - Free (Japan-only, song packs 450 yen each)

Anyone lucky enough to stumble into a Japanese arcade over the past couple of years can't have failed to notice the shiny Jubeat machines standing imperiously in the corners. It became a personal obsession of friend of Eurogamer Keza MacDonald, so its arrival on the iPad in the past week is likely to elicit the kind of excitement usually reserved for an impending zombie apocalypse.

As you might imagine, Jubeat is absolutely tailor-made for the iPad, and the touch-based J-Pop rhythm action nonsense translates beautifully. As ever, the task at hand is to simply tap each pad as it lights up on the 4x4 grid, and try and time your touch so that it's perfectly in sync with the frantic, twitching light show.

The tricky part is when the game demands that you touch two or more pads at the same time; you'll feel like some sort of futuristic conductor as you contort your rhythmic digits to the exacting whims of the lights.

Wicked Konami hasn't got around to releasing Jubeat outside of Japan yet – but don't despair. Setting up a Japanese iTunes account is extremely simple and because the basic game is free, you won't need to worry about sourcing iTunes gift cards unless you're desperate to download the various four-song packs available.

But the likelihood is that once you've sampled the three bundled songs, you'll want more. The options at the moment are to sit and patiently hope that Konami produces a version for the West, or buy some Japanese iTunes gift cards. I know what I'd do.

9/10