I play games on my iPhone a lot, as I’m sure many of you reading this do. The thing is, while many iOS games are great in their own right and function well for gaming in small bursts or extended sessions, there aren’t a whole heck of a lot that can be picked up, played, and stopped at the drop of a hat. Oh sure most can be suspended but I’m talking about games that actually allow you to quit entirely and come right back to where you left off no matter how long that may take. Games that auto-save constantly, can be saved at any time with a single button press, stuff like that. Here are our picks for four of the best.

Penny Arcade The Game: Gamers vs. Evil
Most of Playdek’s card games fall into this category but I’ve chosen this one because it’s the most recent. And because I happen to really like it. Gamers vs. Evil tracks progress in each match, however many there might be at once spread out over single and multiplayer modes. This means you can play a single hand or even stop in the middle of one, quit for whatever reason, and then start it right back up again from wherever it left off. It’s as perfect for micro-gaming sessions as it is for lengthy ones.

$4.99

Penny Arcade The Game: Gamers vs. Evil

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-12-19 :: Category: Games

Junk Jack
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this 2D Minecraft-like since its release for many reasons, but it’s the save system that’s always impressed me the most. Pausing the game at any point will save progress automatically, so stopping at a moment’s notice is never a problem. Even more impressive is the way Jack’s inventory can be saved and transferred between worlds, so even if you get tired of your current game you can always start a new one and keep all your cool stuff.

$2.99

Junk Jack

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-11-07 :: Category: Games

Game Dev Story
Kairosoft’s first iOS release continues to be their greatest as far as I’m concerned, but really all of their games are perfect for quick starts and stops of game time. That big Save button sitting on the main screen for every single one of their titles that saves progress instantly makes it incredibly easy to stop what you’re doing and get back to actual work. Not that I’m condoning that sort of behavior, of course.

$3.99

Game Dev Story

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-10-09 :: Category: Games

Zenonia 5
Much like Kairosoft, GAMEVIL also has the handy Save button down pat. Their action RPG series is plenty of fun and this most recent release is absolutely packed with features, and yet they’ve (thankfully) kept the one that makes it the easiest to play whenever and wherever. It’s comforting to know I can tap once to save and then bolt off of my train without having to worry about losing all that progress.

FREE!

ZENONIA® 5

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2013-01-10 :: Category: Games

The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) recently ran a competition in South Korea to help find some of the most intriguing upcoming titles from local developers, in order to help promote their gaming industry. Sixteen games were selected by the agency, and they will be released over the next 12 months, with titles being published by Gamevil and Com2us.

The first of these titles are Plants War, published by Gamevil, a strategy-RPG hybrid, and Cheese Please, a mousey puzzle game where players must try to eat the cheese in each maze, without dying from the many hazards present. The rest of the titles will range from arcade action titles like Dead City and KaTaNa. There’s Fruit Rush, a colorful puzzler with daily missions, and Sir Real, a 3D action RPG that will use the Unreal Engine. Even a selection of MMO titles will be involved: Astro Wars, King of Pirates, and Fantasy War, along with some social games like Golden Menu, Little Wizard, and Aqua Story. These games were all selected to show off the talent of the Korean game industry, trying to turn the country into a top worldwide content creator.

FREE!

Plants War

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-03-08 :: Category: Games

$0.99

Cheese Please

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2012-03-15 :: Category: Games

Mobile app developer GAMEVIL has released the 2012 edition of its annualized Baseball Superstars series, and this edition includes some significant updates. For one, the franchise has made a move to high-resolution graphics, taking full advantage of Retina display capabilities. For the first time, Baseball Superstars will also be a universal app, allowing players to play at full screen resolutions on their iPhone, iPod, or iPad.

Aside from its visual updates, Baseball Superstars 2012 also includes a few gameplay updates. New customization features let players design their team’s uniforms and logo just to their liking. The My Pitcher and My Batter modes have been enhanced to allow players to build their team’s stats and earn skill points. New tilt and gesture controls have been added, but the classic controls are still available. Rosters have also been updated with new Super Players and there are new missions and Game Center achievements.

Baseball Superstars 2012 is available now and free to play with additional content available via in-app purchase.

FREE!

Baseball Superstars® 2012.

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-01-26 :: Category: Games