Guinness World Records (iPhone)

It's a little known secret, but I'm actually Manchester's top bubble gum balloon blower. I'm also ranked highly worldwide for cockroach eating, as well as being the reigning national champion for having the most body piercings.

Well, I was the last time I checked my iPhone, anyway.

If the advent of having every device you own connected to the net from morning 'til night has achieved anything, then it's establishing worldwide leaderboards as a box every game likes to tick. For some reason, we all like to know just how well we fare against the globe's elite, even though the odds are utterly stacked against us.

It's very unlikely we'll be the best in the world at anything. Well, it was until Guinness World Records came along, anyway.

Travelers' Tales's world record breaking tie-in is designed to give everyone the chance to be the best in the world at something. Well, if not the best in the world then the best in your country, city, or even just the best on your phone. This is a game that never slams you for fouling up or ever wants to do anything but congratulate you.

Not that you're ever likely to take the records on offer too seriously, that is. Guinness World Records is packed full of 36 different mini-games, some of which are unlocked from the start while others have to be purchased with points earned from competition.

The game has you guiding an avatar to various outposts dotted around the planet, taking part in everything from sheep shearing to balloon popping. Each game comes with a brief set of instructions and statistics, noting the top score in your region, your country and worldwide. It's up to you to try and take your place at the top of the leaderboard.

Most of the games tend to be a question of speed, tapping the screen in a set motion, specific points, or simply as fast as you can. When it's good, it's very good.

Take the body piercing challenge, for example. Here you tap collapsing circles to pierce various parts of the body, the idea being to touch them as late as you possibly can to wrack up the highest score. It mixes quick reactions with patience with a hectic scramble to clear the screen before the circles disappear.

It's a prime example of how Guinness World Records uses simple ideas dressed up in a rather bright and wacky clothes to express the thrill of competition. Play is all about having another crack just to notch up a few extra points and win another accolade, even though all of the games on show here are, in reality, merely a bit of fun fluff.

It's a celebration sullied only by the odd dud, suggesting Guinness World Records over-extends itself a little. For instance, the video game challenge employs a top-down shooter with poor touch controls.

Your tiny spaceship is easily confused, often misreading single taps meant to fire your weapons for double-taps, which move you across the screen. Naturally, swapping one for another fires you directly into the enemy you're meant to be taking out. Do this a few times and it's Game Over.

Even so, I can't stress enough that it's only slight faults such as these that drag Guinness World Records down from being an absolutely essential iPhone purchase. When it's at its best, you could easily add a point or two to that glittering score at the bottom. Such heights, however, only serve to highlight the dips and troughs that come along randomly to spoil the party.

When the margins between becoming a world champion and remaining a nobody are so small, it's essential that each and every game's controls are spot on. The frustration that hits when they're not means Guinness World Records isn't quite a world beater right now, but it's in the race.