Upcoming iPhone games: Gnu Revenge, Cubemen, and more

Every Friday, we like to finish off the week by looking ahead and talking about the iPhone and iPad games that are just over the horizon.

Unless you're some kind of astrophysics genius (or you've been reading our comprehensive game guide), you'll probably still be beak-deep in Angry Birds Space come next week.

But, if you've got some spare time between killing pigs, or - gasp! - you're not an Angry Birds fan, there are some interesting games to look forward to next week. Here's what's coming...

Note: Dates, prices, and features are subject to change at the whim of the developer and Apple's approval team. Dates were correct at time of publication.

On the Wind
By Don't Step on the Cracks - out in March (source)

This blustery indie game from David Buttress looks like it takes inspiration from thatgamecompany's Flower. In both games, you play as a gust of wind, whirling through picturesque landscapes and leading a fleet of flower petals (or tree leaves).

And in the bright summer day stages, On the Wind will certainly feel like Flower. Relaxing, meditative, and arty.

But, as the season shifts from summer bloom to winter gloom, this iOS game takes an entirely different turn. The game speeds up, a brutal difficulty curve rears its head, and you'll need some smart finger work to beat each level.

It's now more akin to Jetpack Joyride or The Helicopter Game, where your reflexes and wits are tested on every section.

It's got a really arresting art style, with pastel backdrops, pitch-black levels, and brightly coloured leaves. Working together, they make a game that's gorgeous and effortlessly easy to follow. The game also has a dynamic soundtrack: there's an omnipresent ambient wind, but you add chimes and noises by collecting leaves and sprouting flowers.

Developer Don't Step on the Cracks has submitted the app to Apple - it's now just a case of waiting for the Cupertino massive's approval.

Cubemen
By Three Sprockets - out on March 29th (source)

I can't decide whether Cubemen is a strict tower defence game or more of an RTS. On the one hand, you do fend off waves of enemies by plopping down defensive units. But, more like a real-time strategy game, your units move about the battlefield.

They don't just pop out of the ground like towers. Cuboid soldiers spawn at your base and casually saunter over to their designated position. Not happy with a unit's placement? Just tap on his little boxy head, and you can tell him to go stand somewhere else.

In Skirmish mode - a one-on-one game against AI or a multiplayer opponent - it really feels like a strategy game. Both players have towers, and both players control single-file lines of low-level cannon fodder. But, you also get to choose stronger units and place them in tactical positions.

By borrowing the best bits of tower defence and the most delicious parts of real-time strategy, Cubemen expertly straddles the line between the two genres. We can't wait to play it.

Oh, and the game's multiplayer mode is cross platform, too. You can go head-to-head with gamers on PC and Mac, and perhaps decide once and for all which is the best tool for tactics: a mouse or a touchscreen.

Cubemen will require an iPad 2 or the new iPad. The game will sport high-resolution art for the latter's Retina display at launch.

Gnu Revenge
By BulkyPix - out on March 29th (source)

What's that game where you fire an animal into interstellar space, then use the gravitational tug of nearby planetoids to warp the animal's trajectory?

Nope, not Angry Birds Space.

We're talking about Bulkypix's Gnu Revenge, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Rovio's latest smash hit. It's almost the exact same setup: just replace the birds with gnus, and swap the pigs for crocodiles.

Awesome timing, guys.

But, anyway, Gnu Revenge does have some fresh ideas. Moving meteorites mean you'll have to time your ungulate launches carefully, and black holes are obviously something to avoid. The game comes with 72 levels spread across four different corners of the cosmos.