In spite of the seeming limitation of having no physical buttons by default, iOS has a lot of really great platformers. Some of them get by with virtual controls, putting some of the burden on the player to simply get used to them. That's fine, but unless the game is a port from another platform, I'm not sure if it's really the best way to go. I think some of the best platformers on iOS are the ones that avoid the temptation of using virtual buttons and find a way to build a game around a more fitting setup. Sure, you have to sacrifice some of the conventional ways of designing levels and obstacles, but in doing that, many games find something new and interesting.

In the case of Super Cat Tales [Free], the latest from developer Neutronized and publisher FDG, that approach results in a fast-paced adventure that forces you to think about the walls nearly as much as the ground beneath your paws. The controls are very simple. Tap and hold the left side of the screen to go left, and the right side to go right. If you double-tap and hold, your cat will do a little dash, and if you dash off the edge of a platform, the kitty will jump. Walking into a wall will cause the little cat to start climbing up it as long as gravity allows, while pressing the opposite side of the screen will make your cat jump off the wall. That's basically it, though as you rescue your friends and unlock new abilities, you'll be able to do some new things with those moves. The cat you start with is an agil...