iOS Gaming Watch List: Inferno+, Soctics League and Little Things Forever

We're taking a look at the most promising iPhone and iPad releases for May 31, 2012.

Each week the iOS Gaming Watch List will inform you of some noteworthy releases coming to the App Store. Major releases tend to hit on Thursdays, so we'll be coming at you every Wednesday with the games to look out for, as well as some of the bigger content updates on the way. While this won't be a comprehensive list of games releasing for a given week, it does offer a quick selection of games and upates that show promise or look interesting for one reason or another. Worth noting that we have not played many of these games, so you shouldn't take these as short reviews. Think of this more like a helpful guide of games to investigate as they launch on Thursday.

Unfortunately, since these are pre-release games, App Store links are not available, but if you search for the title within the App Store tomorrow, it should pop up.

The App Store has way more Geometry Wars-looking games than one could possibly consume in a lifetime. And yet, this one looks pretty cool! Much slower than the classic dual-stick shooter, Inferno+ is more about strategy and character advancement than it is about reflexes. The trailer below is actually slower than the real game will be, but it's still not a mad, crazy dash to wipe out all the shapes on screen. The developer describes it as Gauntlet meets Geometry Wars, which sounds about right to me. (Universal app, launching at $2.99)

Update: As a consequence of writing this feature a day before these games are released, we, from time to time, get a certain aspect wrong about a given game. In this case, Soctics League, while being turn-based, does not allow for asynchronous multiplayer. Each player is given just 16 seconds to play their turn.

Original: Simultaneous multiplayer on iOS devices can be hit or miss, especially when it comes to coordinating with friends to play at the exact same time. This may be why turn-based games like Words with Friends have flourished.Soctics League hopes to bring that same concept to, surprisingly, soccer. Instead of real-time matches, each player picks their teams' moves, one at a time. The goal is still the same, but the pace is completely different. (iPhone app, launching at $0.99)

Speaking of simultaneous multiplayer on iOS... it seems the best way to do it is to jam multiple people around the same device. Ring Fling allows for up to four, playing flick battles that remind me of my childhood days, playing Crossfire. Remember the commercial? "You get caught up in the... CROSSFIRE!" Anyway, this might be a nostalgia pick, but it does seem like a fun way to liven up a waiting room. (Universal, launching at $1.99)

Ok, bonus points for an exceedingly mind-bending trailer. Little Things Forever is the sequel to the popular iOS release,Little Things. Same concept here: You're trying to find objects hidden inside larger objects. Hardcore gamers might scoff, but if you've got a kid under the age of five, or you've had a few too many drinks, this will definitely grab some attention.(Universal app, launching at $3.99)