The games section on Apple's App Store is like an open democracy on the brink of anarchy. The glut of games that try to grab your attention can be a little jarring for those whose only wanted to kill 10 minutes of their day. Luckily, Apple has provided various lists to separate the standout titles in its helter-skelter ecosystem. Yet even here, from one week to the next, games that are at the top of the bestseller list are quite regularly dethroned by copycats undercutting prices and dooming the original inspirations into obscurity. However in the past couple of weeks, two games have shown to be an exception.

Plants vs. Zombies and Final Fantasy have been on top of the best-selling games list for a few weeks now. It was recently reported from Pop Cap (Plants vs. Zombies's developer/publisher) that the iPhone version had grossed more then $1 million. Also, considering Final Fantasy is not that far back in sales, it is not that much of a stretch to believe that it too has acquired similar numbers. To say games like Plants vs. Zombies or Final Fantasy are not your usual iPhone games would be a bit of an understatement. So what makes these games so special? The answer lies in the philosophy behind their design. Continue Reading »