Birds are the new zombies - everyone's making games about them. In Tiny Wings (for the iPhone), the avian of choice is an adorable, hopeful creature who dreams of flying every night because its wings are just too small to keep it aloft for long. In this "daring escape" game, the bird is running from the night, and you must help it get as far as possible before the sun sets and it falls asleep.
The mechanic is simple - tap the screen to make the bird pull in its wings and dive, then release to fly. You can then use the hills as ski ramps of sorts, swooping down one side of the valley and up the other to launch yourself into the air. By getting the timing right, you'll gain speed and soar through the sky as you travel from island to island. The goal is to see how far along you can get before the night catches up with you.
The gameplay is quick, which makes it ideal for iPhone play, simple to learn, and utterly addictive. Game Center integration is promised in a future update. The charming graphics and soundtrack make for a complete package, and at 99 cents, it's an easy recommendation.
You can find Tiny Wings at the iTunes Store.