I hadn't even thought about it, but sure enough, we're coming up on the end of the year, and there'll be quite a few iPhone titles in the running for best mobile game of the year. This certainly isn't the first year we've seen a nice crop of App Store picks coming out, but it's the best so far. One of my favorites, Samurai Puzzle Battle, isn't even waiting for the choices -- they've announced that they'll be releasing a Game of the Year edition very soon, with improved graphics and better online features.

The game itself is a Puzzle Quest-style mix of RPG and gem matching gameplay, with extra modes that allow you to play a full campaign, or just jump in and match some gems. It's a lot of fun, and I can't wait to see what the new version looks like. The update will be a free upgrade for current owners, and we haven't yet seen a price to buy outright (though it probably will be less than the original $4.99 price, probably closer to $1.99). I don't know that I'd choose the game for Game of the Year quite yet, but it's great to hear that a good game is getting better.