Daily iPhone App: Brawl

Ben Brode is a game designer at Blizzard Entertainment who has created an iOS card game called Brawl (we're still waiting for iOS games from Blizzard, by the way). Brawl is actually based on a real card game, and unlike most turn-based card games, this one's played in real time (similar to Spoons, if you've ever played that one, in that you simply lay down cards as fast as you can). The basic idea is that you pile up cards of a certain color as you pull them off of a bigger deck, and then you can claim or cancel "bases" laid out on a field.

The game can be a little tough to get the hang of (though there's a pretty solid tutorial to play through), but after you get it, it's pretty simple to play. It's also tough to master, however. There are a few different decks to play with, and while they may seem similar at first, there's actually a lot of strategy in choosing to either block a base or clear it out at the right time. It's a fun mix of cards and fighting games, and of course playing the game on iOS makes for a nice representation of the action.

There's local and online Game Center multiplayer support, and while the game comes with three decks, you can buy more via an in-app purchase. The art's 2D and simple, but it looks great, and the game runs well -- just as solid as you'd expect from someone with Blizzard experience. Brawl's available right now as a universal version for free, and the other decks in the game can be picked up for $1.99 each.