Zombie outbreak training on the iPod

The iPod Touch/iPhone have become one of the leading platforms for portable games. But some of these games are a little bit more than a fun way to pass the time...they are a way to prepare oneself for an inevitable zombie outbreak. My two favorite training simulations are Zombieville and Zombie Smash!

Zombieville USA

Zombieville is an awesome little platformer--you pick from seven different characters and then run through progressively difficult levels, blasting and chopping through a variety of zombies. The animations are cartoonish but smooth and fun. Zombies die in a wide variety of ways, all fun to see. As you go through the game, you forage for ammo and cash to upgrade your gear--you start out with a simple pistol and a baseball bat, and move up through shotguns, machineguns, flame throwers, grenade launchers, katanas and so on. The varied arsenal is fun, and gives you anti-zombie trigger time on weapon systems not available to the average citizen. There are several different zombies, from fast moving "runners" to tough but slow ones. Gameplay gets progressively faster and the hordes coming after you get bigger and more deadly. Lots of fun, though I got tired of the game after getting to 1982 zombie kills and to level 31. One of the best games that I've played on the iPod touch, and definitely the best zombie-slaying game/simulation that I've seen.
Zombieville USA >

Zombie Smash!

In Zombie Smash! you learn the much-needed skills involved in defending a remote cabin from hordes of the undead. Zombie Smash is a castle defense game, where you use your fingers/thumbs to fling enemies around the screen, smash them into stuff, and otherwise pulverize them. It's the best castle defense game that I've played, and you get to defend against dirty undead. Game play gets fast and furious, with a wide variety of zombies and special attacks (wrecking balls, giant bricks, guns, meteor showers, etc.) to keep things interesting. Zombie Smash! is good for a quick game play session, allowing you to hone your undead slaying skills while waiting around. There are lots of power ups, special attacks and different modes to unlock. Animations are spot-on; the zombie smashing/throwing physics are cartoonish but lots of fun to play around with. I'm not sure why the title has an exclamation point in it, but ! I suppose anything! about zombies deserves! some special! emphasis!
Zombie Smash! >