Tiny Tower

A "freemium" cult hit, Tiny Tower is a universal app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad that involves building and populating an ever-growing highrise. Much of the game involves waiting for stores to restock and construction to finish (you can pay in-app for extra "tower bux" to speed up processes, or simply wait), but it all somehow becomes far more addictive than you'd expect: a pixelated, retro-looking variant on FarmVille. Games sync between iPhones and iPads, allowing you to continue your well-invested progress. Best of all, the game counts your absences as time spent in-game: return several hours later, and that extra floor you bought might finally be completed.