iPhone games are great for holiday travel

— -- How to stay sane while traveling over the holidays?

Planes, trains and automobile rides can be a lot more palatable if you've got an iOS device with you - namely, an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad - as there are many thousands of great games to download at the iTunes App Store.

And for those who blew their budget of Christmas or Hanukkah gifts, the good news is these digital diversions are only about $1 or $2 apiece, if not free.

Whether it's for yourself or to reduce the "are we there yet?" questions from the kids, consider one or more of the following games to stay entertained.

Where's My Water?

(Disney Mobile; $0.99 cents; 4 stars out of 4)

One of the very best puzzlers of the year is "Where's My Water?," a fun and challenging physics-based game. Disney Mobile's first original game character, Swampy, stars as a friendly alligator on a quest to be squeaky clean. Except the poor scaly guy can't use his shower because the pipes are broken, bent or have other obstacles in the way, such as rocks, moss and acid. You must use your fingertip to guide the water through the level to help Swampy out. But the task is easier said than done. The game features many dozens of increasingly challenging worlds, cute graphics and music, and entertaining story sequences.

Breakout Boost

(Atari; free; 3 stars out of 4)

One of the most influential video games of the 1970s has made its way to the iPhone — with a few new tricks up its sleeve. Based on the classic "Breakout" brick-breaking arcade game, "Breakout: Boost" offers five free levels of play as you use your finger tip to move a paddle left and right and prevent a bouncing ball from hitting the ground. At the same time you'll need to destroy all the bricks on the board, get around obstacles and take advantage of various power-ups, such as multi-ball, paddle extender, laser blaster and fire balls (plus new ones like grenade and acid balls). Players can also pick up bonus points by speeding up the action. Be aware the five levels are over fairly quickly, but you can buy additional levels as an in-app purchase.

MinoMonsters

(MinoMonsters, Inc.; $0.99 cents; 3.5 stars out of 4)

Fans of "collect and battle" games like Nintendo's "Pokémon" will no doubt enjoy this anime-inspired adventure. "MinoMonsters" is a single and multiplayer strategy game that has you capture, train and battle various monsters, each with their own unique look, personality and combat style. The turn-based battles between teams take place over a huge kingdom, known as Zancardi. And while your MiniMonsters upgrade their skills through experience you'll also come across power-ups and candy, both of which can be used to take on more difficult creatures. The game also has you taking care of your monsters — by feeding and petting them — to keep their spirits up. There's also an option to purchase more credits to be used in the game's store.

Scribblenauts Remix

(Warner Bros.; $0.99; 4 stars out of 4)

"Scribblenauts Remix" is one of those rare gems that is easy to pick up but impossible to put down. As the game's hero Maxwell, your job per level is to type out words — an object, say, or a person — and when they materialize in the world they can be used to solve the puzzle in question. For example, one level challenges you and a friend to cross some water with a shark swimming in it. What to do? Type in "boat" and sail to the other side. Or "jetpack." Or "bridge." Or "bomb" and kill the shark before swimming across. Because you get to decide how to solve each puzzle, it helps kids (and kids at heart) flex their imagination, and no two games may play out the same way. A recent update adds holiday items and voice support for iPhone 4S (say what you want to appear in the world), and more.

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Contact Saltzman at techcomments@usatoday.com.