Let's Play Some Tablet Games

So you couldn't resist and bought yourself a tablet this year. Now it's time to get up close and personal with it, so it's a good thing I've been scouring the app stores for treasure. Whether you're sporting a brand new iPad or Android tablet, there is something here for the gamer in you, even if you don't know it yet. While some of these games are playable on your phones, you'll be much happier playing one of these five games on a device with more screen real estate. Or screen-estate as the cool kids say.

This is not your regular Angry Birds list. Why are there only five here? Because a magician never reveals all her secrets, and neither do I. At least not all at once.

This mind-blowingly beautiful, action RPG is great example of what happens when a computer game is ported to a handheld device the right way. Featuring all the voice acting, intense battling and gorgeous artwork without sacrificing too much of the feel of the original, Bastion is a delight to play. Our only problem? It's not available on Android.

For fans of strategy games out there, it doesn't get more challenging than the minimalist cosmic universe featured in Rymdkapsel. Nevermind that you're stranded in outerspace where everything is bizzarely color-coded, you are also tasked with building a home base. And you get to tell two pixels how to do it.

"Good evening citizens of Metamorphosis!" Or lovers of escape, secrets, suspense and all-round engaging stories. This stealth action game, three episodes of which have been released so far, tells the story of what happens when the Big Brother regime becomes a real thing you have to worry about. Hope is your only friend in this dystopian universe ... and also a well-developed main character. We don't expect any less from a game that was created by people who worked on Metal Gear Solid, Halo and F.E.A.R.

This one is for those who play well with (or against) others. A perfect party game for some good, old-fashioned tablet-sized fun. The aim here is to beat your opponents in the rise to fame by out-singing them. No, you don't actually have to sing. It's all done via the use of one button per player and the gameplay is a like bumper cars with big-bellied opera singers. It's all a bit ridiculous really, but a lot of fun. If you want things to get really crazy, play it drunk.

Leopold's story will melt your heart if his furry, greenish-blue cuteness doesn't. When the game gods were handing out character, Leopold got pretty much all of it. The googly-eyed star of this platformer may be small, but he's oh-so-brave. He's lost his fortune, and now he needs to reclaim it. With some insanely detailed, gorgeous graphics and great atmospheric music, this one is going to be hard to put down, so keep your charger close.

Okay, so I've cheated and added a #6. But it's not really a game. Don't start whining yet, because I am giving you a key. A key to a portable, retro arcade. Arguably, emulators are one of the best things (OK THE BEST thing) about owning a tablet. That's right. Emulators are an app you can install on your device that will enable you to access a plethora of games that are only available on older consoles. That's right, play NES, DS, PS1 and even old computer games on the go. If you've got expandable memory and a large memory stick, you can have it all. Here's a great guide for beginners .