So, for some unknown reason, App Store developers have started slashing their prices going into this weekend. I’m not one to ever complain about discounts, and I’m always happy to share any great deals I’ve found. First of all, credit where credit is due: several of these deals came to me from AppShopper.com (I use their app to keep a wish list of apps and I get an email whenever any go on sale), as well as AppAdvice.com (which is an excellent source of news for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad apps).

First up: Final Fantasy! Both FINAL FANTASY and FINAL FANTASY II went on sale this week for 55% off ($3.99 each), which is the cheapest I’ve ever seen them. I spent many, many hours with the original Final Fantasy for NES when I was younger and I’m happy to say that playing it on my iPhone brings me every bit as much joy as it did when I was a child. While having to tap each selection is not as fast as simply tapping the A button over and over, the graphics, the music, and the mild gameplay tweaks make the game entirely worth the extra attention I have to give the game. While Final Fantasy II is sometimes a bit confusing to navigate (I found myself lost a few times as I tried to remember what clue I was given as to where to go next), a quick web search and I was back on track. Plus, it’s the first Final Fantasy to have an honest to goodness narration, and one of the more unique leveling systems in any Final Fantasy game. I highly recommend both games.

Now, with the JRPG section out of the way, lets move on to some of the other great deals available from Cyan Worlds. You should recognize the name, as they are the company that produced one of the first CD-ROM games ever, and the bestselling game of its era. I’m talking about Myst, which is currently on sale for $1.99 to celebrate the release of their latest title: Stoneship. Cyan Worlds has another iPhone game on sale that is one of their classic titles that came before Myst called The Manhole: a point and click adventure about following a bunny into an underground world of adventure (or something like that, it looks bizarre but has excellent reviews).

Continuing in the adventure game genre, both of the classic LucasArts Monkey Island titles are on sale for $0.99. The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition has completely redesigned graphics and sound and is identical to the Xbox Live Arcade title of the same name. Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge got the same treatment as the first, and both are excellent games. If you’ve never played them, you should give them a chance, as they’re extremely entertaining, and very witty. If you have already played them, you should definitely play them again.

Next up, a first-person shooter favorite: Archetype. Designed from the ground-up for the iPhone as a multiplayer-only FPS, it is quite popular, and has been slashed to $0.99 in celebration of the release of Archetype HD for iPad. Even better, the game uses an auto-shoot mechanism that makes it much easier for FPS-newbies to get started.

And now I’ve got some great $0.99 titles to share with you.

  • Osmos for iPhone – I can’t really describe it, so instead just watch this video here.
  • Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor – A highly-acclaimed puzzle-platformer with gorgeous graphics and truly unique gameplay. You seriously should NOT miss out on this deal.
  • Peggle - PopCap’s Super-awesome pachinko-style game. I bought this game when it first came out and was very happy with it. For $0.99 it’s an absolute steal for the amount of gameplay you get.
  • Star Wars: Cantina – A restaurant/time-management sim game wherein you must focus on taking orders and delivering them quickly and correctly. There are plenty of games out there that follow this mechanic, but this one takes place in Mos FREAKIN’ Eisley. A more wretched hive of scum and villainy, you will not find on iOS.
  • Civilization Revolution – If you like any of the Civilization games, you’ll enjoy this iPhone version of the classic series. Play as a variety of leaders throughout history as you attempt to conquer the world and crush your enemies. It’s currently 85% off, so you have no excuse not to pick this one up.
  • Bookworm – Another PopCap classic, this one is a word game. I can’t count the number of hours my beautiful wife has spent on this game.
  • Doom II RPG – This one went on sale recently and I picked it up then. I’ve recommended Wolfenstein RPG to just about anyone that’s ever asked my opinion on iPhone games and I don’t know anyone that was disappointed in the purchase. Doom II RPG follows the exact same formula and is a blast for fans of American-style classic RPGs.
  • Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – One of the earliest iPhone games based on a big-name title uses a rather unique gameplay method of drawing symbols on the screen to trigger Force powers and progress through the game. I felt it was overpriced at its original price point, $0.99  is perfect for this rather simple game. Unfortunately, the game is rather choppy on the iPhone 4, but works great on my son’s 2nd gen iPod touch running iOS 4.1.
  • NHL 2K11 – This one I haven’t played yet, but reviews of the game indicate that it’s a pretty solid game. Personally, any hockey game that I can play on-the-go is a solid investment. Especially for a dollar.

And now for some $1.99 games.

  • Hills and Rivers Remain – A tactical strategy game from SQUARE-ENIX, I have been watching this game for a price drop for some time. Likely due to the same sale on the Final Fantasy titles mentioned above, this game is at the lowest price I’ve seen yet.
  • Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night – Similar in style to Dr. Mario, this game follows a story similar to that of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, but requires you to compete against AI villains in a head-to-head puzzle game to advance from room to room.
  • Command and Conquer Red Alert – Command and Conquer with a touch interface. I honestly can’t explain it better than that. One of the best RTS games for iOS.
  • Vanguard Storm – A unique defense game that requires you to position various units on a grid to do the most damage to oncoming enemies while protecting your units from taking damage, as well. Here’s an excellent video that demonstrates the gameplay.
  • Star Wars: Trench Run – Fly an X-Wing. Attack TIE Fighters. Destroy the Death Star. Oh, and you can even take on Imperial starships using the turret of the Millennium Falcon. Why are you still reading this?! GO BUY THIS GAME!!!

Okay, that about wraps it up. There are lots of other games that are on sale, but I just don’t have the time to list all of them here. You can check out more of them over at AppAdvice here.