The NHL season is well underway, World Junior’s are fast approaching and hockey poolies everywhere are deeply entrenched in the schoolyard shenanigans which seem to accompany sports related competitions. I recently reviewed NHL 2K11 for my iPod touch and got to thinking, how well is the hockey genre represented in the iPhone/iPod touch gaming market? I did a little research and found there are definitely some choices out there for gamers interested in hockey. With this in mind I present to you my top 10 hockey games for iPhone/iPod touch.

10 – Smack Hockey ($.99):

This one may seem like an odd selection to be included here, but it actually looks quite fun. Basic premise is that of air hockey, but instead of using the standard paddle to zoom the puck across the ice, this game requires you use guns for this task.....makes sense. It reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Homer uses his gun to turn off the TV. This game delivers power ups, enemies, and quality graphics and sounds to the hockey gaming world. Plus you’re playing against some military style opponent who seems to have a Russian General look about him. Good enough to make number 10.

9 – Hockey Allstar Shootout ($.99):

All you do in this one is score goals or get robbed, love it. Don’t expect NHL 2K11 style enjoyment in this game. Expect more of the, I need about 5 minutes of gaming action to distract me while I’m doing my business. No question this game could get old quickly, but it seems like the perfect game to keep around for the quick gaming fix. For me the quick win games for the touch are essential. The only thing I would change about this game is make it a freebie.

8 – Air Hockey Gold (free):

The iPod touch hockey gaming environment is littered with air hockey style games which all deliver similar products. Like most markets like this, vendors need to distinguish themselves in order to really be successful. Air Hockey Gold delivers some unique functionality in a quality game which sets it apart from the rest. A couple features I like were the ability to add two pucks to a game, the two player mode, and the quality of how the game is tailored for these devices. Throw in the latest OpenFeint integration and a price tag of free and we have ourselves a winner or at least a 7th palcer.

7 – Tic Tac hockey (free):

This game cracked me up. It’s like a basic air hockey style game, but instead of playing against the Russian General, you’re playing against a Tic Tac. That’s right, those little miracle breathe fresheners. Clearly this is a promotion endeavour for Tic Tacs, but it looks like they managed to deliver a quality game alongside some solid marketing. One of the other awesome features with this game was the ability to win a free t-shirt if you beat it. This was a while supplies lasted deal, so I can’t say whether there are any supplies left, but that was just a bonus on top of a great free game. Now get out there and kick that spearmint Tic Tac’s ass.

6-Hockey Trivia Lite (free):

This is the perfect hockey trivia game for the Canadian hockey fan. Not only does it deliver quality NHL trivia, there are also some CHL brain drainers in there. To those of you not familiar with Canadian hockey, the CHL is the league where the best young hockey players in the world go to play (although the NCAA has stepped up its game over the last decade). This game delivers hockey trivia in a multiple choice format and covers hockey stats, names, awards, dates, and so on. There are also a few questions thrown in related to hockey movies, which is great. If you’re looking for a way to show off your ability to quote every line from Slapshot, this game could provide you with that opportunity. The developer, Onteca, also offers a paid version of the game with even more questions for only $1.