The first weekend of December will bring you a few free iOS games from Venan Entertainment. Ninjatown: Trees of Doom, Space Miner: Space Ore Bust, Space Miner: Blast and Book of Heroes are all free from now until the end of the weekend. The HD version of Space Miner is also free.

There are ninjas hidden away in the back of the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center at E3! Wee Ninjas! If you take the time to walk back there, you can see Venan Entertainment, a person in a Wee Ninja costume, an iPad with Ninjatown: Trees of Doom!, and maybe even Shawn Smith, the Shawnimals designer and creator of the Wee Ninjas.

While walking through Indiecade, I happened upon the booth and had to give it a try. (It was too cute to pass up.) Ninjatown: Trees of Doom! is simple, but also addictive. You are a ninja at the bottom of two trees. You must climb and jump your way up as high as you possibly can…

This is one dollar your won’t regret spending. Trees of Doom is features a little ninja dressed in all black that has to climb in between two large trees. This isn’t like all those bounce and tilt games that have exploded on mobile platforms. The ninja moves up the trees as you long press on the screen. You can swing from branches and obtain power-ups that help extend your climbing adventure.

Title: NinjatownPrice: $29.99System(s): Nintendo DSRelease Date: October 28, 2008Publisher (Developer): SouthPeak Games (Venan Entertainment and Cashmere Productions)ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Crude Humor and Mild Cartoon ViolencePros: Incredibly clever writer, unique art style, great game-play, wonderful characters and lots of options to win each level. Also it comes with a Ninjatown window cling!Cons: Later levels can get challenging and Master Ninja microphone activated powers are annoying.Overall Score: Two thumbs up, 95/100, A, **** 1/2 out of 5

I can’t get enough of Ninjatown. Even when I had to replay “The Loop” level in the Business District three times, because the various business devils kept speeding through my defenses, I still couldn’t bring myself to get annoyed with this incredibly charming and funny tower-defense strategic RPG based on the Shawnimal toys.

Ninjatown may not be perfect, but it sure comes close. It is delightfully challenging, has a clever script, adorable characters, lots of unit options and special abilities which can single-handedly turn the tides of battle. If it weren’t for the occasionally frustrating Ol’ Master Ninja powers, Ninjatown would easily have earned a perfect score.