We’ve previously written about the artistic side of iPhone games, and now it seems they’re taking a turn for the political.

Startup game company Yanki revealed that it’s awaiting Apple approval for Pay2Play: Illinois Governor Edition. The clear rip on Rod Blagojevich is a Drug Wars-style hustle, where players pay off various unions while earning money through the sale of cushy jobs, government contracts and, of course, senate seats. There’s even a nod to Alcopop, the fruity drink whose depiction Illinois banned from kid-centric video games earlier this year. Hopefully Apple will give this one the nod.

The news comes a week after Persuasive Games unveiled Jetset: A Game For Airports, a satirical TSA simulator that requires constant adaptation to changing security rules. It’s actually a remake of the 2006 game Airport Security, designed by the same studio, but with some twists for the mobile device. In addition to the usual hunting for banned items, such as pressurized cheese and toothbrushes, players can unlock souvenirs by playing the game in specific airports. The prizes are then shareable through Facebook and downloadable into the iPhone’s Snowglobe app.

These offerings fall into the categorization of “Serious Games” — those which strive for some meaning or statement beyond just entertainment value — and I never pegged the iPhone as a host for the genre. There’s no guarantee that either of these titles will be “fun,” per se, but they at least get you thinking about current events within gaming’s problem solving framework.

 
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