Apple iPhone gaming at a glance

The iPhone (iTouch included). The single most innovative phone and iPod ever created. The multi-touch interface, the app store, the countless number of applications available, the Mobile-Safari browser, it is an amazing phone, an amazing iPod, and with the July 2.0 Update, is it an amazing handheld console?

 

On that July 11, many remember the rejoice that finally the long-awaited promises of the WWDC keynote promised. That day the iPhone 3G came out, the iPhone 2.0 update came out, the app store came out, the disastrous Mobile-Me service came out. Everyone who was alive that day will remember that, even though it was an amazing day, it was also the most frustrating day of the summer. That day, apple decided to magically make everything appear on their server. Do you get where I’m going? There was traffic for days ( I was lucky to get in on some goodies on the second day), but well, sooner-or-later there was relieve with that came the new app store.

 

The first few days of the App Store were unforgettable. About five different beer applications (get the free ones, they have the same effect, no beer, but you don’t have to pay), hundreds of flashlights (one in every color, and one in every pattern sure to make people get strokes), thousands of useless games, thousands of useless applications, and the few famous applications, like what is probably the most famous of them all. “I am rich”, “I am Rich” a completely useless application that does nothing but shoes people you have nothing going on in your life, oh, by the way, it is $999.99 USD. 

 

Yes the first few days of the app store were certainly fun. Then the rejections came, and a lot of applications went “poof” (Yes the “I am rich” app is gone, so if you won the lottery don’t plan on wasting it on this app). 

 

While there are a lot of games out there. I have to give you a guide, a guide for the technologically handicapped. A guide on the must have applications for iPhone.

 

 

 

 

Tap Tap Revenge

 

The iPhone Guitar Hero. This is very self explanatory. Guitar Hero, one of the most successful games of all video gaming history, gave off a rip-off-esque game “Rock Band”, inspired so many sequels and even cheap Chinese rip-offs (refer to ashen). The Tap Tap Revenge game is an amazing application that delivers a lot of frustrating fun. I love playing this game, well most people do anyway, this game is defiantly must get. It is hard to explain the game, but well, it is just way to fun to pass up, with the touch controls, with the ability to download new tracks, with all the challenges constantly being posted. It is a must. 

 

 

Namco-Bandai iPhone Classic games

 

You can not resist getting Pac-Man, you just can’t. Namco brings a lot of their classics to the iPhone. While I do not know how much they cost. And indeed, I do not know all the games, (I don’t have all of them) I can only recommend one thing. Get Pac-Man Lite. This is an amazing example of how these games work.

 

The controls range from D-Pad, Touch, or Tilt. I personally use the D-Pad and the Touch commands (try moving Pac-man through tiny little passages on a tilt control system) they are much easier. It is just amazing to play these classics on the iPhone.

 

Aurora Feint: The Beginning

 

This game is free, this game is challenging, this game is absolutely a perfect example of why the iPhone is so popular right now. This game was famous for being so perfect and being free. There has to be catch right? No. There is no catch, it is simply that amazing. It is a RPG, fantasy mixed with the essential puzzle game essentials. It is simply to entertaining, it has an amazingly simple and great control system. THE GAME HAS THE CHEASY RPG BACKGROUND MUSIC! There just has to be something bad about this game. It is really just too good to be true.

 

Jelly Car

 

You know how people say “Don’t trust a book by it’s cover”? Well this is exactly the case. When first seeing it I say five-star reviews, it was featured. It was everything but appealing. It just seemed ridiculous. Well I was proven wrong. I tried it, and became addicted to the fluid like motions, all controlled by your finger and tilt. It is hard to describe this game. It is simple, beautiful, complex and extremely difficult on a lot of levels. I would get this immediately it is just amazing once you actually play it.

 

Cowabunga

 

This game is hard on tilt so I just use the touch controls. Once I saw a cow jumping into a lake, I could not resist to get it. It is indeed all too cartoon like. It is fun and entertaining. The problem though is, this is one of the simples and most bland plots ever. “Save a cow from drowning”, well “Moo”.

 

Dizzy Bee 

 

This game was known for being a great amusement. It is fun it is so interesting. It has such a great plot. Oh by the way, it crashes the iPhone. Do I hear a “moo”? Why yes I do, the  cows are calling, I’ll go play cowabunga.

 

Hanoi

 

An ancient game reinvented a little with a twist for the 21^st century. If you want to entertain yourself (or frustrate yourself) moving coins, or even you don’t, please do. It is just so fun, so relaxing, so well hard on the latter levels. Get it, you will be caught playing over an over again.

 

Labyrinth 

 

It is Labyrinth on the iPhone. It is fun, cool and hard. Not much to say. I can only say “get it”.

 

Tetris

 

Do I even have to explain why? Good job EA.

 

Spore Origins

 

Here is one up for debate. While it is very entertaining and is much like the original Spore in terms of some goals. This version is also available on regular iPod. (the iPhone version is much better) Spore Origins is hard to explain other than it will be one of the single most addicting games you will ever play on the iPhone. It really is like playing a mini version of Spore.

 

Ipint

 

The Free Beer. Minus the real Beer. Really this is THE MOST POINTLESS app of all, but one of the best of all the apps, especially of all the many virtual beers out there. It’s a small world out there, with a lot of nice little apps to help like this to help you do less.

 

BubbleWrap

Pop the bubbles before time runs out. Who could have ever gotten that idea? And from where? Well anyways get it, it’s super fun. And now the winner of the best app is next.

 

The Best App out there for the iPhone is… “Moo”, no not that, anyways the best App out there for the the iPhone is.

 

 

 

Moto Chaser

 

It is the most over-used concept ever. Yet when the iPhone does it, it really comes alive. The tilting is just so much more realistic than what other games have. The game is just the most addicting thing out there, a true showcase of the ability that the iPhone has and generally one of the fun-est games out there. 

 

 

While it is still young, the iPhone is simply amazing as a console. The games are mostly 2-D-esque but I highly recommend you get one. The gaming experience is amazing.

 

(I will also post separate reviews on some of these games later.)