Friday, November 21, 2008 East Central Illinois

Apple's iPhone offers plenty of options for gamers on the go

By Joel Leizer
Monday, August 18, 2008 2:32 PM CDT

If you think Apple's iPhone is just a telephone, Web browser, PDA, camera, GPS and mp3 player, you've got some more thinking to do.

According to video game developers, it – and the iPod Touch (an iPhone without the phone and camera) – is the newest major platform, with more than 400 games already released for the system. Of course, a large number of those are variations on casino games, crossword puzzles and Sudoku.

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I recently got my hands on an iPod Touch loaded with six titles released by Publisher X, an iPhone-specific development house. I've come away from the experience with impressions about that company's titles – and the iPhone as a gaming platform.

The iPhone

Equipped with a touch-screen, wireless Internet capability and a motion-sensitive accelerometer (it knows when it's being tilted or twisted), the iPhone has many tools that lend themselves well to gaming.

The touch-screen is accurate, responsive and seems adaptable to a wide variety of sensations, easily distinguishing between quick taps and prolonged strokes. But it's a magnet for smudges and smears, making hygiene a concern. Also, the lack of alternate inputs limits its versatility, especially in comparison with the Nintendo DS.

'Reel Deal Texas Hold 'Em' for the Apple iPhone offers a slightly stunted and unsatisfying poker experience for one player. By Publisher X

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A major handicap is that the battery drains quickly, which isn't good if you depend on this as a phone. My experience tells me that it will do quite well as a gaming platform, but it doesn't have the juice to beat the competition.

"Critter Crunch" ($7.99)

In this colorful puzzle game, you are a long-tongued toad thing in search of a good meal. Other creatures drop down from above, and you've got to grab them with your appendage, then feed small creatures to medium-sized ones and medium ones to big ones, setting up a color-based chain reaction that results in nourishment dropping to you. When your hunger meter fills, the level ends and you move on.

The action accelerates as you progress, with new power-ups and hazards increasing the challenge. There's also a separate, small puzzle mode, where you have to clear all the critters off a board in a limited number of moves. Verdict: Worth playing.

"Zen Pinball: Roller Coaster" ($4.99)

The controls work really well on this pinball game, with simple finger taps on the screen triggering the left and right flippers. And the camera can be linked to the iPhone's accelerometer, so tilting the device alters your view.

But the pinball table itself is horribly designed. Too many ramps and other obstructions clutter the layout and sabotage the pace of play. And so many safeguards are built in to help the player that it's almost more of a challenge to let the ball drop. Verdict: Not worth it.

"Reel Deal Texas Hold 'Em" ($4.99)

Despite the iPhone's Internet capabilities, this poker game has no online multiplayer; it's for one person against AI opponents. Those opponents play fairly well, but the lackluster presentation means there are no tells to read, which means no obvious bluffing or baiting. And the blinds don't grow as you play – unless you change them yourself – so the pressure doesn't increase. Verdict: Not worth it.

"Reel Deal Blackjack" ($4.99)

I love the realistic mechanics here. Double tap the screen for a hit; slide your finger over your cards to stay. Separate buttons pop up for splits and double downs. It's just a basic game of no-frills blackjack, but it seems like a good choice for wasting some time and honing your game. Verdict: Worth it.

"Reel Deal Video Poker" ($4.99)

Modeled after real video poker machines, there are three games to pick from: Jacks or Better; Deuces Wild; and Double Premium Poker. There's little to say about this game. It's a gambling simulator, not a true card game. Unless you are preparing to hit Vegas, it's just not fun. Verdict: Not worth it.

"Reel Deal Slots" ($4.99)

With three slot machines to choose from, you can pick up to 15 lines to play at a time, bet the max, and hit the play button over and over – without the possibility of payoff that makes the real game tolerable. Verdict: Not worth it.

Joel Leizer is The News-Gazette's assistant news editor and video game columnist. Contact him at jleizer@news-gazette.com.

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