Back in 1991, when the original Another World was released, if you had told players they would be able to hold the game in their hands and play it with enhanced visuals using a full touch screen device, they would have laughed. Laughed in an "OMG THAT'LL BE AWESOME I LOVE THE FUTURE" kind of way. And now, with the iOS release of Another World, the prediction made by that creepy time traveler we met 20 years ago has come true!
Do Do EGG! (universal) - From Ponos, the same team behind Mr.AahH! and Mr.Ninja, comes a puzzle game that's just a little different than the others. Instead of swapping, matching, setting or tapping things to clear the board, your job is to break eggs by drawing lines through them. You can only break like-colored eggs, of course, but to do so, there has to be at least two eggs between them in the line. Once you get the hang of it, this opens the door to some massively creative chain reactions. It's got that spark of creative uniqueness that Bejeweled Twist and Yosumin! have, only this one's on iOS! There are several modes of play, but unfortunately they're only unlockable through achieving impressive high scores or in-app purchases, which is quite a bummer.
Hypership Out of Control (universal) - Insane, this game is. Really, really fast and insane. You know how shmups like to throw a lot of things at you at a rather quick speed? Well, imagine that being the central focus of a vertical shmup, but then imagine it being completely playable and enjoyable to a casual, mobile crowd. An arcade game in the most basic way, Hypership Out of Control puts you in the cockpit of a spaceship with no brakes (space brakes?), careening through the black collecting coins, shooting asteroids, nabbing power-ups, and avoiding things that make you go splat. The level design is by far the strongest aspect of this game, and expect some close shaves with moving blocks along with coin trails that attempt to lead you into a wall. A brilliant, crazy-fun game!
Another World - 20th Anniversary Edition (universal) - The 15th anniversary updated graphical release has been out on PC/Mac for some time now, but finally iOS gamers can see what all the fuss is about. This groundbreaking realistic sidescrolling adventure game by Eric Chahi is an exercise in storytelling and pacing. You play as Lester, a physicist teleported to an alien planet who is subsequently kidnapped. He escapes and meets an alien friend who helps him get out of the prison. With realistic-styled physics, including limited jumping, climbing, and combat abilities, the game in minimal in almost every respect. The cinematic storytelling is still breathtaking, even decades after its original release. The touch controls definitely take some getting used to on the iOS iteration, but the two-fingered swipe mechanic that allows you to instantly switch between retro and updated visual modes is a great way to compare the old and new styles.
Grand Prix Story (iPhone, iPod Touch) - Remember back in June when we reviewed Grand Prix Story for Android devices? Remember when everyone was all "iOS too, please"? Guess what? It's out! Same game, different platform, and if you're familiar with the other releases in the Story series (Game Dev Story, for example), you know just what to expect from this racing management/simulation game. There's no demo to try, but the price seems to be lower in most countries than its Android counterpart, so that's a worthy trade off. Besides, it's a Kairosoft game. You know you'll play it until your iPhone falls apart, don't you?
NOTE: Games noted as 'universal' have been designed for iPod Touch, iPad, and iPhone devices alike. Any game not listed for iPad will work on the system, but native full screen will not be present. Games listed may not be available outside of North America. Prices are subject to change and are therefore unlisted. Please see the individual game pages for purchasing info.
If any of you happen to have an Xbox 360, Hypership Out of Control is also available for the console as well! It takes some digging around, it's under the Indie Games section.
Another World is not a "sidescrolling" platformer...
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