Classic arcade side-scrolling shoot-em-up R-Type II has just been released with full MFi controller support.
R-Type II (and its predecessor, which was recently updated for controller support) are true classics. Released in the 1980s, they set a very high watermark for what airplane shoot-em-ups should be, with advanced weapons, tons of power ups, giant bosses, beautiful graphics, and challenging level design.
This new port comes with all of the features youâd want out of a great iOS app. Smooth framerate, Game Center leaderboards and achievements, universal iPhone and iPad compatibility, and both Standard and Extended controller support.
For shoot em up fans, and for fans of classic arcade games, R-Type II is an easy recommendation.
Apple 2013 Game of the Year Badland has been updated for MFi controller support. This joins the also excellent game of the year runner-up Impossible Road in supporting controllers.
For those of you who havenât played it, Badland is a real treat. Top quality graphics, engrossing presentation, and brilliantly simple gameplay. Badland is a 1-button game – press the button, your character flaps into the air and moves forward a little bit. Fly higher and fall lower, avoid traps, collect power ups, and navigate your way to the exit. This is made more difficult by the camera, which moves forwards every time you flap – if you fall behind the camera, you lose.
One of the things that separates this game from a glorified Flappy Bird is the swarm aspect. Along your way to the end of the level, youâll meet up with other little guys – clones of your character. Each one you collect joins you on your way towards the goal. Some puzzles require multiple characters to complete, but finishing a level only requires one guy. The rest are expendable – and they will be lost on your way to the exit. Think of it the way the multiball works in pinball games.
Badland didnât require controller support to be amazing. Heck, Apple gave it their iPad Game of the Year award, based on only touch controls. With that said, physical controls DO make for a better experience here. Having your finger block the display on the iPhone made the game needlessly difficult – hardware controls fix that issue. Twitch-response controls are easier with a button to press, even on the iPad.
Even without touch controls, Badland is an excellently crafted iOS experience. Brilliant graphics, Game Center achievements, multiplayer modes, iCloud sync, full retina graphics, great sound and music – everything here is lovingly crafted, and makes excellent use of the technologies enabled by iOS. Beyond that, though, Badland is just a great game. This is easily worth the asking price, and a strong recommendation.
Any Landing, the newest game from longtime iOS developer Strange Flavour (Flick Fishing,Grunts,Slotz Racer), just hit the App Store with full MFi controller compatibility. Some of their other iPhone games will be updated for MFi controller support. The self-published SlotzRacer games and Apple Bob are confirmed, with a rereleased self-published version of Grunts a possibility.
The Moga Ace Power controller has been reduced in price from $99.99 to $79.99 USD.
The Moga Ace Power was the first MFi controller to his the shelves, and although controllers from SteelSeries and Logitech have subsequently been released, the Moga controller is still the best for iPhone gamers looking to play games with the Extended control layout. Some quality control issues aside, I can certainly recommend the Moga, especially at this new price.
The Moga Ace Power is the best way to play FPS games on an iPhone
Although the controller is still listed for $99.95 at Apple’s Store now, you can purchase it direct from Moga at the new price. Hopefully Apple’s will change to reflect the price drop soon.
Rayman Fiesta Run is a difficult game to review. The components for a truly great game are here. The graphics are beautiful, the music and sound excellent, the levels challenging and fun, the content plentiful. Its the way these components are assembled that cause Rayman Fiesta Run to fall as flat as it does, and makes this as disappointing an experience as it is.
Unlike itâs console and computer brethren (and an earlier, now-discontinued Gameloft game release), the newer iOS Rayman games are simplified response-based platformers. Your character automatically runs from one side of the screen to the other, with your control over the action focused on correctly timing jumps, attacks, and other maneuvers.
As Rayman, you run from the beginning of the level to the end at a fixed speed. Along the way, you must must dodge enemies, collect as many collectables as possible, jump from platform to platform, and eventually perform more difficult maneuvers with the use of power ups and new abilities. While this plays well within the confines of a touch screen environment, the addition of controller support makes the game much more fun. Timing jumps becomes easier, combining multiple button presses is less frustrating, and most importantly, it is easier to see where youâre going without fingers obscuring the screen.
With that said, playing Rayman Fiesta Run with a gamepad just hammers home how far away this is from a true Rayman game, especially to those whoâve played Rayman Origins or Rayman Legends. This mobile outing simply doesnât have anywhere near the care and heart put into it that the full games do. Whereas the full games are beautifully balanced, thoughtfully assembled experiences, this mobile game feels somewhat soulless. The world map, and most of the menus, have multiple Facebook buttons covering them, with the developers attempting to bribe players in in-game currency for spamming their friends about the game on Facebook. The console games have music tracks carefully paired with level themes, whereas this mobile game randomly pairs songs with unrelated levels. Pop-up ads, in-app currency purchasing, social spam, ads during loading/pause screens – this isnât a game made by people who have much respect for their customers, or their own creation.
Rayman Fiesta Run is fun, but so are manyotherplatforminggamesworthplaying – games that that treat their players with more respect. For those who absolutely must have any platforming game, or any game with Rayman in it, this is worth a buy. For the rest of us, there are better iOS games to spend time on. The recent console and Mac Rayman Games are nothing short of platforming masterpieces – sadly, this isnât one of those games. This is a mobile tie-in, with all that entails.
Final Fantasy III has been updated for widescreen iPhone compatibility and controller support. This game was originally released in Japan in 1990, and only officially made its way to the rest of the world in 2006 (Final Fantasy VI was released stateside in the 90s and confusingly titled Final Fantasy III – the App Store releases of these games correct that issue).
I have to say, I really, really like this game. LaterFinalFantasygames have more complicated stories, a more fluid battle system, more developed characters – theyâre great games, and deserve the praise they get – but something about Final Fantasy III appealed to me from the minute I played it.
The story is much simpler than future Final Fantasy games would later become famous for. An evil enemy has stolen 4 crystals and put the world into danger, forcing your band of 4 heroes to find the crystals, fight the bosses, and save the day. Along the way youâll see flying ships, magic crystals, evil bosses, underground cities, mountain peaks, giant castles – all familiar RPG tropes, and all make early appearances here. The combat gameplay is handled via a very traditional turn-based RPG battle system. Future Final Fantasy games introduced the more fast paced and complex Active Time battle system, which increased the tension of combat by bringing in some real-time components. Personally, I prefer the simpler turn-based system of Final Fantasy III – not only is it less confusing, but it fits perfectly with the confines of a mobile platform.
The Job system – a feature that would become famous in later Final Fantasy games – makes its debut in this game. Rather than assigning you party members with predetermined specialities, the Job system allows you to collect various Job cards you can assign to each of your 4 characters, allowing you to build a party with exactly the abilities you want. You choose the number of healers, swordsmen, mages, hunters, etc. based on your own personal style. It was a major innovation to the RPG genre, and one that would only resurface in the Final Fantasy series a few games later.
Graphics are one aspect that Final Fantasy III excels at much more than the other iOS titles – with the exception of Final Fantasy IV, other iOS Final Fantasy games feature two-dimensional graphics and blurry sprites. This game features new, completely 3D graphics reminiscent of PlayStationeraRPGs – games I have a particular affinity for.
In addition to the recreated 3D (retina!) graphics, this port includes some gameplay rebalancing, additional areas and quests, rewritten English dialog, more distinct characters with individual personalities, and improvements to the famous Job system. The amazing, memorable soundtrack sounds better than ever, thanks to the improved storage capacity and quality of audio on iPhones, versus the consoles this game was originally available for.
This port isnât quite as fully featured as Square Enixâs later iOS ports. While future Final Fantasy games include universal iPhone & iPad compatibility, Game Center achievements, and even iCloud support, this game misses all of those things. The iPad version is also a separate download with a separate price tag, and currently lacks retina resolution or controller support. With any luck, itâll be upgraded soon.
Controller support in this game is adequate, and better than playing with the touch screen. All controllers work, though only the d-pad registers for movement. Button arrangement is a little strange by default, with configured as the action button. This can be changed in the settings.
Even with the high price tag and occasional missing feature, Final Fantasy III for iOS is the best version of an absolutely amazing game. For fans of Final Fantasy games, or RPGs in particular, this is a strong recommendation.
Crazy Snowboard – also available in pro and lite versions – just received a significant update, bringing MFi controller support and significantly improved graphics.
This game is a perennial iOS favorite. I remember first beating this game when it was tied to the plus+(!) gaming network, before Game Center was even on Appleâs horizon.
Downhill snowboarding fits nicely within the constraints of iOS. The pre-set level length keeps things short and to the point; you can jump in and play for short bursts, or complete a few missions in a row over the course of a longer session. The game itself is packed with content and iOS features, with smooth gameplay, solid graphics, tons of unlockable content, 30 missions – thereâs a lot to keep you entertained here.
Sonic CD was just updated for controller support. Many people – especially those of us who grew up in the 90s – are familiar with the classic Sonic games for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. Sonic 1, Sonic 2, and Sonic 3 (and Knuckles) were some of the best designed, most intense, and most fun platforming games ever made. The game people might not be so familiar with is Sonic CD
Sonic CD was a real, true, top-quality Sonic game made exclusively for the Sega CD console – an expensive and unnecessary expansion pack for the Genesis that sold poorly and was eventually discontinued. The relative rarity of the Sega CD meant that this classic Sonic game went undiscovered by the majority of Sonic fans for many years. Only recently, within the past few years, was an updated port made available for modern consoles (and the iPhone) for the first time.
This port is superior to the original in every way. Widescreen graphics, smoother framerate, tighter controls, slightly tweaked sprites, save states – the game is improved across all fronts. At the same time, itâs loaded with extras, like new characters, achievements, region-specific soundtracks and graphics – itâs a Sonic fans dream. Game controller support brings the iPhone version on par with the excellent console releases, and makes this a true must buy.
If youâre a fan of the classic Sonic games who never got around to playing this one, youâre in luck. Itâs a classic game from a classic franchise, and itâs every bit as good as its more famous siblings. This version is the best one yet, and itâs a must-buy for Sonic – or classic game – fans.
Sonic The Hedgehog just received its long-awaited controller support update. To a number of us who grew up on Sega games, Sonic still has the power to conjure up strong, happy memories. Most of his recent outings havenât been so great, but the classic games are STILL masterpieces of game design.
The iOS ports are by far the best versions ever released, with added widescreen support, Game Center achievements, save states, ultra-smooth framerates – everything youâd want, with one notable exception: physical controls. Sonic is a hard game, and the touchscreen didnât do it any favors. Now, with this update, that problem is finally remedied. This is likely the best version of Sonic The Hedgehog ever made – fans of the series, and of platforming games in general, should download it immediately.
One of the genres of game that has proven exceedingly difficult to execute well for a touch screen has been Fighting games. The StreetFightergames, Soul Calibur, and a few others managed to be playable on lower difficulties, but just barely. One of the promises of official iOS game controllers was that difficult games like these could be made much more playable. It seems like a great fit – the type of hardcore gamer who becomes deeply invested in fighting games would also be a likely candidate for a physical iOS controller. Although several games have been updated for controller support, the number is perhaps not as high as I would have expected.
Beyond Fighting 2 enters the arena as the latest iOS fighting game challenger to support game controllers. Unfortunately, itâs just not that great of a game. With a massive 800 megabyte file size and superficially nice looking 3D graphics, the game promises a premium experience. In practice, it plays more like a tech demo. The menus are clunky, and donât support physical controls; the 3D character models are actually flattened to 2D sprites, similarly to how some fighting games were made before Tekken 1 came out in 1994; the physics are floaty, with the jump button sending your character in the air without a matching animation; and the music and sound effects are off balance and repetitive.
Serious fighting game fans who donât mind spending the time or the space on a download this huge might as well give Beyond Fighting 2 a shot – itâs free to try, and controller support is adequately implemented. For everyone else, there arebettergamestospendyourtimeplaying.
