So, How Many IPhone Games Are There?

Actually the RPG's that are available are the best bang for your buck and are actually quite amazing. I just got one the other day, Zonovia, its only 5 bucks and it is 40 hours of gameplay similar to zelda. It is fantastic.

Christian Lampart

Just remove the whiskers from Mario, and change the mushrooms to slimes, there, a New Super Sario Adventure!!

tingyu

@Islandkiwi: Yeah, there ARE some awesome games on there, though, too. I have an iPhone and I don't think I'd ever consider buying a DS or a PSP because there's some quality games that are better than games on either system.

But yeah, a good chunk of games are pure junk. I'm just happy the good ones float to the top.

PapiJump and Tetris

All I need.

@nico1606: I didn't even notice teh Shen Mue there until I read your comment... Hahaha... Painful.

@Badmofo: No, I LOVE on-rail shooters. Umbrella Chronicles is one of my Top 10 Wii Games. I just was expecting more from an on-rails Doom game....

well thanks to apple's iphone ability to play games, I'm very happy to have gameloft stocks :p

Lupin

@Kujen: Yeah I know that was the first thing I noticed taking a closer look at that screen shot. Is that for real or just some mockery?

@ThursdayNext: thank you! l2 Gremlins, Plunkett...jeesh

kobeashi

I just got a 32gig Iphone and love it. I didn't get it for games as they're bland. But I do love the music apps like drums, keyboard, synth. There are really no games that are worthwhile!

choyt80

@Falsoman: Thanks for the World of Tunes tip Falsoman! That game looks great, and plays great. The chick will most definitely like it.

@ThursdayNext: No problem!

I don't even know if i'm ever gonna release anything since i'm more of a DevCurious than a fabulous 24/7 developer. But i'm doing my best because I have some ideas and not a lot of money!

@sereal: But that's like complaining that microsoft doesn't do Visual Studio for OSX, and i'm not sure, but i would asume that there are no official Dev Kits for OSX or Linux to make apps on WinMo.

And again ANYONE who is serious about developing software for ANY platform will not be complaining for a 600 dollars entry fee, even more so if it's about games. Just ask the World of Goo guys, who's ultra cheap to develop game cost more than 90 grand.

Even if you are interested in making flash games there's a 500 dollars entry fee, not counting the operating system and the computer.

AAAAND lets not forget that if you learn to develop software for the iPhone/iPod you are also aquiring the capacity to develop OSX software.

make that 1,3001. I am making one right now.

@Koda89: I liked Resident Evil: Unbrella Chronicles as well, loved it. Great with a friend. Maybe you didn't like that either and it just isn't your genre.

I didn't even "pirate" Doom, I actually bought it (was starting to feel guilty).

@Falsoman: Cool, thanks for clarifying. Sounds like a good system. That's what I love about this place, there's always someone who knows.

ThursdayNext

@Agumen: Editors seem to be thinking think the iphone is the best gaming platform since the gameboy.

sereal

@Falsoman: The problem is that your being forced into stuff you should be in order to develop and run apps on your target platform. Your basically saying "it's not so bad, it could be worse" Which is true, but it could be a whole lot better like in most of the tech industry outside apple.

sereal

@Tenshigure: Or maybe we will all be gaming on the android platform.

sereal

@Smokemeakipper: I seriously recomend World of Tunes.

Is a very small game but has a lot of replay value. It's like Elite Beat Agents in gameplay with an Elebits art style, and the music is like Joshy's Island meets Sonic.

There are only 10 songs, though, but it's actually pretty fun even on easy. And it's 2 bucks.

Also recomend Aurora Feint: The Arena, Critter Crunch, Topple, Chronicles of Inotia and Zenonia, on the paid apps range.

I have bought about thirteen games this past weekend on my iPhone, and so far the two standouts are Peggle and Uniwar.

Peggle needs no explanation, but Uniwar is basically Advance Wars with alien bugs. It's quite addiciting and a bit different in that you have goals to accomplish in addition to defeating all the enemies or capturing all their bases.

Best of all it was only .99 cents, whereas Advance Wars is what, 20-30 bucks from used to new.

Despacio

@ThursdayNext: I can confirm that the SDK is completly free, as i have it.

You only need your apple ID.

You can download it, learn it taking all the time you need if you are not sure, make apps and test them on the simulator and IF you ever decide you want to start releasing apps or testing them on the device (so, nearing release) you pay apple a 100 bucks a year, wich is a really cheap entry fee.

@SeraphX2: Well you could always develop in a 500 bucks mac mini, so the entry cost is as low as 600 dollars. Wich is still prety damn cheap on the overall cost of developing software.

Also I would asume that anyone taking software developing a bit seriously (to develop in any platform) is investing real money on their machine. And it's not like macs are Playstation Dev Kits, they don't JUST serve the purpose of developing Playstation games.

Just wanted to say that I'm impressed and happy how much attention Kotaku is giving the iPod/iPhone as an emerging game device, treating it seriously given it's huge userbase, even if a lot of the commenters are being shortsighted jerks about it ;)

fugit

@jeezy103: word. I don't know what people are expecting. Go play prey on the iphone and then tell me it was a bad idea for id to make it a rails shooter. kinda like prey, looove doom Resurrection.

TylDurden

@acidpits: awesome game though.

TylDurden

yep, there are a TON of apps/games in the app store and most are either not worth it or carbon copies aof another app already in the store. Some of the apps are really good though or simply amazing. Some of the newer games coming out like Doom and Real Racing are really checking out.

I was pleasantly surprise by the virtual keypad to be quite effective in the game PewPew and shooter of Geometry style game play. Best of all it was FREE! Top that Nintendo and Sony!

trailingedge

"The iPhone (and iPod Touch) are selling like hot scones!"

Are you being sarcastic now?

If only the Shenmue app (pictured above) was real...and in fact the harbinger of Shenmue 3 on PS3...then I would be content.

@Badmofo: It is a decent game, just not...good. I mean for a Doom title, it is alright.

I guess I just wanted more from the game...

So many of these games are cash-ins on other franchises.
ive noticed on the app store if one game becomes popular many others attempt to copy to make money.
Example Bowman there is another game that is exactly like bowman for 1$

@Elchris: Ya i assume about 1/3 of them are Lite if they don't separate them into the counting.

Water makes them multiply. Feeding after midnight turns them evil.

@SeraphX2: It's something of a moot point anyway as you do have to pay to upload anything.

ThursdayNext

Wait, there's a Shenmue app?

Gimme!

Trevor Verhelst

@ThursdayNext: hrmmm...i see. never went so far as to try signing up, just saw the fee. lol.
Nonetheless, even if it is all free, you still HAVE to have an expensive MAC to be able to develop apps. Those aren't cheap.
I have a friend though who is working on a twitter app atm. He just started. I'll ask him if he has had to pay anything yet.

@Mr Pappzy lurves Orange Soda: Depends. The only major differences between the 3G & 3GS are the expanded memory, compass and the Nike+ system being integrated. Unless you're a hardcore iPhone gamer, the load times aren't that bad on the 3G, and every other feature they're toting is available through OS 3.0.

My advise would be to wait it out another year for their next iteration of the phone in June 2010. Hopefully by then they'll actually have a little bit better true innovation versus adding mythological battery life.

What's with the Shenmue app icon?!

DON'T TEASE ME!

Kujen

@jeezy103: I've dropped a cell phone in my pool before. And jumped into the pool with a cell phone. Those were cheapies, though. My iphone doesn't get near water.

Islandkiwi

@SeraphX2: I'm pretty sure you can get the SDK for free but have to pay to be able to distribute, not 100% on that though.

On closer inspection:

"To access iPhone SDK 3.0 and additional technical resources and information, log in with your Registered iPhone Developer Apple ID and password, or sign up as a free Registered iPhone Developer today."

[developer.apple.com]

ThursdayNext

I recently got an iPhone and I'd say that 9/10 games I download and trial end up getting deleted.

Same goes for apps actually, only a few are worth buying.

Worth checking out a game called 'Aqua Forest', looks very nice. 'Flick Fishing' and 'Hero of Sparta' are also well worth the investment...59p?! (UK)

Smokemeakipper

@Koda89: The SDK costs 99$ :/ Dunno where yo get free from.
[developer.apple.com]
(Look at the bottom of the page)

@Lucasreis - it´s a me, Lukio!:
It's maybe Just you then.. Doom Resurrection rocks.

@Mr Pappzy lurves Orange Soda:
3Gs just got jailbroken.. go for that instead.

@Islandkiwi:whoa.. easy there...
Would've lol'ed, except I actually did drop mine in the loo...
you don't wanna know what it feels like..

That pic is such a frakken tease!

nico1606

@Mr Pappzy lurves Orange Soda: You will be waiting a while for the next one to come out. If your already thinking about getting one, now is as good a time as any with the 3GS only just being released.

@Koda89: I have around 13 games which I think are "good".

The iPhone's biggest problem are games that aren't designed for it and are shoe-horned onto it with dodgy control schemes.

Which is why games like Star Defense and Topple are such great games. And Assassin's Creed and Asphalt 4 are pretty bad.

I was thinking about getting the new Iphone.

Worth the money or should I wait till the next one comes out? :)

@Ecks: I visit Pocket Gamer and Touch Arcade, to find out about the good ones. Or look at user reviews. There is alot of crap of there but I have not been dissapointed by many of the games that I have purchased.

@Ecks: The same way you do it on any other platform: review sites (of which there are a great many, but I quite like www.toucharcade.com myself). Additionally, following twitter for prominent iPhone gaming enthusiasts like ListenUP regular John Davison is also a great way to hear about interesting stuff.

@Koda89: What's wrong with Doom Resurrection>?

@Badmofo: Or? Are.

@Koda89: You have to understand a different outlook when you're talking about games on the iPod Touch and iPhone. The majority of these games are likely to only engage my attention for a couple of hours at most - but they only cost a single dollar (59 PENCE for me!).

Sure, there's maybe a couple of hundred (generally the pricer ones - maybe even a few dollars each!!!) that are so good you'd be happy to keep them on your device. The generic cheap stuff, on the other hand, I'll buy, play and then dispose of (although you never actually lose then for good) just because someone gave it a good review on Twitter. It's no different to buying a chocolate bar. Er, except without the chocolately goodness.

How do you wade through 13000 games to pick one you want?

Ecks

@Agumen: It's not Trollish if it's true. I have, and love, my iphone. Most games on iphone are mediocre (at best).

Islandkiwi

@ThursdayNext: For every phone dropped in a pool/toilet, 20 games are created. Water source determines quality of games, so I suspect there's a lot of toilet talkers out there.

Islandkiwi

@Koda89: If only every platform was developed to be hard to program on purpose... one can only dream.

Hope VEGETA doesn't find out about this.

Does anyone else think Labyrinth is one of the most addictive/polished games ever? The accelerometer responsiveness and accuracy is amazing.

@Koda89: If it's "only" a few hundred I think many iPhone users would be more than happy. Are there more than a few hundred "good" 360 games? PS3 games? How about Wii?

I think the open platform is in many ways a good thing, it allows people to take creative risks without suffering if they underperform (as EA experienced with Dead Space and Mirror's Edge) it could be a great place for grass-roots innovation.

I'm not saying that it is, or that it will be, but the potential is there.

ThursdayNext

but how many iphones games are good?

chamoo232

I'm starting to enjoy mine more and more. I got Star Defense and getting Rolando 2. Just picked up the Giant Bomb app yesterday(All units!)

However,there is a ton of junk in the app store too.

@ThursdayNext: you beat me to it +1

Trumpet

Pity there isn't really much quality control.

@Lucasreis - it´s a me, Lukio!: Welcome to most iPhone titles. Especially ones based on popular console/handheld series.

I wanted to write 'but how many of them are even mediocre' but realized it would be a troll comment.

Oh well. I guess I'll embrace the trollosity. Never did mind bridges. Problem with trolling the iPhone is that no-one on Kotaku would defend it, so it's like trolling an abandoned bridge. Kotaku readers pretty much hate this thing, seems to me.

That´s a lot of games.

Thought I played Doom another day on my friend´s iPhone and that felt really...not good.

I have at least ten good games on my iPhone, depending on what kind of games you like of course. The other 13k or probably crap.

It doesn't help that Apple offers the development kit needed to make iPhone/iPod Touch games for free, and they are relatively easy to use.

It isn't shocking to see 13,000 games when the dev kit is free and easy to use, and there is no real quality control.

What I want to know is, out of those 13,000 games, how many of them are actually GOOD? A few hundred, at best?

Does this figure take into account that many games release a 'lite' version as a demo? I've noticed that iTunes list them as separate titles, unlike, say, XBLA, that lists them together under one title.

Doom Resurrection doesn't like bright light though.

"What, is somebody feeding these things after midnight?"

Technically they'd need to be spilling water on them for the high rate of growth.

ThursdayNext