Touch Arcade

Despite the few issues with the port right now, it is still worth experiencing if you enjoy emotional stories. The highlights initially may seem like the visuals and amazing soundtrack, but Sumire is a game I want to see more of in the future from GameTomo.

Total War: MEDIEVAL II is absolutely worth the asking price (and a lot more) if you have a modern iOS device to play it on.

As long as you’re okay with the fact that this is a tremendously challenging shoot-em-up, you’ll probably have a great time with it. The visuals are good, the gameplay is intriguing and enjoyable, the soundtrack is great, and Hamster has wrapped it all up in its usual high-quality package. Certainly worth the price of admission.

It’s a quality game with a very affordable ad removal fee, and we’re not so swimming in dungeon-plunging riches that we should pass that kind of thing up just because of some slightly wonky controls.

It’s a bit too easy to break the game’s challenge, and it’s easy to lose the differentiating factors between the characters once the magic system comes fully into play. But even its flaws aren’t enough to bring down the overall experience all that much. This is on the short list of absolute must-play JRPGs.

It’s a game at its best when you have someone else to play with, but that’s not an easy thing to manage on mobile even if it is technically possible. Still, as a corny bit of action to fire up now and then, you could do a lot worse than this.

Big Tournament Golf is an amazing game that is well-suited for mobile. Hamster has done its usual outstanding job bringing it to the platform, loading it up with all the options and features you could ask for.

This is a really strong game, but if you don’t have an external controller or two you’re really not going to get to enjoy the game at its best. While the touch controls aren’t a complete disaster like they were in Puzzled, they’re not as accurate as you’ll need to pull off all of the wild moves packed into this game.

It’s a rather uninteresting variant of Tetris that has a lot of flaws, some of which are magnified if you’re trying to play it with touch controls. Said controls also introduce some new problems, making an already-vexing game an even more agitating experience.

Zed Blade does the job. It doesn’t do it particularly well, and it probably won’t etch itself into your memories with any force. But it’s okay. For its part, Hamster has given it the same star treatment it has offered the other ACA NEOGEO titles.

Legend of Mana is rather experimental. The end result is something that tends to be a love-or-hate affair, but at least in my case I find it hard to hate something so utterly genuine.

A solid classic, a game with serious historical value, but maybe not the greatest fit for mobile.

This kind of game plays well with touch controls, and Hamster has packed it full of features and options that allow you to fully appreciate the game on your own terms. It’s an excellent action romp that frankly goes harder than it probably needed to, and if for some reason you never saw fit to drop a coin in its slot back in the day, this is a great chance to give it some of your attention.

Alien: Isolation, this is a fantastic way to do so and one of the best iOS conversions ever.

If you’ve not played Monster Rancher before and are wondering if these new ports are worth your time and money, the answer is yes with a few caveats. While I’m pleased with the controls, visuals for the most part, and new features, these two games are quite dated. The asking price might turn some people off given the visuals and screenshots, but I’d definitely look into getting one or both of the games in Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX when discounted as a curiosity. For longtime fans, Koei Tecmo has done a good job of retaining the original aesthetic while implementing a nice compromise for the CD-generation system for monsters here. Hopefully iCloud save support is added in because that’s all I miss in this release right now.

The game plays quite well with the virtual controls, so even if you don’t have access to an external controller you can still have a really good time.

This is an impressive, feature-rich package. The game itself is an enjoyable slice of action, if not quite up to the level of the Metal Slug games that have seen mobile releases so far. It’s a promising start for Arcade Archives on the platform, and hopefully will lead to seeing some of the more esoteric NEOGEO games make their way over as well.

The game itself is excellent, easily one of the better fighters from a console where that statement really means something. But it’s just difficult enough to experience the game the way it’s meant to be played with this particular version to keep me from recommending it with too much vigor.

The job system and the variety it offers is the core of the Final Fantasy V experience, but it has many other good qualities. While there is a healthy amount of drama, there’s also quite a bit of humor and slapstick that keeps the adventure from getting too grim.

Townscaper isn’t going to be for everyone though. I can see some people getting bored of this very quickly considering there isn’t any in-game goal or progression barring what you build and want to see yourself. After seeing so many screenshots of gorgeous things my friends made, I’m glad to finally have a perfect version of Townscaper on my iPhone and iPad.

It has its flaws, particularly in its visual presentation, and some of its new ideas could use a bit more hammering out. But it, like the game it is based on, is a rather unique game that pulls you in powerfully the more time you spend with it.

Still, there’s a bit of a charm to these games and it feels pretty amusing to play them on an iPhone. There are probably more broadly entertaining Square Enix RPGs you can buy on mobile, especially if you’re looking to splash out a cool twenty. But if you have cozy memories of huddling under your blanket with a flashlight or sneaking a quick bit of grinding at school, Collection of SaGa FF Legend will honor those feelings of nostalgia.

It’s a welcoming entry point into the series, an exciting if often cheesy roller coaster ride, and on the whole a game that somehow makes you fail to notice its flaws because its strong points are so strong. Moreover, it’s different enough that I think even owners of the existing mobile version of Final Fantasy IV will find it worth grabbing.

Fantasian is a very demanding experience, and you really have to be in love with its mechanics to put up with it all. Heaven knows the narrative isn’t going to keep you motivated. Fantasian is an absolute masterpiece in most regards, and yet I find myself struggling to recommend it.

What Remains of Edith Finch is a must play for everyone who enjoys great storytelling and beautiful experiences.