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[Stoney Mason]

More like Maniac Mansion?

Yes. Although arguably they get better with their craft as they went along.


For the history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LucasArts_adventure_games

 

[The_Reckoning]

Yes. Although arguably they get better with their craft as they went along.


For the history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LucasArts_adventure_games

Hmm, I loved Maniac Mansion on the NES. Never realized it was Lucas Arts. Consider this purchased. Thanks.

 

[Solideliquid]

Well Monkey Island: SE is officially awesome. It loads up fast (mind you I'm playing on a 3GS), looks great, and instantly saves your progress when you hit the home button.

You swipe two fingers through the screen to switch between the SE and classic versions, it really is seamless.

Holy shiiiiii. Apple has my money (this is worse than steam).

 

[NewBrof]

hm.. which version to get? I could not decide between 360 and PC, but the iphone version looks equally impressive.... I think the most convenient way is the iphone version (you can play it anywhere .. no fast moving action)...

it would be great if you could share save files between the versions... then you could continue play, when you watchting tv, nothing is on, hey I switch to the 360 version and continue my play session from my bus ride this morning...

 

[Shaneus]

Ugh... the controls in this are woeful. Rather than have the cursor go where you touch on the screen (which would make, you know, SENSE) you have to drag it around like you're using a touchpad on a laptop. A really shifty touchpad.

Having it so Guybrush went wherever you touched on the screen and choosing a look at/use option would've been so much more intuitive and, um, obvious than the way it's been implemented here. Very fucking disappointed.

 

[Captain N]

i've got a first gen iphone..should I not bother with monkey island se?

 

[DJ_Lae]

Ugh... the controls in this are woeful. Rather than have the cursor go where you touch on the screen (which would make, you know, SENSE) you have to drag it around like you're using a touchpad on a laptop. A really shifty touchpad.

Having it so Guybrush went wherever you touched on the screen and choosing a look at/use option would've been so much more intuitive and, um, obvious than the way it's been implemented here. Very fucking disappointed.

Yuck. Well, you've saved me money, at least. Sounds like they didn't even feel like putting in the effort to convert the gamepad controls properly to a touch-screen.

 

[TurtleSnatcher]

bought it.

Hopefully its good. I only played Curse in the Monkey Island series which had great graphics.. reminded me of space ace

 

[Captain N]

thanks George!

 

[NewBrof]

the controls in this are woeful

isnt' that nitpicking...? it is still a great package with on the fly swap between old and new version. no?

 

[Khanage]

Oh shit! I didn't expect this to be released so soon! Bought... or it will be when I get home to download over wifi.

 

[mrkgoo]

Shit Just got real

Secret of Monkey Island released on the iphone.

Itunes Link

What.

OMG.

I loved Curse of Monkey Island, and I loved DoTT and the like. I will like this?

Also, I just bought Edge based on recommendations. Sorry, not feeling it all that much. What control schemes do people prefer? Love the music though (downloaded the soundtrack too).

 

[Shaneus]

isnt' that nitpicking...? it is still a great package with on the fly swap between old and new version. no?

No. Go ahead, spend the $10 or so and see what you think.. but I'm supremely disappointed that they didn't take advantage of arguably the best touchscreen interface available on ANY device. If any game was to adapt perfectly to it, it was this. And they fucked it.

I can only hope they patch it, but until then I'm going to have more fun with the Hitchhiker's Guide text adventure on the iPhone. At least it has better controls.

Edit: To "nitpick" further, when playing the old version, they scale the graphics horribly, so you get odd-looking fonts too.

 

[chico]

Ugh... the controls in this are woeful. Rather than have the cursor go where you touch on the screen (which would make, you know, SENSE) you have to drag it around like you're using a touchpad on a laptop. A really shifty touchpad.

what? how can Lucasarts be so stupid and release this wonderful game with such stupid controls? it will sell anyway, lets hope they change the control scheme with a patch.

 

[Plaguefox]

Edit: To "nitpick" further, when playing the old version, they scale the graphics horribly, so you get odd-looking fonts too.

This is what it looks like? Ow.

 

[Chinner]

This is what it looks like? Ow.

thats what the classic/original version looks like

 

[Shaneus]

Compare the few instances of the letter "a" there. They're not even the same!

They'd better patch this *at least* with better controls. Hopefully some kind of decent compromise with the graphics where there's either some kind of AA or tolerable filtering.

 

[Median]

OMG Monkey Island iPhone on my birthday. This is instantly better than all those other years. Go to hell, other years, I gots Monkey Island now!

 

[Chinner]

ive never actualy played a monkey island game and because it was heavily hinted to be coming to the iphone so i waited it out.

i can either buy it on:
IPhone
X360
PC

note: IPhone version is the cheapest and if i bought it i would be supporting the 5 pound gamez against the fury of the 59/99c games destroying our fragile economy.

 

[Shaneus]

If you can use the mouse on PC then I'd go for that. But going by the quality of the iPhone one, I wouldn't bank on it :lol

 

[Plaguefox]

thats what the classic/original version looks like

Oh, no no. I know and love the original games. I mean the scaling issues.

 

[mrklaw]

you can't assume that direct touch would be better. Perhaps they tried that and it didn't work?

do you get the changing cursor as you pass over objects to show you can interact with something? In which case the cursor is important to the gameplay and dragging it around makes sense

 

[Khanage]

They'd better patch this *at least* with better controls. Hopefully some kind of decent compromise with the graphics where there's either some kind of AA or tolerable filtering.

Or you could just play in special edition mode and enjoy the sharper graphics... What you are asking for, when it comes to graphics, they have already done!

 

[Shaneus]

Possibly... I haven't really given it a go with the enhanced mode as that wasn't the reason I picked it up. I also find it hard to believe that the control scheme just didn't work... it's a point and click game, it's not rocket science. You'd click on the verb then click on the object (or where you want to walk). Or at least give us the option if it doesn't actually work that well.

 

[yamo]

How the fuck can you people enjoy this game? The letter a is not even the same everywhere!!!

Just enjoy the SE (what you really pay for) and if you really want the old version to look 100% like the original just get it on the PC, or whatever platform it was originally released for.

 

[chico]

How the fuck can you people enjoy this game? The letter a is not even the same everywhere!!!

Just enjoy the SE (what you really pay for) and if you really want the old version to look 100% like the original just get it on the PC, or whatever platform it was originally released for.

 

[Barrett2]

For an adventure game newb like me, how's the difficulty compared to Phoenix Wright? That's the only other adventure game of played, so its my only point of reference for difficulty / intuitiveness.

 

[Shaneus]

Eh, whatever. Cowboy Rodeo (a much, much smaller dev) can do a flawless, pixel-perfect conversion of a PC game without any issues at all with Pinball Fantasies. This is just disappointing.

At least now I can feel justified in jailbreaking this sucker and putting ScummVM on there

 

[Chinner]

Oh, no no. I know and love the original games. I mean the scaling issues.

i c. thank ye fr educating me on this matter.

 

[Barrett2]

After playing Railroad Madness, I have to agree with helava that the incessant clicking they make you do to rotate the track direction basically ruins the game. All your deaths come not from you losing track of the path routes you should be taking, but from accidentally hitting switches one more or one less time than you intended to. Seems like a bad design choice.

 

[chico]

played it for 15 minutes. The controls are ok. once i got the hang of it and used the tap and double tap the right way it was fun. the feature that you can swap on the fly between the original version and the new "improved" one is very nice.

 

[Tempy]

Is there a list of games/apps that are available on the US store, but the EU one? I want to get a $10 US iTunes card and buy Power Pros with it, and see what else I can spend it on.

 

[Vinterbird]

For an adventure game newb like me, how's the difficulty compared to Phoenix Wright? That's the only other adventure game of played, so its my only point of reference for difficulty / intuitiveness.

For me personally, Monkey Island was a bit easier then the Phoenix Wright games (played Monkey Island for the first time last week). The game has a decent logic system, so it won't be too stupid or insane puzzles.

If you can make it through a Phoenix Wright game, you should be set to enjoy this.

 

[quetz67]

what? how can Lucasarts be so stupid and release this wonderful game with such stupid controls? it will sell anyway, lets hope they change the control scheme with a patch.

It is not that stupid...that way your fingers dont block the view on what you try to select.

 

[quetz67]

what? how can Lucasarts be so stupid and release this wonderful game with such stupid controls? it will sell anyway, lets hope they change the control scheme with a patch.

It is not that stupid...that way your fingers dont block the view on what you try to select.

 

[Lord Error]

Cross posting this fro MI:SE thread:

Iphone version is fantastic.

I disagree with control complaint, this way you can control without your hand covering half of the screen sometimes, plus you get more precision this way, as screen is not that big. Relative pointer movements are just fine, and you still get to tap instantly on things that you need quick access to such as items and control verbs. Clearly they did their work in controls porting, and chose this as a best option, they didn't *just* simulate mouse/analog movements from other versions. Maybe they can add direct pointing control later on in a patch, if enough people request it, who knows.

Transition from old/new visuals is there and it works perfectly with two finger swipe. They do scale old graphics to somethign like 110% of the original though, which is a bit weird decision, but it doesn't look bad on a small screen.

The only thing I wish Iphone version had is some of the missing fancy effects, such as moving water for example. Maybe with an eventual patch for 3GS, one can hope
Great, great start for LucasArts on Iphone, and I really hope sales will be rewarding enough for them to keep making games for this platform. New 3D MI game would be more than welcome too.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Cross posting this fro MI:SE thread:

Iphone version is fantastic.

I disagree with control complaint, this way you can control without your hand covering half of the screen sometimes, plus you get more precision this way, as screen is not that big. Relative pointer movements are just fine, and you still get to tap instantly on things that you need quick access to such as items and control verbs. Clearly they did their work in controls porting, and chose this as a best option, they didn't *just* simulate mouse/analog movements from other versions. Maybe they can add direct pointing control later on in a patch, if enough people request it, who knows.

Transition from old/new visuals is there and it works perfectly with two finger swipe. They do scale old graphics to somethign like 110% of the original though, which is a bit weird decision, but it doesn't look bad on a small screen.

The only thing I wish Iphone version had is some of the missing fancy effects, such as moving water for example. Maybe with an eventual patch for 3GS, one can hope
Great, great start for LucasArts on Iphone, and I really hope sales will be rewarding enough for them to keep making games for this platform. New 3D MI game would be more than welcome too.

While I don't own it because I already bought it for the 360 (although my finger hovered over the buy button a few times) the main reason I imagine they moved away from a direct tap is the very precision issue you mention. Even with a mouse adventure games have a notorious reputation as a pixel hunt games where you end up scanning the screen constantly to just find the right trigger. When a game is reduced in size to work on a portable platform like the iphone, the pixel hunting can become even more difficult because you are using your thumb or another finger. Your thumb is as big as a rather large portion of the screen so it makes tapping and distinguising taps between items rather difficult. So I can completely understand why they decided on this system from a design standpoint. Because you can tap on a touchscreen doesn't mean every choice follows that you use the screen as a pure touchscreen in every way.

 

[Barrett2]

Kill All Bugs! is really fun. At first I wasn't sure about the lack of upgrading your towers, but the path-forcing approach you need to learn with laser fences is pretty cool. Plus, the game has a great aesthetic. Really good for $1.

 

[sonrisu]

Regarding Zep's Dreamland promo codes (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=16787061&postcount=8939): they've all been depleted. Thanks guys!

 

[Stoney Mason]

Added to GAF made games recommendation thread. Just drop me a pm if you make an iphone game and are a member on gaf.


http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=16401787&postcount=8

Hi all, just wanted to drop a line to let you know about Zep's Dreamland on the iPhone. It's been out a little bit, but I've taken my sweet time to start promoting it. I am the sole developer of this game.

You can find all the nitty gritty details you need to know here: zepsdreamland.com (including screenshots and the free PC/Mac version). To sum up what the game is all about, though, I offer you the following quick rundown: Zep's Dreamland is a brain teaser block building puzzler with a SNES style to it. There are 101 levels to conquer, 50 of which are exclusive to the iPhone version.

Check it out on the app store: Zep's Dreamland on the App store

To help get a few people talking I've got 5 codes up for grabs. Send me a PM to get one. First come, first served.

[edit] Codes have been depleted. Thanks guys!

 

[Chinner]

hey, if you guys have taken the codes at least be decent enough to contribute some reviews. the look of the game reminds me of smb.

also: still in a pickle about ME:SE. On one hand, if I get the PC version I am definitely getting the superior version. However, if I get the IPhone version I'll be able t play it on the go (and in bed!), its cheaper and I'll be supporting the £5 price point.

 

[BillyG_3001]

Hey everyone

I got my iPhone 3gs 32gb on Saturday & I'm loving it, but I haven't been too impressed with the games I have downloaded so far, please can someone recommend me about 10 free games worth downloading & also 10 good games worth buying
I don't get paid until Monday & I don't want to be overdrawn so I'm stuck with downloading free games at the moment

The only game I'm absolutely loving right now is Paper Toss

I already have Edge Lite which I enjoy playing too & I know I can't get the full version because of that massive prick who thinks he owns the word Edge

Thanks in advanced Gaf : )

 

[Stoney Mason]

Hey everyone

I got my iPhone 3gs 32gb on Saturday & I'm loving it, but I haven't been too impressed with the games I have downloaded so far, please can someone recommend me about 10 free games worth downloading & also 10 good games worth buying
I don't get paid until Monday & I don't want to be overdrawn so I'm stuck with downloading free games at the moment

The only game I'm absolutely loving right now is Paper Toss

I already have Edge Lite which I enjoy playing too & I know I can't get the full version because of that massive prick who thinks he owns the word Edge

Thanks in advanced Gaf : )

Recommendation thread.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=16401787#post16401787

It's best to move such conversation over to that thread which was created to keep this thread a bit more free of just rehashing old recommendation picks.

 

[Chinner]

Hey everyone

I got my iPhone 3gs 32gb on Saturday & I'm loving it, but I haven't been too impressed with the games I have downloaded so far, please can someone recommend me about 10 free games worth downloading & also 10 good games worth buying
I don't get paid until Monday so all & I don't want to be overdrawn so I'm stuck with downloading free games at the moment

The only game I'm absolutely loving right now is Paper Toss

I already have Edge Lite which I enjoy playing too & I know I can't get the full version because of that massive prick who thinks he owns the word Edge

Thanks in advanced Gaf : )

what games have you tried so far?

also, check out stoney mason's iphone game recommendation thread yes apple are probably paying him to advertise but the games he lists are all good and his avatar is rather pleasant

 

[Stoney Mason]

yes apple are probably paying him to advertise but the games he lists are all good

APPLE, where is my check you bitches!?

 

[jonnybryce]

Ok, so I've been playing Zep's dreamLand for a little while and I'd like to share what I think.

I'd describe Zep's dreamLand as a puzzle/platformer. The worlds are reminiscent of SNES platformers, and Zep has to make it to the red exit in every level. The obstacle here would be that Zep cannot fly, Zepp cannot jump, Zep can only walk left and right. He can also fall. So, to make it to the exit instead you have to use your dream power to create blocks. You can create up blocks by swiping up to elevate Zep, and you can also create down blocks to plug holes as well as level blocks to walk over. You can only draw dream power at certain points, I can't create blocks while standing on one, while standing on one of the red dead zone blocks or while in tunnels, so there is definitely more strategy and puzzle elements involved for anyone thinking Zep is simply a platformer that animates jumps as blocks. This is not the case.

Zep can't jump and the red dead zone means I can't simply slide up to elevate Zep like usual...

Side swipe so that I can walk across...

...up swipe next to the new block to elevate Zep and away we go!

I've been having a very good time with Zep. The game is very attractive in a throwback way. I find it to be very beautiful and it authentically looks old school. Zep himself is a simple and odd looking blue creature with big white eyes and red shoes, so he's a unique character that fits the world and gameplay nicely. There's a difference between a cheap looking game and a simple looking game, and Zep comes off looking like a simple throwback game and not a cheap mess of regret, so knowing one person did all of this, a tip of the hat is in order.

The controls are very simple, touch left to go left, touch right to go right, and swipe in the direction of the block you want to make. Want to make a block to plug the gap in your path? Face it and swipe. Want to create a combo of blocks to get distance and then travel across? Swipe left, then swipe up. You can also erase your blocks by standing on or looking at them. Your goal is to make it to the red exit portal. There will also be teleports that you can play around with.

The game has 101 levels broken up into categories. The categories are Classic Levels, Forgotten Dreams, Deeper Sleep and Cakewalk, and they all have a different look. I'm playing them in order so I can't say how different they each play, but I'm sure they all mix it up somehow. The resume feature will bring you back to where you left off, or the load game feature allows you to pick by level and start off from the beginning. There are also options to go through the tutorial whenever you would like and to contact the developer within the app.

Zep's dreamLand is a great puzzle/platform game that seems very polished and thought out. Given the fact that it's priced at only $0.99, Zep's dreamLand is certainly a bang for your buck. From the tutorial, which is broken up into several pieces and is very, very thorough, to the worlds and the game mechanics, it's obvious a lot of thought and care went into this game. Zep's dreamLand has definitely earned itself a spot on my favorite games screen and a lot of my gaming time. It's a bit of a platformer, a bit of a brain teaser, and a lot of fun, so I recommend it to anyone who's looking for something other than another puzzle or action game on the iPhone. 4.5/5

 

[Lord Error]

While I don't own it because I already bought it for the 360 (although my finger hovered over the buy button a few times)

Click it... you know you want to.

 

[Like the hat?]

Why is Toki Tori so damn good?

 

[Stoney Mason]

Monkey Island Reviews. Just to give you the range.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
Paradise regained

Product: The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition | Publisher: LucasArts | Format: iPhone | Genre: Adventure | Players: 1 | Version: Europe | App version: 1.0
by Rob Hearn

If you're anything like me, the only thing you want from this review is either an imperial thumbs-up, indicating that it does the franchise justice, or a thumbs-down, indicating that it disgraces it and deserves to be beheaded by a slave. Well, it's up. Right up. Big time. Now off you go.

For the rest of you cross-legged, wide-eyed innocents who've yet to embark with master Guybrush Threepwood on what may be the finest adventure ever committed to silicon, I'll try to convey the sheer majesty of The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition without robbing you of the enviable joy of discovery by saying too much.

I recently read P.G. Wodehouse's Something Fresh, and a few pages in I came across a character called Freddie Threepwood. Freddie Threepwood; Guybrush Threepwood. It was one of those satisfying moments when you discover a reference all by yourself.

It's a telling reference, too. Monkey Island's heritage is in video games, of course, but it's also in literature (as well as in the same Disneyland ride that spawned Pirates of the Caribbean). Video game writing has rarely reached the same heights.

You take on the role of Guybrush Threepwood's semi-potent carer as he sets out to become a pirate. Using a cursor to point and click, you have to guide Guybrush through fixed 2D backgrounds, picking up objects and deploying them to solve puzzles either singly or in combination with others in your inventory, as well as interacting with the scenery and talking to people.

Your control over Guybrush is limited in the sense that you can choose what he says in conversation, but only from a range of possible sentences; you can tell him to pick things up, but if the object is irrelevant to the vast mechanism of progress Guybrush will find an excuse to disobey. You're controlling him to a large extent, but he's also a beautifully drawn independent character whose endless buffoonery makes you laugh.

The lasting appeal of Monkey Island is in its dialogue writing and in its central character. Guybrush is an incompetent but optimistic youth whose guiding ambition is to be a pirate. He'll apparently do whatever it takes to accomplish this, yet he's far too good natured to understand what being a pirate really entails. All around him far more sinister characters - real pirates - are exploiting him and plotting his demise, but through persistence, dumb luck and your guiding hand he manages to triumph.

Like all good works of fiction, it's only when you play through the game a second or third time that you can fully appreciate it. The writer Chekhov said that if there's a gun on the mantle in the first act of a play it ought to go off in the third, and Monkey Island abides by this edict. In the opening scenes Guybrush tells some important-looking pirates, "I can hold my breath for ten minutes," and the significance of that line becomes clear later on, after less attentive gamers (thickos) have forgotten that he ever said it.

The puzzles that constitute the actual game are secondary to the story, for sure, and not all of them are winners, but Monkey Island for the most part manages the tricky balance of constructing puzzles that are neither obvious nor illogical, neither too hard nor too easy. You'll be stretched, but never stumped. The whole game is theoretically completable in a couple of hours, though it took me several weeks back in 1990.

Monkey Island: Special Edition came out recently on XBLA, and this is a version of that game rather than the original. If you're ready to bear arms at this act of sacrilege, there's no need - by swiping two fingers across the screen you can change it to the old version at any time. It's like magic.

Let's stick to the default mode, though. The Special Edition is an update of the original in terms of interface and presentation, but the gameplay and dialogue are left, as far as I can gather, entirely intact.

The interface changes are minimal. Rather than a single crosshair for a cursor, there's now a circle with a pointer attached. The circle contains a picture symbolising what interaction you can do (a foot, say, to denote walking), and the tip of the pointer touches the thing you're interacting with. It's an unnecessary refinement, and fiddly to use at first, but it's ultimately harmless.

In both modern and classic versions of the game the cursor moves relative to your finger rather than directly under it, which helpfully prevents your finger from obscuring the important action.

Unfortunately, the fact that you have to drag the cursor around with your finger is, well, a drag. You'll want to touch objects directly, but given that functions are already assigned to tapping and double-tapping the screen it's almost certainly a problem whose solution would create even greater problems.

Seasoned Monkey Island fans will immediately wonder where the old verb table is - the grid of words and terms like 'pick up', 'give', and so on. Don't panic: it's still there, but tucked behind an icon in the bottom left of the screen. The inventory is in the bottom right. Given the limited screen space on an iPhone or iPod touch, this is a welcome tweak, and all of the tweaks are minor. None changes how the game plays in the slightest.

The visual changes are much more significant, and here gamers may be divided. Replacing the old 16-bit 256 colour graphics is high resolution hand drawn artwork in which the characters are better defined and the backdrops are crisper and more detailed.

Guybrush takes on his modern lanky appearance, and his voice is ably supplied by series regular Dominic Armato. The voice acting from every cast member is superb, betraying, I suspect, an XBLA budget. Even so, purists will probably stick to the classic version, and the ability to do so is very welcome.

Of course, Monkey Island is an old game and in the two decades since it first came out video games have become much slicker and, for the most part, easier. If you can resist using a walkthrough you're likely to spend many long hours trudging from location to location, and the lack of an option to instantly click out of a screen - such as was included in later sequels and other LucasArts adventures - will further irritate players who find themselves at a loss.

The one concession Monkey Island: Second Edition makes to this generation's desire for simplicity is a tips system whereby shaking your iPhone or iPod touch causes a hint to appear across the screen. It's a nice touch, but it's far too easy to accidentally bring a hint up while moving normally. Those who like a challenge should prepare to look away quickly and often.

Whether or not my remarks about difficulty and endless trudging constitute criticisms is down to you. If you're an impatient gamer who likes endless small rewards and a clear path to the end then this is possibly not your game. If, however, you've got the patience - and, let's face it, the strength of character - to invest your time and energy into Monkey Island, start now. You're about to discover a true classic.

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPho...ey+Island:+Special+Edition/review.asp?c=14540

Along with IGN Review.

The Secret of Monkey Island: SE UK Review
How inappropriate, you play like a cow.
by Matt Wales, IGN UK

UK, July 23, 2009 - After years in the wasteland, it seems the humble point-and-click adventure is the popular kid on the block again all of a sudden. Telltale Games is doing its amazing episodic thing, indie developers are having a field day with their own foul-mouthed take on the genre and LucasArts - the granddaddy of the graphic adventure - has finally opened arms and accepted its prodigal son back into the fold.

Recently, LucasArts has shoved its enviable point-and-click back catalogue onto Steam, joined hands with Telltale to work on brand new episodic Monkey Island adventures and, of course, given Ron Gilbert's classic pirate yarn a new lick of paint on PC and Xbox 360 for The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition - the very game that's now been shrunk down to perfectly portable dimensions on the iPhone.


There's a reason the Monkey Island games have endured the years - they're smart, relentlessly funny and you simply can't go wrong combining swashbuckling adventure with zombies, pirates and bovine insults on the high seas. This, the first entry in the classic series, follows the improbably named Guybrush Threepwood as he sets out to become a mighty pirate, thwart the evil undead Captain Le Chuck and find romance in the shapely form of Governor Elaine Marley.

So what's so special about this Special Edition? Well, it's been given a gorgeous hand-painted face lift with lavish new sprites and luscious backgrounds to replace the charming, if aging visuals of yore. It's also had the full voice treatment, with some talented actors bringing life to the previously silent text-only yarn, plus a superb aural update to Monkey Island's already memorable score.

Everything else though remains resolutely the same - and, despite its ten-year vintage, The Secret of Monkey Island's familiar formula of scouring, stockpiling, puzzling and relentlessly witty banter still feels remarkably fresh today, thanks to the sheer quality of the original source material. Unfortunately, this slavish adherence to a bygone day carries over to the game's interface - which sports none of the refinements of later LucasArts adventures.


Unfortunately, what's already a cumbersome relic isn't helped by the Special Edition's rather haphazard implementation on the iPhone. Despite the potentially perfect marriage of point-and-click adventuring and touch-screen gaming, LucasArts's inaugural iPhone offering is ludicrously unintuitive, suggesting we've been lumbered with a quick and dirty port. While interactions and inventory are easily accessible, inelegant design choices seriously mar what would be an otherwise quality experience.

Monkey Island's already fiddly exploration is made even more cumbersome thanks to a slow, unresponsive cursor that - rather than simply jumping to the spot you touch on screen - demands you drag frantically to get it where you want to go. Hitting hotspots or even simply moving around environments is a painfully protracted experience as a result. What's more, the game frequently confuses pinch mechanics intended to give you a zoomed in view of the scene with the two-finger swipe command designed to switch to retro view. Even the pause menu is mapped to an unnecessarily finicky tilt command when a simple button would suffice.

Beyond interface issues, this iPhone iteration of the Special Edition inexplicably strips out the atmospheric visual effects seen in the PC and Xbox 360 versions - it's all pared back to flat backgrounds with none of the drifting clouds, rippling waves and subtle lighting making the cut, despite the iPhone being more than up to the job. Simply put, despite the quality and pedigree of the source material and its loving facelift, this portable package is disappointingly unrefined.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition was reviewed with version 1.0.

Closing Comments
Make no mistake, The Secret of Monkey Island is still a joyful piece of gaming history that's lost none of its swashbuckling charm over the years. It's hard to knock the Special Edition from a content perspective too, with LucasArts doing a brilliant job updating ths bona fide classic. It's just a shame that while this diminutive refurb looks and sounds great, the shadow of sloppy porting effortlessly transforms this iPhone version into a fiddly, frustrating mess. That being the case, it's hard to swallow an asking price not far off the far superior PC and 360 brethren. Ultimately, we'd suggest either holding off or looking elsewhere unless you absolutely need a questionably-priced, badly- implemented portable version of Monkey Island for your collection.
IGN UK Ratings for The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition (iPhone)
Rating Description See Our Glorious Home Theater Setup!
out of 10 click here for ratings guideGet Ratings Information
6.0 Presentation
It looks and sounds great but unresponsive, unintuitive controls make the whole experience more frustrating than fun.
8.0 Graphics
Subtle environmental effects are inexplicably missing but the new characters and hand-drawn backgrounds look lovely.
9.0 Sound
Typically great voice work from LucasArts and a sublime reworking of Monkey Island's score make this a treat for the ears.
6.0 Gameplay
It's an untouched classic that sadly would have scored much higher if it wasn't for the unnecessarily frustrating interface.
7.0 Lasting Appeal
It's a few-hour-long romp if you know it well otherwise it'll likely take you much longer. Quality alone encourages replay.
6.5
Passable OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

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[TheChillyAcademic]

My God, Aki Mahjong has got to be one of the best Mahjong games I've ever played.