Michal Ždanský The high resolution display is one of the main domains of the new iPhone and iPod touch. It allows you to display incredibly fine details, which can be felt mainly in the gaming category. What's more, iPhone games are slowly but surely approaching their console competitors, which you could have already noticed with the demo of Epic Citadel. However, we can already find several excellent titles in the App Store menu that can be proud of fine HD graphics. We have selected the best 5 of them for you in the range of several genres, after all, everyone likes something different.
Predators
The game takes its cue from the recently released film Predators, which this time does not take place on Earth, but on the planet of predators. You control one of them and your goal is to kill the ubiquitous people. The game may initially resemble Minigore or Guerrilla Bob and you wouldn't be far from the truth, all these games are his fault Chillingo.
However, the Predators concept is different after all. Instead of two virtual joysticks, you only have one, leaving room for action icons on the right side of the screen. The Predator can handle several of them. At first you only have to make do with the claws, with which you can of course perform various combinations from splitting the victim in half to ripping off the head as a trophy. With further progress in the game, you can buy or upgrade weapons with the points you earn. There is nothing missing from the predator's legendary arsenal, including spears and guided discs.
However, he wouldn't be a predator if he couldn't make himself invisible. The authors did not forget about thermal vision, which the hunter from space also has. You can use all these qualities to hunt people without becoming a game animal yourself.
There are several enemies here, from ordinary ones with a knife, through heavy weapons to snipers and bosses representing the main characters from the film. A total of 24 story levels await you, and there is also the popular endless survival mode. Predators thus offers a large portion of fun in very good graphics for a more than favorable price.
Predators - €0,79
NOVA – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance
At the time of its release, this shooter was one of the most graphically rich iPhone games ever. The game can no longer be proud of this title, however, the HD upgrade brings the game closer to the top again.
NOVA takes place on some kind of artificial satellites that replace people's homes, since planet earth has already become an uninhabitable planet. You, as a retired soldier-hero Kal Wardin, are once again called upon to prevent the invasion of space monsters that have begun to attack these colonies.
The new update also brought the expected gyroscope control, which is used for more precise aiming, but you will still have to tap the display for movement in general. However, the controls are much more pleasant now.
The game contains a total of 13 long missions, where you walk through a spaceship, a jungle, snowy mountains or even a city of aliens. You can mow them down mercilessly with six different weapons, or pelt them with grenades.
Although NOVA is not quite one of the latest titles, it still maintains a high level of playability and you will definitely not regret buying it. The new HD textures still can't match, for example Epic Citadel running on a modified Unreal Engine, it's still an amazing spectacle nonetheless.
NEW - €3,99
Real Racing
Real Racing is still the unbeaten king in road racing, having also left behind strong titles led by Need for Speed Shift. Its strengths are primarily very realistic races with sophisticated car physics and, above all, amazing graphics. It has now upgraded the iPhone 4 to HD resolution, setting an even higher bar than before.
The game will certainly please you with a large number of cars to choose from, which is equal to 48. You can race with them along 12 different routes in several different environments, where, in addition to the classic racetrack, you will also look at forest or desert locations.
The control is very variable, there are several options for driving your car, so everyone should really find their way. The car can be controlled by classic turning of the device, by touching right/left or perhaps with a virtual steering wheel. Add to that two camera views (from the cockpit and from above) and you have an excellent cocktail of user experience with everything.
In the game, you can choose from five different game modes. The most interesting is probably the career, in which you gradually unlock all the cars and tracks. There is also local and online multiplayer. Your successes are also recorded in online leaderboards and the achievement system works here. All this thanks to the newly integrated Game Center. It's just a shame that online races don't work through it.
Playing Real Racing is a real experience, both in terms of graphics, gameplay, sound effects and a great soundtrack. The game does not compete with some of the big titles on consoles or PC and should not be missed by any fan of car racing, especially the owner of iPhone 4 or the new iPod touch.
Real Racing - €3,99
Zen Bound 2 Universal
Zen Bound 2 is the second sequel to one of the very original puzzle games. The goal in it is to wrap as many surfaces of a wooden object as possible with a rope, the length of which is limited, mostly depicting an animal, but there are also other interesting formations. In total, you have over 100 pieces to tie here, divided into individual "trees". Each of these trees represents a level deck of sorts, and they become available in turn depending on the flowers obtained from each level.
Two of these flowers are easy to get, the third is only achieved with 100% area coverage. Which is a very complicated matter for some shapes. A relaxing 45-minute soundtrack is a pleasant addition. Newly, Zen Bound 2 also supports Game Center for online achievements, don't expect multiplayer.
I would also like to point out the last "tree", which is called "Tribute Tree". This one is interesting in that it wraps you around various characters from games from other indie creators, namely Doodle Jump.
Zen Bound 2 - €2,39
Pinball HD
I have loved the game Pinball since I was a child, when I had the opportunity to play it on real tables. Over time, this game moved more to computer screens and today we can play it on mobile phones as well. One of the best games of this genre is certainly Pinball HD.
Pinball HD is entirely in 3D display, which suits it very well. Fortunately, the authors had sense and instead of fitting the entire table on the display, they chose a moving camera. It works really well and doesn't cause any confusion during the game even if a second ball appears on the table. All the more, you can enjoy the details that the developers really went to great lengths for.
You can choose from three themed tables - Wild West, Jungle and Underwater World. Each of the tables is unique with a different layout of elements, its own music and sound effects. Each one of them is a real piece of cake, sometimes you forget that you're only playing a mobile game. This feeling is enhanced by great physics, everything works and moves like on a real table in a gaming room.
Your score is recorded in an online leaderboard and there is also local multiplayer via Bluetooth or WiFi. Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to try it. But I assume that the game runs simultaneously and the one with the higher score wins.
When I wrote that the game is completely in 3D, I meant everything. Pinball is probably the first iPhone game with a 3D display that you can turn on separately in the settings. You will of course need 3D glasses, the ordinary paper ones with red and blue lenses are enough. If you don't have them, hurry up and buy them, because you are in for a very unusual experience.
Pinball HD - €0,79
In conclusion, I would like to say that this multi-review was already a few weeks ago, and in that time there could have been a lot of other great HD games released. Outside of the reviewed five, it is definitely worth mentioning Spider-Man: Total Mayhem, Heroes of Sparta 2 or Chaos rings. Popular casual games also received high resolution Flight Control, Doodle Jump a Fruit Ninja. But maybe another time...
That zenbound is a massacre, I guess I have the first reason to scratch hunting on ip4.psycho...
Thanks for the review Misane.
You're welcome :-)
I just thought about ZenBound, but I couldn't imagine what it is ;) So the fact is that I didn't look at YT ;) Anyway, thanks, it will be an interesting game to add to the collection ;)
...download Zen Bound Lite, it's a free version, but the principle hasn't changed...
Minigore already has Retina support.
I agree, the last Minigore update brought great graphics. What made me happier was the retina update on Monkey Island 2! You won't find a more beautiful and better adventure game.
great graphics, or resolution, and ui also brought adrenaline golf... you can play multiplayer on running servers with players from all over the world
I recommend Predators, great fun