iPolygon

Where a ball and paddle seem lame, iPolygon gains acclaim. The fundamentals remain rooted in the Pong of the past, but the way in which the basic ball-bouncing mechanics have been molded to tilt play give it a renewed appeal.

iPolygon tasks you with breaking the sides of a hollow shape using a small bouncing ball. Tilting your handset allows you to rotate the polygon, the encased ball bouncing off the sides. Since the ball is innocuous in its natural state, you have to run it through a spiked power-up that enables it to break the sides of the shape.

You goal is to shatter all but one side of the polygon, at which point you advance to the next level. Should the ball escape from the interior of the polygon, the level resets.

In Marathon mode, each consecutive level increases the number of sides rendered on the polygon. Starting with a pentagon, the sides quickly add up until you're seeking to break the perimeter of a dozen-sided shape. (That would be a dodecagon - ed.)

Fat mode differs in thickening the sides of the polygon with each passing level. The shrinking interior makes it difficult to direct the ball's movement, giving you less time to influence the ball and increasing the risk of it flying out into the ether.

A third mode, Remix, combines elements of the aforementioned modes. It's the most interesting of the trio, if only because it creates a more challenging game in contrast with the predictability of the other two modes. This is a basic game, and one that attempts to embellish its gameplay with a trio of negligibly distinct modes. This plain quality stems from a fundamentally spartan design.

It's a notion embraced fully in the game's aesthetics. iPolygon matches its basic gameplay with equally minimalistic visuals. The visual impact is understated, the subdued graphics communicating the simplicity of its gameplay.

Some background music would be nice, although short games limit the amount of time to be spent actually listening to any soundtrack.

Quick, casual sessions are the intent with iPolygon, any longevity traded for short-term appeal. The clean, minimalist approach to classic arcade gameplay makes it relevant, even if it doesn't possess lasting value.