Opinion: Apple Watch could spark a revolution in mobile gaming

Let me begin by dispelling a popular misconception: you're not going to have a traditional mobile gaming experience on your Apple Watch.

If you can get over that and start using your imagination though, you might begin to see the possibilities that Apple Watch gaming could hold.

Non-traditional gaming experiences have been an enormous success in the past - you only have to look at the Nintendo Wii for proof of that.

Despite its success, it did have initial naysayers who argued that gamers only want to play games the traditional way. After a quick go on Wii Sports with the motion controller they were readily sold.

Now, I'm not arguing that the Apple Watch will be a similar gaming success story but I am saying that, if you set aside your scepticism for a moment, it could offer you an experience you've never had before.

Not only will the heart rate monitor drastically improve health and fitness games, and maybe even get you more excited about getting fit, but it could also open up entirely new possibilities.

How about a survival horror game that delivers more scares when your heart rate goes up? Or an endless runner where your character slows down when it senses you're getting tired or slacking?

New experiences such as those aren't out of the realms of possibility. The already announced Zombies, Run! uses the GPS in your phone to track your movement then throws up location-specific information and instructions on your watch.

Link-up play between your Apple Watch and iPhone could be a real game changer, and allow you to react instantly to an attack on your base in Clash of Clans or respond to an Alliance request in Game of War: Fire Age.

After all, if the Apple Watch can allow you to respond to a text or answer a call without having to pull your phone out of your pocket, why can't it do the same for games?

Some games and genres could actually fit best on the Apple Watch and certain developers think so too, as Hatchi, the iOS virtual pet simulator, word game Letterpress, and Elementary Minute, the quiz game have already been announced for an Apple Watch release.

If I have time to play a mobile game I'd rather play the more involved Battleheart or Monument Valley but, if I only had a few moments to spare, I'd be inclined to boot up a quick Apple Watch minigame instead.

As the Apple Watch grows we're likely to see quick-fire gaming perfected. After all, WarioWare Inc. and Dumb Ways to Die have both already proved that there's a hunger for these types of games.

That's the beauty of a completely new device - you can't be 100 percent sure exactly what to expect.

I can say with certainty that, based on the games already announced, its unique features, and the creative possibilities of the device, the Apple Watch isn't something to dismiss as a complete gimmick.

It's entirely possible that you won't be able to live without it in just a few years time.