Gauntlet
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| Gauntlet

Aside from a few obvious exceptions, most things in life are more fun when you share them with others. Sadly, there are still far too few mobile games that allow you to compete with fellow pocket gamers, so huge plaudits must go to Gauntlet for enabling you to go one step further and actually join forces to do battle with the evil minions in its fabulous Bluetooth multiplayer mode.

For the benefit of those who have never witnessed the sheer pocket money-swallowing genius of the original arcade game or it’s numerous home conversions, Gauntlet is a swords and sorcery game that casts you as either an Elf, Warrior, Wizard or Valkyrie and sees you descend into dungeons packed full of increasingly tough enemies with only your wits, sharp-edged weaponry and the occasional magic potion to help you progress.

The action is viewed from above and, though simplistic, the visuals manage to convey a surprising amount of character (not to mention considerable nostalgia value for older gamers). Your characters and their weapons are well defined and the enemies are as varied as they are relentless, with everything from ghosts and club-wielding grunts to fire-breathing demons, rock-chucking lobbers and even Death himself pouring forth from their distinct ‘generators’ to bar your way. Likewise, the level designs, though hewn from basic walls and doors, remain some of the best-constructed in the pocket gaming universe, offering a mix of tormenting twists and turns, secret short-cuts and other interesting features such as teleports.

Indeed, there is a definite tactical aspect in the way you navigate each dungeon maze as you try to line up enemies to be picked off from long range without freeing trapped groups of monsters until you’re ready for them. Although, more often than not, these best laid plans soon descend into hectic button-bashing with you surrounded in a fight for your life, casting anxious glances at your ever decreasing health gauge! The latter can be boosted by picking up food (meat and ale) and there are also numerous treasure chests to be looted which provide a similar fillip to your score. However, the real goal of each level is to find your way to the exit, usually via a series of locked passageways.

The game’s comparatively simple premise and controls convert well to the mobile phone (particularly in the landscape version we tried on our current phone of choice, Sony Ericsson’s W550i), but without a decent joystick you can probably chalk a mark off the score below. Then again, if you’re lucky enough to have some pocket gaming pals with compatible Bluetooth phones, you can notch up an extra mark for each of them.

Although you can play the game perfectly well on your own and progress a fair distance, the most successful and fun quests (as with the original) are undeniably those that enlist fellow adventurers to help bear the load and share the spoils. Although you’ll spend as much time bickering over who’s going to get the food/treasure as planning out flanking strategies, this social element both on-screen and off really does add an extra dimension to the game, as well as easing progress and increasing longevity. What's more, setting up multiplayer games is as easy as turning on Bluetooth on all the handsets, with one player starting a new game and then the others joining in.

So, to sum up, Gauntlet is an absorbing adventure game that offers an enjoyable experience for most pocket gamers. But it’s undoubtedly the nostalgia hunters (this is near identical to the original home versions, right down to the music and sound effects) and the social gamers who will get the most out of it.

Gauntlet

A classic arcade conversion that fits the mobile like a glove, but really deserves applause when played with friends
Score
Chris James
Chris James
A footy game fanatic and experienced editor of numerous computing and game titles, bossman Chris is up for anything – including running Steel Media (the madman).