iShoot
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| iShoot (mobile)

Mobile games translate very nicely to the iPhone, since it's a massive step up in terms of screen size and processing power. But going in the opposite direction takes some clever design work, and a poster child game for the App Store - like iShoot - comes loaded with very high expectations.

But first things first. The primary question is whether iShoot makes a good mobile game.

Ready, aim, fire

Worms fans will instantly recognise iShoot. Rather than an invertebrate you're put behind the wheel and turret of a tank - much more suitable for turn-based warfare.

A host of recognisable real world locations, like the White House and Mount Rushmore are your battlefield, with the tanks trundling along the top edge of these while taking long range pot shots at each other.

Each player has a single tank to take into the fray, with a pocket full of cash to begin with allowing you to buy a selection of diverse weapons you'll be throwing at the other players.

Tanks for the memories

The controls of iShoot are its weak point, though the weak point on a tank is still stronger than the strongest bits of almost anything else. Switching between looking around and shooting is bit irksome, and more than a few accidental shots will be fired off when trying to get your eye in.

However, sending off shots is a simple matter of setting your turret's elevation, then holding down the 'shoot' button until the power is right to land a bomb on your targets.

There's also the option to add up to four players, with as many pass-to-play human or CPU opponents as required. This multiplayer aspect to iShoot expands its enjoyment immensely, and while it's a reasonably basic and clean cut example of an artillery game, this simplicity is also a huge part of its appeal.

The playful good nature of iShoot works as beautifully on the mobile platform as it did on iPhone, and while the controls could be a little sweeter it's still clear why this game was such a success.

iShoot

The controls could be better placed, but ultimately iShoot is just as entertaining and addictive a turn based action game as the iPhone original
Score
Spanner Spencer
Spanner Spencer
Yes. Spanner's his real name, and he's already heard that joke you just thought of. Although Spanner's not very good, he's quite fast, and that seems to be enough to keep him in a regular supply of free games and away from the depressing world of real work.