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Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch have solidified themselves as booming platforms for game developers. Some, including myself, find themselves setting down their Nintendo DSs and Sony PSPs in favor of the numerous (and constantly growing) games the iPhone and iPod touch have to offer. The games spread across every genre, from sports to word games. Just as well, there is a wealth of action games available in the App Store—some great, some…not so much.

If knights, jumping off leaves, or knocking down planes to keep your boat afloat…well, floats your boat, then these games are definitely for you. In this review roundup, we will be looking at Knights Onrush, iYamato, and Leaf Bound.

Knights Onrush

Developer: Chillingo
Requirements: iPhone or iPod touch, iPhone OS 2.2 or later
File Size: 21.9MB
Price: $0.99
Appletell Rating: 3/5
App Store Link: Knights Onrush

Knights Onrush, in true “defend your castle” form, provides a simple premise: there are knights attacking your castle, and the only thing stopping them is your finger. You must pick and drop the enemies as they attempt to break down your castle door, the condition of which is denoted by the status bar at the bottom of the screen. The game offers three different modes of play: Campaign (basically the “story” mode of the game, you move from level to level), Endless Siege (where you try to last as long as possible), and Madness (in the same style as Endless Siege, but the enemies are much more difficult to defeat and attack in larger and quicker waves).

I thought Knights Onrush was pretty fun for a quick play. It seems to be a pretty deep game, with multiple upgrades and add-ons to buy between levels. I’m generally less receptive to games in this style (but for good reason) and this is no different—it tends to get very repetitive. There is only so much flicking and dropping that I can do before a game loses its luster. Nonetheless, Knights Onrush is an entertaining game for the one dollar price tag it carries.

iYamato

Developer: Geppetto Inc.
Requirements: iPhone or iPod touch, iPhone OS 2.2 or later
File Size: 7.3MB
Price: $0.99
Appletell Rating: 2/5
App Store Link: iYamato

An interesting game, iYamato gives you control of two sets of cannons on a ship which you move with controls on the bottom of the screen.  You aim and fire the cannons at fighter planes, as well as the bombs they drop, and shoot them down. I played on both the Easy and Normal difficulty settings, and, despite the numerous games I handle with relative ease, I found iYamato to be a quite the challenge, and I will definitely continue to try to improve with it.

The controls, though explained visually, are a bit tricky to understand, especially since the game hits you hard and fast.  Knowing when the cannon you’re firing runs out of ammunition was something that I was not able to figure out. I would have enjoyed a more thorough introduction to the game or an easier difficulty setting for the inadequate, like myself. iYamato was an okay game, but definitely has some shortcomings.

Leaf Bound

Developer: Pixel Stream
Requirements: iPhone or iPod touch, iPhone OS 2.2 or later
File Size: 44.1MB
Price: $0.99
Appletell Rating: 4/5
App Store Link: Leaf Bound

Leaf Bound is reminiscent of the flash game, Winterbells. In both, you move your leaping character from one flying object (in this case, leaves) to the next, by sliding your finger horizontally across the bottom of the screen, trying to make your way up as far as possible.  On your way up the seemingly endless forest, mechanical movies will attempt to take away your health and end your leaps prematurely.

These types of games are really addicting, due to their simple-to-learn nature and easy controls. Unlike iYamato, for example, no instruction set is required besides the very succinct “slide your finger on the bottom of the screen.” The uniform background on each level may makes the game seem repetitive, but beyond this, I did not find many flaws. Though the overall originality may be low, Leaf Bound translates well to an iPhone game and provides a lot of entertainment.

Appletell’s Action Hero

Overall, I think Leaf Bound really shines amongst the three action games gathered here.  Its simple and addicting gameplay makes it very enjoyable with lasting value; games like these can be played for a long while before they even start to grow stale. Knights Onrush and Leaf Bound have free versions available as well, so be sure to check out each game and make the choice for yourself.