I bought a bunch of 99-cent games for my iPad 2 last weekend. They were all on sale for a limited time, so I figured, “What the hell.” I’ve played all but one and I’m floored by their value. Sure, they’re not as deep as their PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS equivalents, but they’re close. And besides, similar games for those platforms cost 30 times as much. Here’s what I picked up:
Let’s Golf 2 — It’s like Mario Golf lite. The control options aren’t as extensive, but I’m still having loads of fun with this game.
Baseball Superstars Pro 2011 — It’s like Mario Baseball lite. This game blends arcade baseball with RPG mechanics.
Eternal Legacy — This is a Final Fantasy-like RPG. Out of the games I picked up, this had the most depth. It’s on par or deeper than several RPGs I’ve played on the DS and PSP. It doesn’t have as much polish as most Square Enix games, but it’s also much cheaper than most Square Enix iOS titles.
Death Rally — I haven’t gotten around to playing this vehicular combat game, but I’ve been hearing great things from friends. It’s made by Remedy (Max Payne, Alan Wake) and I was curious to see what a traditional game developer would do on the iPad.
These kinds of games are indicative of a major shift in the gaming business. Some analysts are predicting doom and gloom for traditional consoles. I wouldn’t go that far, but I definitely see more and more people spending more and more money on Android and iOS games. Most people think before dropping $30 to $60 on a console game that will entertainment them for a dozen hours or more. Buying a dozen hours of entertainment for a $1 is a no-brainer.
Additionally, most people need phones to keep in touch with family, friends, and work. Playing games on something you already have is a bonus. Compare that to a gaming console, which is a pure luxury purchase.
What do you guys and dolls think? Will cheap gaming on phones and tablets cut into the console market?
