Settlers has come to the iPhone.  It is a reasonable translation with a few standard options, and several variations of computer AI to compete against.  Each with a different personality, some with more skill than others.  Hotseat play with humans is supported, but no online play is available.  While basic options exist (to normalize random rolls, etc…) I was disappointed to find there weren’t any additional variations beyond basic Settlers.  The Settlers title on the Nintendo DS includes the seafarers rules as well as a couple variations, but this title is only the basic game.  It is a solid version that provides a basic Catan experience, but personally I’m a bit Settlered-out unless there’s a few more strategic options.

This little puzzle game has a stack of colored bricks falling down a central column four rows high.  On either side of the center the rows are three bricks long.  Bricks have a color and from one to three symbols.  Slide the bricks to either side in order to form sets of three matching colors, number of symbols, or symbol types.  Multiple matches in a single set of three bricks give your score a multiplier.  The bottom row (and any above that are also full) clears when both sides are full.  If both sides of the bottom have no matches whatsoever, the game ends in challenge mode.  The other mode has a simple time limit.  At first the game seems easy and straightforward, but as more colors and symbols appear, it gets harder and harder to make matches.  Since columns are four stacks high, you can slide upper bricks to the sides, but only while they’re waiting in the stack.  Thus, the bottom-most brick can only go to the bottom left or bottom right row.  The game/puzzle becomes a quite a look-ahead problem.  I found it interesting, and it got more complicated as I was drawn into the overlapping complexities involved.  However, the game didn’t grip me strongly enough for me to continue until I felt I conquered it.

This colorful puzzle game has six circles in a hexagon with one circle in the middle.  Each circle is divided into colored pie wedges of six colors.  Spin any circle so that you get two matching color wedges on the outside or a set of three matching wedges in the interior of the circle.  Matching wedges disappear and score points, but every non-scoring rotation subtracts a point.  There’s a puzzle mode (take your time, but wedges don’t come back), arcade mode (as matches are made, more colors fill in with new, different colors appearing as time wears on), and an action mode (as puzzle mode but you only get a minute and circles get refilled if completely emptied).  In contrast to Monumental, I still haven’t grasped long-term strategy to this game.  I can see five or more moves ahead, but the many dependencies begin to put things into a blur.  I like having all the information available to me (as opposed to Monumental where only the next few blocks are showing) despite my inability to make good use of it.  After a few weeks, it is still in my upper rotation of puzzle games.

Okay, this is NOT a puzzle game nor a boardgame but it has enough strategy in it that it has dominated most of my gaming on my iPod touch.  The game is played in real-time, but don’t let that put you off.  The game board consists of bases that are interconnected by roadways.  Each base has a size which dictates its maximum capacity.  Bases generate units and larger bases are faster at generating units.  Players (solo vs computer AI only) each begin with a single base and a stack of units.  Conquer a base by moving your units onto it.  For each enemy unit in the stack, your stack is reduced by a unit.  The many neutral bases start with units equal to their capacity but don’t build more neutral units over time allowing you to wear neutral bases down.

On top of this, some bases have fortifications that grant a 2x or 4x multiplier to the occupying stack.  Due to the nature of the layout (which changes each time), an astute player will take advantage of chokepoints, and defensive positions.  To stir up the mix, some bases have guns (of 3 power levels) which fire at any enemy units in range and stacks of units will shoot at each other while moving between bases.  Thus, you want to avoid moving small stacks anywhere near large stacks as larger moving stacks quickly decimate smaller moving ones.  The final main aspect are the two types of units.  Tanks (from hexagon bases) can only follow the prescribed lines between bases, while helicopters (from oval bases) can go from any base to any other base.  Units can attack other base types at a 1 to 2 disadvantage (before defense multipliers kick in) but cannot fortify the wrong type of base.  Most boards have either a pure tank layout or a mix of the two.

Playing the game well is quite satisfying as it requires one to recognize strong points in a given board layout as well as opportune times to counter-attack.  I think of it as juggling with a strong tactical (and a little strategic) component.  There are two modes to the game, a campaign mode (where you play as a country through a series of set boards) and a survival mode where you play until your first loss.  In both modes, you get to choose a special ability at the end of each successful combat which can give things like a larger starting base, a larger starting army, reinforcements a short while into the game, or even a double-strength first attack of the game.  Complete a level more quickly and you are offered more choices for your upgrade reward.  One thing I find disconcerting within the game are the many random “arcade bonuses” that can occur as you play.  You gain +5 units the first time you successfully conquer a unit, collect more than 100 units in one base and you’re granted a base upgrade, etc… These sorts of rewards feel disconcertingly arcade-y in a strategy type title.  Once I came to terms with these seemly undeserving rewards I saw the need for them at the higher levels of survival mode as the computer opponents start with overwhelming numbers and receive very large sets of reinforcements later in the level.  Without the special grace-rewards that pop up from time to time it would be nigh impossible to beat anything past the first dozen levels or so.

Despite these issues, I quickly played through both available campaigns (and the tutorial) and have since spent much of my iPod Touch gaming time playing through survival mode of this game.  If you’re not adverse to a game that requires quick decision making, I highly recommend it.