The Battle of Pirate Bay

Any good seaman knows that without the wind to fill your sails, you're dead in the water. The Battle of Pirate Bay shoots the sea breeze with simple gameplay that hooks you in, even if we'd like to see its sails open up to more features.

Given command of three seafaring vessels – a speedy schooner, mid-sized frigate, and massive galleon – you're charged with defending a base situated at the bottom of the screen. Enemy ships come at you from all sides, leaving you to direct your vessels in battle with a slide of a finger. It's akin to a waterlogged Missile Command, albeit with the ability to move your defences at will.

Attacks are automatically launched against foes within any ship's range, leaving you to worry about manoeuvring your fleet to protect the base. Each ship moves at a different speed; naturally, the galleon moves at a slower rate than the frigate and the schooner, which zips along at a rather fast clip.

Ammunition is also a concern, along with your base's integrity. Dots encircling your ships signify their maximum ammunition capacity and current stock. Red dots represent available shots, whereas a light blue dot relays an empty round. A ship without ammo can't fire on enemies, making preservation a critical component of play.

Fortunately, supply ships make the rounds frequently and can stock your fleet with cannons. These white boats float onto the scene at random intervals, at which point you can direct any of your ships that need ammo directly into its path. Supply ships can also guarded and allowed to run aground to your base for a health boost. A gauge at the bottom shows your base's integrity, which diminishes with every enemy shot.

In tight spots, you have the option of tapping your base to lob an instant kill cannon at any opponent in the immediate area surrounding the base. You can't, however, just jam your finger on the base and expect to kill enemies as they approach. The game wisely counters this potential loophole by limiting the frequency which you can launch attacks from your base.

That sort of attention to gameplay balancing sets The Battle of Pirate Bay apart from other short-form iPhone games. Much thought has been invested into the amount of ammo available with each ship, frequency of attacks from your base, and the rate of speed at which each of your vessels move. It's a finely tuned balance that results in a satisfying bite-sized game.

That isn't to say there's ample room for improvement. The game's tight design can stand some embellishment in the form of Twitter integration or Facebook Connect support, not to mention alternative levels or power-ups. High scores are tracked via the network, though only the top ten players worldwide are shown. There's no option of seeing where you fall on the leaderboard. New features are being promised for future updates, at least.

Nevertheless, The Battle of Pirate Bay has the wind at its back. It's simple fun that can only improve with mindful, carefully balanced additions.