Features

Top ten Xbox Live Arcade games that should be ported to the iPhone

Please, can someone unlock these achievements?

Top ten Xbox Live Arcade games that should be ported to the iPhone
|

Having been around for close to five years, Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade line of titles on Xbox Live has swollen to a considerable catalogue and includes scores of top quality games whose diminutive prices are no real indication of their worth.

But we aren't an Xbox Live Arcade gaming site - we're a pocket gaming site - and our natural reaction when faced with other platforms is to imagine them in portable form. So, for fun, and for wishfulness's sake, we've compiled the top ten Xbox Live Arcade titles that we'd like to see arrive on the App Store.

The arrival this week of PopCap's excellent Plants vs Zombies, as well as last year's Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition - shows that iPhone ports are both possible and very worthwhile. Here's hoping a few other developers get the message.

Some of the suggestions below are likely, some are at least possible, and some are sadly never going to happen. There's no accounting for taste, however, so if you feel like there are notable games missing from the list, don't be shy about letting us know in the comments.

We'll be glad to tell you why you're wrong, or indeed, concede to your superior knowledge.

In no particular order...

Prince of Persia Classic HD - Gameloft

Before Faith, before Ezio, there was the Prince, and boy could he fly. Gameloft's high definition update of the classic 2D game is arguably one of the best releases of the series, with perfectly balanced free running controls, much improved fighting mechanics, and a lush new lick of paint.

The iPhone doesn't yet have a Prince of Persia title, and this side-scrolling affair would be a great fit for the platform's interface, removing any chance of clunky camera controls or screen hogging virtual analogue sticks.

And, best of all, Gameloft isn't exactly a stranger to the iPhone as a platform.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Braid - Number None One of the most intelligently crafted titles among the Xbox Live Arcade library, Braid boldly rebuilds the platforming genre from the ground up to dizzying effect. Mixing clever time manipulation and a beautiful painterly style, Braid is almost more of a puzzle game than it is a platform one.

Crucially, both its unique visual style and simple control method could easily be mapped to the iPhone.

Developer Number None just got through porting the game over to the PlayStation Network, so hopefully with it'll turn its attentions towards the App Store. Or it could just reverse time and release the App Store version first: either way is fine.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 - Bizarre Creations This one is an obvious fit for the iPhone. In fact, it's so obvious that there are already more than a few Geometry Wars clones available on the App Store, none of which really measures up to Bizarre Creations's classic twin stick shooter.

There are already Wii and DS versions available, so it's clear that Bizarre is neither casual or touchscreen averse. There are no job listings to indicate that the company is currently working on anything iPhone sized, but the possibility is a tantalising one.

Given its relationship with Microsoft, if another handheld version is on the cards the Zune HD may well get first dibs over the iPhone.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
N+ - Slick Entertainment Mixing momentum and the irresistible ability to change direction mid-jump, N+ is like platforming porn, where all the usual abilities are distilled down to their fundamental parts. The visuals and controls again would be a walk (or leap, vault, and dive) in the park for the iPhone, too.

Even better than that, the level editor included in the XBLA version would benefit hugely from a touchscreen, and with some clever social networking integration an iPhone version could become a top class dojo for swapping creations with friends.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Splosion Man - Twisted Pixel Another plaformer, Splosion Man is all about the chaos. You don't jump: you explode, or rather, you splode about the place, doing battle with evil goons, terrifying hapless white coat clad quacks, and generally making a mess of everything you come into contact with.

Visually, this one could well be pushing what's possible on the iPhone, but this style of gameplay would be a great match for the platform.

Interestingly, Ecliptic Entertainment has already released a title featuring characters from Twisted Pixel's roster. The game, Picture Perfect, is a puzzle effort and stars both Splosion Man and The Maw. Let's hope a full on version of Splosion Man will follow it onto the App Store.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Portal: Still Alive - Valve Not just one of the best XBLA titles, but one of the best games released in the last ten years. Portal: Still Alive retains all of the original levels from The Orange Box, plus a host of extra, extra-dimensional spatial puzzles to work through.

Due to the lack of enemies and hence the need for pin-sharp aiming, the twin stick woes common in other FPS games on the iPhone wouldn't be a problem in Portal.

What's more, an anonymous coder has already had a stab at porting it, proving that the visuals and physics are not beyond the iPhone's brain. We don't care about the cake, let's just hope the iPhone version doesn't remain a lie.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Alien Hominid - The Behemoth Alien Hominid has a lot to answer for, especially on the App Store. Its bold cartoony style and old skool animation has passed from being unique in the console realm to near ubiquitous on the iPhone.

And still there's no App Store version of Alien Hominid to show the young up-starts how its done.

It may not be the most original title in the world, but Alien Hominid's classic left to right platform blasting action would be a potent stress reliever in handheld form.

Developer Behemoth has thus far stuck rigidly to home consoles, so it's high time it crossed the fence with Alien Hominid (and the same goes for Castle Crashers).

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Rez HD - Q Entertainment Music, shooting, and oddly modern looking retro visuals are not the most obvious of bedfellows, but Tetsuya Mizuguchi's masterpiece makes it work. We think he could make it work on iPhone, too, preferably with some headphone optimised music for double the thump when blasting to the beat. Q Entertainment has already brought Lumines over to the App Store, so it's not too much of a stretch to hope that Rez HD might make it onto the iPhone. That said, we'd just as happily settle for a Mizuguchi designed iPhone specific title.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Ikaruga - Treasure We couldn't have this list without including at least one retro style scrolling shooter. Not that Ikaruga is all that retro - its template may be, but its presentation is endowed thoroughly with the joys of 3D.

The frantic gameplay would be perfect for the iPhone's multi-touch interface, though purists might bemoan the loss of the classic joystick input afforded by the 360.

Perhaps the most enticing prospect of an iPhone version of Ikaruga, is high score boasting via Twitter and Facebook. Ikaruga requires ninja like time slowing powers to beat, so the chance to show off your superhuman hand eye coordination would be made all the more easy with the iPhone's oft implemented social sharing functions.

Come on, Treasure, grant us iPhone games this one gem, please.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Trials HD - RedLynx The startlingly pretty visuals would need to be toned down, but the physics heavy, softly softly catchy monkey gameplay of Trials HD, would be great on the iPhone. The controls for this one lay in the prudent and exacting use of the accelerator and not much else - not exactly beyond touchscreen optimisation.

It's a playful and inventive slant on motocross racing, with plenty in the way of character customisation, not to mention a level editing and sharing mechanic that'd be perfect for the iPhone's touchscreen and considerable social credentials. Make it happen RedLynx.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on