Loose Threads: Will the iPhone cut it as a games device?

Ever since the iPhone was announced, gamers have been pining for the arrival of some titles to go with the device's playful interface. At Apple's SDK roadmap event a couple of weeks ago, iPhone versions of Spore and Super Monkey Ball were unveiled and Apple announced that it is committed to bringing truckloads of games to the device from independent and global developers alike. Queue the internet being set ablaze with discussion.

Of course, just because a company can do something doesn't mean it should, nor does it guarantee that it will be a success. Last week we put the question to you, and though the volume of response wasn't overwhelmingly large, there were still some interesting points raised.

Taking a few minutes off from pruning his magnificent moustache, Accelorata Jengold let fly his two cents:

"Although I've never really been sold on the whole convergence thing before, I really hope the iPhone does take off in gaming. The iPhone as a convergence device makes a mockery of the PSP in every department but games and if it can get that aspect right, too, it might truly be the first device to live up to the whole 'convergence' soundbite. "What games would I like to see? The same thing I want on any touchscreen device, a port of Starcraft."

Despite having an interface more akin to the DS, the PSP comparison is apt. Whether or not the PSP will still be Sony's front runner in the handheld space by the time the iPhone is firing on all cylinders in the gaming department, however, remains to be seen. As for Starcraft – we wouldn't say no, Jengold, though we won't be holding our breath for it.

The only other voice to be heard on this topic was SetsFireToPoshHammer.

"I'm not so sure about all of this. It's not that I don't want it to happen or even that I think that Apple isn't committed to it, it clearly is, it's just I don't know if the install base and potential market are as rock solid as some are assuming. "I suppose with the iPhone being such a highly visible device, any good game released on it already has a bit of a leg up, but with all these reports of the SDK being gimped, at least for now, bigger developers might be scared off. It hasn't bothered EA and Sega mind so hopefully I am wrong.

"As for games, I'd like to see something clever and unique that helps define the platform the way Brain Training did for the DS."

The reports coming back about the SDK not allowing developers to have their applications and games run in the background of the iPhone OS is a concern. Imagine having to reboot a game every time you receive a call. Even so, we're hopeful the SDK will be updated and improved upon regularly so any niggles at the moment will be ironed out before long.

That, unbelievably, was all you had to say on the matter this week (are you all in hospital from eating too much Easter chocolate?), but we have a feeling this discussion is far from over. At any rate, many of you were busy worrying about other things. Reader Leon, for instance, contacted us by email with a very good question that we dutifully added to the Help! section in the forum:

"You have news about Renegade Kid's new DS game, Moon, but we can't even buy Dementium: The Ward in UK shops yet, do you know when it will be out?"

We've been waiting for an answer from the Dementium's UK publisher, Gamecock, all week, leading us to increasingly believe it's aptly named. That aside, if anyone knows anything or has by some miracle been able to buy it in Europe, then do reply in the relevant thread to help Leon out.

Lastly, we felt we had no option but to share this with you. Someone who got the complete wrong end of the stick contacted us by high-priority email to ask:

"I would like to know if you have Mobile Toilet and I need to order some of them and may I know the price and what is the method of payment do you accept and I hope to hear from you soon."

Frankly, we were too bogged down (sorry) to answer and think the individual in question is taking the p*ss (and again). Anyway, on the off-chance that any of our readers are in the portaloo business, we added the query to the Help! section of the forum – purely to aid our fellow man, however, and not at all so that all of our readers could have a good snigger. No, really.

And so, without further ado, on with next week's topic:

Is online gaming a good fit for handhelds?

As always, full details can be found in the forum. Click 'Track It!' to be sure not to miss next week's Loose Threads.