While some people have slowly started to come around to mobile gaming, there's still an ambiguous stigma attached to the format. It doesn't necessarily seem that people hate all mobile games, but a wide net of doubt and distrust is nonetheless cast over the entire category due to the reputations and practices of the most popular ones. I was never personally interested in mobile gaming until I got an iPad a couple years ago (the first time I'd ever had an Apple device, and my first exposure to the App Store). Ever since then I've really been exposed to the breadth of experiences available on mobile for nothing or next to nothing. Despite the elitism of "hardcore gamers," there really are some great and intense experiences to be had on iOS and Android. Here are some of my favorites. Incoboto (Puzzle Platformer) This is one that completely came out of left field. The game centers around a small boy named Inco as he traverses various planetary systems in search of life following a mysterious cataclysmic event. He's accompanied by a baby sun named Helios that serves as your only companion and source of power. This is really an experiential game; everything from the subtle, ambient score to the uniquely sleek/cartoonish art style pulls you in, and you really feel like you're the tiny Inco wandering hopelessly through space. The atmosphere of the game exudes loneliness, and the farther you get the happier you are to have Helios hovering over you all the time. The story is told through bits of text when you reach certain systems, by taping on the skeletons of past explorers (when you do, you'll be able to read their final thoughts), and by hilariously dismissive and belittling signs left by the governing entity simply called "The Corporation." The skeletons are also used as a great vehicle for delivering clues about nearby puzzles; more than once I was stuck and frustrated before I paused, thought over what a skeleton had said, and discovered the solution right away. The puzzles range from finding ways to have multiple timed switches on all at once to using the power of Helios' sunlight to access otherwise unreachable areas, and you can't access the next planetary system before you complete all of them. The mechanics are simple, but it's far from a casual game. Before long you'll find yourself trying to wrap your head around some pretty challenging and multi-layered problem-solving tasks--like any good puzzle game should have you doing. The one-hand touch controls feel good and work well enough that I could never really blame anyone but myself for having to attempt the same puzzle a dozen times. There's a lot of content here, and with the added challenge of collecting 50 Star Map pieces, completionists will have their work cut out for them (trust me, some of those are downright punishing to reach).
Incoboto is a real treat to play, and was a pleasant surprise for me when I started it. This was one of the first games that showed me that a quality gaming experience didn't have to come from a traditional gaming platform. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in puzzle platformers, or anyone just looking for a good, meaty puzzle experience on mobile. But that's just me. Have any of you played it? What did you think? Let me know on Twitter (@CreamBasics)! And don't forget to come back often! I'll have a new post every single weekday, and maybe even spontaneously over the weekend sometimes too. Until next time, have a beautiful day!
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