A lot of my recent gaming has been occurring on my iPhone. While I am not impressed with the iPhone as a phone but as a little computer it is fantastic! Here are my current favorite iPhone apps that are based upon boardgames. I also play a number of non-board game based iPhone games, chief among them, the excellent tower defense game, Fieldrunners.
Carcassonne: This is a fantastic app. It is only the base game but all of the rules from the basic game are implemented completely. The interface is easy to use and you can play against up to four computer opponents at a time from a list or seven or eight possible opponents. You can also play two player games against friends or random internet opponents. If you like Carcassonne this is a gr4eat app.
Hive: This is a neat little app where you play and maneuver various insects to surround the opposing queen. Each insect moves in a unique manner leading to a variety of strategies. Plays quickly.
Ingenious: Ingenious is an abstract tile laying game where you score points based upon what color rows you connect when placing a tile. The winner is determined by the player whose lowest color score is the highest so you cannot focus on a single color. This is a great implementation of the game.
Roll through the Ages: This is a single player adaptation of the dice game. Lack of multiplayer takes a little away from the game but as a solo game it plays well. The interface is well designed and all of the rules (other than multiplayer) are implemented.
Settlers of Catan: Fantastic app. You can play “hotseat” with a friend or against three computer opponents. The AI is somewhat lacking at times but the interface is easy to use and all of the features of the base game are included. I understand that the Seafarers app is coming soon.
Funagain games has a deal where they will give you a copy of the iPhone app if you buy a copy of the game from them. Check out the offer not only to consider purchasing but also to see a more complete listing of available iPhone apps.
