Art of the iPhone

Topple ($0.99Free) plays like it was designed to take advantage of everything good the iPhone platform has to offer, and it pulls it off pretty well. It utilizes multitouch and accelerometer controls and a whimsical sense of humor to create a fun casual game that can be played in short spans. We’re giving it a 7.5 out of 10 rating, recommended.

The game feels like a Cartoon Network-branded version of Jenga. The object is to stack shapes up to a certain height before the timer runs out. Some shapes are easier than others, with square blocks being the easiest and eggs being the hardest. If you find your tower leaning too much in one direction, you can utilize the iPhone’s accelerometer to tilt the iPhone and apply counterforce to stabilize your tower.

The game also makes use of multitouch. Players can use two fingers to rearrange the direction of shapes. It’s Tetris-like in that you can rotate the shapes for optimum stacking. One finger holds the shape while tracing a second on the screen will rotate the block.

There is a lot of polish to Topple. Animated cartoon expressions on the blocks give tactical insight as you place them. A smile will let you know a block has been dropped in a stable position. A frown will let you know you’re on shaky ground.

The soundtrack features some very good classical music straight out of a Looney Tunes cartoon. It goes far to enhance the overall mood of the game.

The graphics are likewise well orchestrated. An animation at the beginning of each level travels downward from the goal height you must reach. As the view moves down, players get to view the impressive backdrops for each level. This also shows off the iPhone’s impressive graphics power.

My only major gripe with the game is that the gameplay is not varied enough, and the stacking feels redundant after a while. But the higher levels become challenging enough to the point that a high tolerance of frustration is required to continue (or maybe that’s just my own inepitude). But since the game carries a $0.99free price tag, and because it’s so beautiful and polished, there really is nothing to complain about. I’ve paid $50 for video games I’ve gotten less fun out of.

One reason for Topple‘s polish is that it was made by Ngmoco, a company solely dedicated to creating iPhone games. The company is run by former Electronic Arts veteran Neil Young. Ngmoco received venture capital from the iFund, the $100 million dollar fun run by the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins and bankrolled by Apple. The money in the iFund is to be used to create businesses around the iPhone platform. I’ll be looking forward to more games from Ngmoco, including the upcoming Rolando.

Conclusion

Topple is the first sign of maturity for the iPhone platform. The developer’s focus on creating not just a game, but an iPhone game, is evident in every aspect of Topple‘s design. And for only $0.99, you get an inexpensive look at the bright future of iPhone gaming. 7.5 out of 10, recommended. Check out our video review below:

Name: Topple
Developers: Ngmoco, Inc.
Version reviewed: 1.0.1
Price: Free
iTunes Download: