The problem with the relatively new market of mobile games has been the limitations of the mobile devices but are we beginning to see those restrictions ease?
Games designed for playing on handsets and other mobile devices are improving as game developers are able to build more elaborate graphics and, whilst we probably won't see serious gamers flinging their PS3s, Xboxes and Nintendo in the trash just yet, there are new breeds of games coming out that do offer more.
Typically the type of game on offer for the average iPhone user little more than a year ago was a very lite-on graphics affair - perhaps word puzzles, search games or scaled-down versions of social games like FarmVille with their bright colors and relatively slow-pace; in the past year slightly more complex games and action-based games have become very popular, as the ridiculous amount of downloads of Angry birds has shown.
There are even newer breeds of action-based game that are more graphics intensive appearing in the apps stores, with lots of animation, but without being overly bulky, top-heavy or memory-hungry.
The skill of the game developers has gone hand-in-hand with the skill of the device manufacturers to produce better, more textured, multi-layered games, designed for devices that are more powerful, have better processors and graphics chips and have a battery life to support extended play times.
The moans and groans that met the recent release of the iPhone 4s, from people who'd been expecting the release if the iPhone 5, meant that some major improvements to that phone were missed - many specifically designed to improve the mobile gaming experience.
These improvements include the use of the A5 chip, which is the same as the one used in the iPad 2. This provides twice as much CPU speed as the iPhone 4. It also has a dual core graphics processor that is seven times faster than the iPhone 4. These two features, along with the extended battery life, all make for a more game-oriented device.
This, of course, is great news for the casual gamers you see tapping their iPhone screens on the bus on the way to work in the morning, because it means a better gaming experience; whether it will be enough to attract serious gamers as well as mums, dads and kids, is not so clear.
Just recently I tried out a new free sidescroller game from the App store; it was very graphics intensive, with very beautiful landscapes where I had to guide a spaceship through. It was a throwback to the days of Atari video games and great fun.
I almost forgot that I was using my iPhone to play that game, it was so unlike typical iOS games; there's no doubt that games are becoming higher quality as the devices improve.
Styla Brite is a published author and product reviewer. Continue reading more about JumpShip Thrust Control and MonkeyBin Studios
