The term "Generation eXcrement" always seemed more fitting for "Generation X," and "The iGeneration" term always made me think about how overrated the iPod is. I never thought it deserved all of the attention it got. When Apple said they were entering the videogame market with the iPhone/iPod Touch, critics were quick to point out the immense success of Nintendo's GameBoy and DS (as they had done with every other handheld contender). The iPhone/iPod Touch didn't seem too appealing at first; that is, until Apple brought the fight to Nintendo's doorstep with a host of exclusive, quality titles backed by big names. For "just a phone," it has a damn-good lineup of titles from the best in the industry. Nintendo, however, wasn't (and still doesn't seem to be) worried, and there's a reason why they haven't had to acknowledge the competition.

The Light's On, But Nobody's Home
That reason is because even with such strong backing, it seems iPhone/iPod Touch games have gone virtually unnoticed by too much of the gaming community. While they may be noticed by the average iPhone/iPod Touch user, they seem to be (for the most part) ignored by those we think would notice them the most. Those who matter. Don't get me wrong, here; I'm not the biggest Apple fan by no stretch of the imagination. I never liked the iMac (or any of their computers, for that matter), and never really liked the iPod or the ridiculous fashion statement that it spawned. I had virtually no interest in Apple hardware until the iPhone/iPod Touch. Why? Not just because of its ease of functionality, but because I was just blown away at how developers all over the world jumped on it and made games for it.

Which is why I cannot understand how iPhone/iPod Touch games don't get the attention they deserve. Even Japanese developers (typically conservative when it comes to new hardware) didn't waste time making exclusive versions of big IPs like Resident Evil, Space Invaders, Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Time Crisis, Ridge Racer, Ace Combat, and Metal Slug. Resident Evil - Degeneration appeals especially to fans who loved Resident Evil 4's gameplay mechanics, but were let-down by the absence of zombie "survival-horror." REDG has the best of both worlds, and the weapon merchant is even back (albeit in different form)! Then there's the awesome Ghosts 'N Goblins - Gold Knights, which isn't just a port of Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins; it's new, with an extra playable character, new modes, and a ton of other new extras including DLC! Space Invaders - Infinity Gene breathes new life into the iconic retro series, Metal Gear Solid - Touch is a hardware showcase, and Time Crisis - Strike painlessly makes the transition from light-gun to touch. The sleeper hit Archetype confidently shows that FPS games can be done on the iPhone/iPod Touch, and id Software comes out in full-force with Doom Resurrection. Lastly, familiar stuff like Metal Slug, Magic Drop, Ridge Racer, Puzzle Bobble, and even a new Castlevania puzzler!

Moreover, some of them even made completely new IPs that aren't half-bad! One of them is a simple but fun puzzler Capcom brought out called BombLink, and it was surprising because they hadn't brought out a title like that in a while. Apple also owes thanks to quality independent bargain titles like the Strikers 1945-inspired iFighter and the brilliantly-animated NinJump for making the iPhone/i Pod Touch even more of a contender. Now, how has all of this gone unnoticed? There are a variety of possible reasons, but no one is any more valid than any of the others. It would seem that few have actually played anything on the iPhone/iPod Touch enough to really know anything about how it runs games (let alone what games are even on it). In short, there are a lot of good titles on the iPhone/iPod Touch with great appeal, but it's hard to see them through jaded eyes. And with such third-party charm, the current movers and shakers might have to run for shelter if (or when) Apple decides to get into the console market.

"Spiraling Through This Continuum"
Control appears to be a factor among game players across the spectrum. Some developers have it down pat, and some need a little help, but most of the games control pretty good. Some of them even control better than their non-touch counterparts! Critics are thinking, "no, that's no possible!" My rebuttal to that is in the proof of the games and how much easier the touch controls are. ESPGaluda II, Doom Resurrection, and Ghosts 'N Goblins - Gold Knights are the best examples of this. The first time I played ESPGaluda II and DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu, I felt I was more in control than in any non-touch Cave shooter to date (and that's no lie). Cave's control work is perfection; your ship creeps or blazes according to your movement. Play it and realize what a great job Cave's testers and programmers did! Doom Resurrection weighs in not just as the most visceral game on the hardware, and arguably as the most visually inspired American title on it, but also as one of the best handling. The tilt/tap controls feel surprisingly natural, and all the dodging and taking cover is so seamless that it's hard to imagine it any other way. Carmack joked about being an overpaid tester for it, but but what else can you say? His ingenuity is deathless (even in the wake of new technology)!

G&GGK uses touch controls to shed the years and years of bad control reputation that has plagued the series since its inception, even though control in the two RE titles on it could have been better (with the quick-turn), but it's no surprise because people have complained about controls in that series since its birth. The only games that don't control well on the iPhone/iPod Touch are the ones that are just ported; stuff made exclusively for the iPhone/iPod Touch was meant to be on it, and you can tell. Not to say that bad control is an impossibility in exclusive titles, but the odds are definitely higher in the case of titles that were not designed for touch controls. The touch re-release of MegaMan II is an example of this, since it's not really comparable to the awesome MegaMan ZX series on the DS (no matter what elitists say).

Exclusives > Shovelware
Graphics may be a factor in the lack of reception, but that's difficult to see (especially when most of the games on the iPhone/iPod Touch look just as good as anything on the top-dog Nintendo DS). The sharp, brilliant visuals in Resident Evil: Degeneration, Metal Gear Solid - Touch, Time Crisis: Strike, and Ghosts 'N Goblins - Gold Knights are enough to show what Apple's machine can do. It really has the makings of a developer-friendly platform, and the proof is in the support. Take a look at the App Store and see; there's something new everyday, and with titles like Time Crisis - 2nd Strike and Ghosts 'N Goblins - Gold Knights II, it continues to grow! Not to say that there aren't some questonable titles being passed; in its original form Street Fighter IV doesn't belong on it at all. The only games that aren't really impressive are in the shovelware category. Some titles just weren't meant to be on it, and they stick out like a sore thumb when put next to the ones that were actually supposed to be. It is a multi-function machine, but not for graphics. Though it does only what it does, it does it noticeably well.

From The Minds Of The Jaded
Crooked media probably plays a part in all of this, too. Hardcore wanna-be "gaymers" at magazines don't seem to know or care much at all about games on the iPhone/iPod Touch, so of course nobody would know of anything other than the NDS. "It must not be worth playing if big magazines and sites don't talk about it." This is the impression left in people's heads, which is unfortunate because there's more quality gaming here to be had than they can imagine. And the sites that actually do report on them regularly are no better; they'd rather give praise to lame crap with no depth of soul. Either that, or they'd rather pass-up exclusive titles completely for emulated titles; this is especially disappointing because we've seen all these emulated titles regurgitated in every way, shape, and form before the iPhone/iPod Touch.

Then there's OpenFeint, an application that provides an achievement/trophy system for iPhone/iPod Touch games. It rewards the player with points for their in-game accomplishments in the same manner as Xbox 360 achievements and PS3 trophies. It won't change the minds of anyone who didn't like them on the XB360 or PS3, but it may change their view of the platform as a whole. For those who think that "chieves" are the only thing that justifies playing video games at all, OpenFeint makes iPhone/iPod Touch games appealing (which was probably the whole point). The NDS lacks a system like OpenFeint, so the iPhone/iPod has a definite advantage there; on top of the acheivements, it also works as a social platform (with a profile, friends list, and messaging). OpenFeint combines these features, further blurring the line between console and portable.

Earbuds And Silhouettes
The iPhone/iPod Touch is more fashionable than the Nintendo DS, so what's the problem? Well, it certainly is (outside of Japan), and that may even be a factor working against it. Is it something the "hardcore" are turned-off by? Is there something with the iPhone/iPod Touch that players don't want to be associated with? The whole fashion statement bull that comes with it is undoubtedly ridiculous, but it's still no reason to pass on quality gaming. Shit, just look at the design of the PlayStation 2; it's not the most handsome piece of hardware out there, but its titles are adored. And if the idea of it being a multi-functional "non-gaming machine" seems unappealing, then what about the PS2 and PS3? Aren't they marketed in the same way? iPhone/iPod Touch games are unfairly judged on all of these things that surround the hardware itself.