Just following the release of iPhone OS 3.0 (and the included batch of new features) Illusion Labs has updated their claim-to-fame game Touchgrind. And you as you guessed, its sporting some 3.0 abilities this time. We’ll get to this. But first, let’s take a look at Touchgrind.
Hearkening back to the days of Converse All-stars, truck guards, and grip tape, Touchgrind offers a unique iPhone skateboarding experience. In all reality, the skateboarding craze is far from gone. Skateboard parks are still popping up across the U.S. And considering Touchgrind’s long-standing success in the App Store, we’d say finger boarding is here to stay as well.
Upon initial launch of Touchgrind, its clear Illusion Labs is serious about iPhone gaming. The main menu is attractively laid out and cleverly integrates a skate wheel as the selection board. Give the wheel a spin and you’ll get an idea of the impressive physics that wait beyond the menu. The “How To” area offers tutorial videos on each of the game’s core tricks. You’ll be educated on perfecting the Ollie, Pop Shuvit, Flip, and Railslides. Feel inventive? It’s also possible to combine any of the core tricks in an endless array of maneuvers. “Warm Up” gives you time to practice your skills in a comfortable environment. No stress here, just take the time to get used to the controls. The AppSmile team all found themselves returning to the “How To” section asking “How do I do that again?” Once you feel confident with your board, move on to the “Jam Session”. Here you’ll start to rack up points based on your trick mastery. The more elaborate your trick, the higher the score. Unlocking new boards introduces a level of motivation to the game. This can be done in the “Competition” area. Shoot for your best tricks while racing the clock to score more boards to ride. 15 designer boards are available in all.
We have to admit, the touch controls do take some time to get used to. The absence of tactile feedback on the iPhone creates some initial confusion as to which finger to lift and when. Don’t worry Touchgrind doesn’t require that you physically push the board forward with your finger as you would on an actual skateboard. Placing a finger toward one end of the board orients it to move in the opposing direction. The board won’t begin to move until another finger is placed in the middle of its top surface. The order and direction in which fingers are released from the board initiates trick elements. Sounds confusing? It’s easy once you get the hang of it. We got a huge kick from railsliding as it takes a proper Ollie and balancing act to successfully nail it. There are tons of personal satisfaction points in this game. Our only gripe is that we had a bigger screen to see where we’re going. As it is, you only get warnings that obstacles are approaching instead of actually seeing them beforehand. We understand that proper control and size of the board won this compromise.
Besides basic iPhone OS 3.0 compatibility, Touchgrind’s prominent new feature is in-game music selection. Now you can access your iPod songs and playlists without ever leaving the skate park. Beautifully integrated into Touchgrind, this feature resides within the skate park environment via a menu icon in the lower left corner. Other features include online score submission as well as music and sound effect levels. Additionally, a great replay button is available. Here you can analyze and savor your moves with an included replay-speed setting. How cool is that?
At $4.99 Touchgrind is positively at a mid level iTunes price point. Yet, we think it offers enough ingenuity to justify the cost. Observing the amazing graphics and out-of-the-box controls of Touchgrind reminds us of its close Illusion Labs cousin Sway. With these two impressive iPhone apps, Illusion Labs proves again and again it is the King of creative touch-controlled gaming.
Touchgrind gets our AppSmile 5-Dimple rating:
