Learn Some Control!

The Joy is in the Journey... At one point or another, I imagine every one of us has heard this phrase. And at some point, every one of us has to of thought to ourselves that it is total bollocks. I've lost count of the number of times that some well-intentioned authority figure has descended upon me in my time of "need" to dole out this priceless gem: getting dumped by that perfect person, trying to dump that not-so-perfect person, failing in school, trying to shuffle awkwardly through adolescence, trying to shuffle awkwardly through adulthood. At moments like these, hearing that overly optimistic shmaltze is about as welcome as having crushed ice rubbed over an exposed dental root. Unfortunately, there is truth in it. Often the most important part of any experience is the path, rather than the destination. So what does all this new age hooey have to do with that eponymous device of which we are all so fond? Well dear reader I am glad you asked/thought about it/didn't care/want me to stop superimposing my own thoughts over yours. All too often through blogs, reviews, and friends- I hear people making complaints that follow the same general pattern: "I can't stand [game title]! The controls are impossible to master and need to be changed...... Well if i may, these two ideas could not be further apart from one another!! There is a huge difference between controls that need to be changed, and controls that are difficult to master. Take Sway for example. This revolutionary game is beautiful in every way, not the least of which is the very novel control scheme that it utilizes. Using your two thumbs (ok, so not that novel) that represent the characters' hands, you swing along the haphazard  landscape. Simple enough right? Well not for some people. I have read many reviews calling this game out for controls that are just impossible, often with the brain surgeons suggesting an alternate scheme that is more 'traditional.' People!! You don't call out Jackson Pollock for using non-traditional artistic techniques, because then you just end up with a bowl of fruit instead of...random splatters of paint. Ok, bad example, but you get my point, right?!. Or look at Eliss. This game brings multi-touch to a whole new level! Unfortunately there aren't many of us on that level, but you don't diss on the game for controls that are impossible-you adapt to them, and enjoy the growing experience the developer designed for you to undergo. I recently bought Snake Galaxy, and i am impressed out of my mind! The graphics are gorgeous, and the gameplay is just different enough to make you forget that you are simply playing a game that has been around since computers were invented. The difference is that instead of simply turning left and right, you are now given the four corners of the screen with which to turn in more subtle three-dimensional ways. At first when i played it, every bone in my body cried out for the 'normal' control scheme that i was accustomed to. But then slowly, I gave in to this new way of navigating the snake...and it has made all the difference. The true joy of games like this is in learning the controls, the pace, the timing and the feel of each individual game. Some people appear to want every game they play to be thinly veiled clones of each other! Where's the fun in that? No, we need to support this new vogue thinking! We need game developers to realize that we appreciate their efforts to engage our senses in new and different ways! That we enjoy the journey of learning these very novel (and sometimes difficult) UI's. And what better way to expereince them than on the iPhone! With its mix of multi-touch, accelerometer, and even voice activated play-this is the ideal platform for games that challenge the status quo of gaming controls. Do you agree? What are some of your favorite games/controls?

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