Rocket Riot HD

This sums up a recent conversation we had with Chillingo.

Us: Wait, is this the same Rocket Riot we loved on Xbox Live Arcade?

Chillingo: Yup, but without multiplayer.

Us: ...

To be fair, Rocket Riot's still entertaining. The game, which first debuted on Xbox 360 in 2009, lets you decimate a series of levels built from the ground up with 8-bit style graphics, ala NES. As you unleash rockets, the stages explode into hundreds, dare we say thousands, of pieces. It was fun two years ago, and it's just as cool to see on iPhone and iPad.

To that end, the basic missions remain the same, as you set off through 48 missions to take down the evil pirate, Blockbeard.

That said, goals involve obliterating a select number of enemies, picking up a football and then flying (via jetpack) through the uprights and destroying giant boots.

As you shred the environments, power-ups appear that make fighting bad guys much easier. One increases the size of your rocket, Viagra style, while another lets you pass through solid objects like a ghost. Then you have the pick-up that turns rockets into bombs, as in they travel straight down, and the item that transforms one rocket into three.

Then, along the way, you'll unlock over 100 playable characters, from pirates to construction workers.

It's cool while it lasts. Unfortunately, the lack of mission variety makes Rocket Riot a bit tedious, while the missing multiplayer mode is a real letdown. Had it come packaged with even local MP, we would've increased the score.

With this in mind, Rocket Riot still manages to impress, and at $0.99, you definitely get your monies worth. Do us a favor, though, and cross your fingers for multiplayer.

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1 or later.

Download Rocket Riot HD