Real Soccer 2009 for the Clickwheel iPod Video Review

Oh sure, Mr. iPhone owner, enjoy your wide variety of free apps. Some people are stuck in a strange parallel Apple app store where all the games are $4.99 and the choice is quite limited. I'm referring to the Clickwheel app (well really, game) store.

Today, we take a look at Real Soccer 2009. As Clickwheel games go, this one is quite good. The simple left, right, up down movement of the clickwheel is a good match for the action on the soccer field. A wide selection of teams and formations adds depth to the game, as well as features like goal replays, and team strength charts.

It's easy to say it's the best soccer game for the clickwheel iPods since there's no other choice, but it really does rise to the top of clickwheel games in general

(iTunes link)

Here's a look:

CSI: Miami for the iPod Clickwheel Video Review

Hey Horatio Caine fans, now you can don your own e-sunglasses and help solve a Miami murder mystery. CSI: Miami brings the popular CBS show to clickwheel iPods. Unfortunately, it doesn't bring any of the video clips, or audio from the show, and features some tedious-to-reach mini games, that might just be too mini.

The game also suffers from being a little too "on the rails" as you are talked through every part of the murder mystery investigation. You won't be doing any looking astray for clues, and if you're patient, you will "solve" the crime.

It's worth noting the iPhone / iPod Touch version of the game is 99 cents, and does have clips from the show as a bonus.

For clickwheel owners though, you'll need to pony up $4.99...

(iTunes link)

Here's a look:

Chalkboard Baseball for the iPod Clickwheel Review

It's a shame a few of those 85,000 aps for the iPhone and iPod Touch don't come to the clickwheel iPod. Sure there are limitations with using the clickwheel for gameplay, but there's got to be a better way to implement baseball than Chalkboard Sports Baseball for the clickwheel iPods. The pitching and hitting controls are limited to three choices each, fielding is non-existent, and the crowd noise loops annoyingly.

It would be easy to say to pass on Chalkboard Sports Baseball, but unfortunately, it's the only option for clickwheel iPods.

Here's a look:

Any Future for Clickwheel Apps?

The graph says it all. With less than 50 total apps (almost all games) for the clickwheel iPods, while the app store just reached a billion downloads of over 28,000 different apps, you have to wonder if there's a future for clickwheel apps/games. Sure, it can be more difficult to write programs for the clickwheels; after all there's no readily available SDK for potential developers. It looks like that's just the way Apple wants it. There are millions of clickwheel iPods out there, but Apple's App Store works as a revenue engine that helps sell the newer, hipper, iPod Touch and iPhone.

Maybe some of those crafty people creating apps for the iPhone outside of the approved app store could find a lucrative market for clickwheel apps and games...

Asphalt 4 For The iPod Clickwheel Review

It's been awhile since we reviewed a clickwheel game, but we're back on the wagon now with a look at Asphalt 4: Elite Racing. 

The game pickings for the clickwheel are quite thin, to say the least. And for some reason, creating a great racing game for the clickwheel seems to be a an impossible task.. A bag of hurt, if you will.

Asphalt 4 isn't a great game. And it's certainly not a $4.99 game. The steering controls are frustrating, and the graphics are mediocre. Could someone please make a great racing game for the clickwheel iPods?