Meganoid immediately reminds me of League of Evil [review], which is both good and bad. It's good because I love League of Evil, but bad because Meganoid does not match or exceed the aforementioned game's quality. That being said, Meganoid is a really fun platformer that is held back by occasionally wonky controls and some current issues with crashing—something that should be fixed by the time the update releases, along with the addition of twenty new levels.
The game currently features seventy levels and each level can be played on the more difficult 'Sarge Mode' if both level's stars are obtained. This is a nice way of rewarding players who are good at the game while not granting those who suck the ability to suck even more. The levels are well designed and the game constantly mixes up the formula by adding new elements—such as weapons, jetpacks, and the ability to mess with gravity. The problem is, controlling the little guy is not as responsive as I would like. On more than one occasion I would die because my finger apparently moved a smidgen enough to lose all control, forcing my own death. It doesn't happen often, but happened enough to frustrate me at times.
With my admitted frustration, I still enjoyed the game more than most iOS platformers and can proudly say I finished all current levels—I wouldn't stick with a game if frustration surpassed fun. A specific gameplay aspect I loved was the decision to make weapons automatically target and shoot an enemy. This subtle bit of design takes away any need or worry on pressing another button that would only overly complicate the game. Many levels also include secret areas that may make a level easier and often contain diamonds one needs in order to obtain one of a level's stars. Other than that, the music/audio is chipified loveliness and the visuals are pixelated approved.
Meganoid is not without problems—occasional control hiccups and crashing that seems to occur in later levels—but the game is good enough to be worth playing despite these problems. If you enjoy platformers and especially if you played and enjoyed League of Evil, I highly recommend the game. At only a dollar, the gamble in non-existent and why not support a very rare Android to iOS port?
Meganoid (iPhone/iPod Touch - $0.99 -- Android)
