After having learnt that Master of Alchemy would be coming over to the iPhone we were a little apprehensive; what would the developers do with the limited space of the iPhone? Would the interface lose some of its charm? Happily, this edition of the game is as good if not better than the iPad version because it is a lot easier on your wallet. In fact, you can buy both for less right now as the iPad version is discounted to celebrate the launch of the game for the small screen.

The game may be on a smaller device but it is nonetheless as deep and engaging as its bigger brother; interface elements have been rearranged to fit, with the developer making the best out of the small screen. The controls are the same, but you’ll find yourself pinching in and out quite a bit more given that the level is played from a perspective that’s further away. This doesn’t make the game any less enjoyable though!

Playing on a small screen has its benefits too; it helps you to focus on each individual element and its role in fulfilling the end result of the puzzle. If you’re smart you should be able to lay out all of your alembics before placing the first so that you don’t waste a precious rare element or fill the collecting vessels with a mixture of elements. Even though the puzzles are unchanged it’s surprising to see how the smaller screen impacts upon your thought process.

Overall, we think that although Master of Alchemy HD is the best way to play this game, the regular iPhone edition is a fantastic counterpart. Given the ridiculous introductory pricing, there’s no doubt that you should pick it up for your iPhone too. It even supports iOS 4 fast switching so your game progress is saved when you leave. We think that whichever version you get, you’re getting an outstanding game at a fantastic price. Highly recommended.

This review covers content that’s exclusive to the iPhone version; you can catch further detail on the gameplay from our initial review.

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More by this developer

Master of Alchemy HD, A

Review by Ben Briggs, July 23, 2010

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