The iPad games are live on iTunes now — more than 700 of them. We may not have an iPad, but it doesn't mean we are not excited about the following (sorta expensive) games:
Geometry Wars Touch ($10)
Official Description: "Geometry Wars: Touch utilizes higher graphics and faster processing to enhance the game experience and immerse players deeper into non-stop shooter pandemonium... In addition to the six original Geometry Wars gameplay modes: Deadline, King, Evolved, Pacifism, Wave and Sequence, Geometry Wars: Touch for iPad will feature a brand new, adrenaline-filled mode - Titans! - exclusively for iPad."
Why The Excitement?: The Geometry Wars games are about as easy to play as Space Invaders, throwbacks to the days of blasting alien spaceships in the name of earning high scores. Plus, GW games always looked good in that Tron-future kind of way.
Any Reason To Worry?: No mention of multiplayer, which the game this is based on, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, had. No mention of networked leaderboards, which made Geometry Wars so addictive. And... no mention of how you control a game on a touch-panel device, a key detail considering that the Xbox GW games utilized two analog sticks, one for moving, one for shooting.
Civilization: Revolution ($13)
Official Description: "Updated and optimized for the iPad's 1024x768 resolution, Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution is an enhanced version of the iPhone iteration of the console-friendly Civilization game. The iPad version has all the features of the iPhone one, as well as an exclusive new World/Scenario Creator that allows players to create hundreds of new scenarios and game types. "
Why The Excitement?: Since the Nintendo DS was released, people have been asking for more touch-based strategy games. Hey, getting that with one of the best strategic world-building series of all time on a screen the size of the iPad's isn't bad.
Any Reason To Worry?: It's a port of an existing iPhone game, so...
Plants Vs. Zombies HD ($10)
Official Description: "The iPad version of PopCap Games' game of the year award-winning strategy game adds multi-touch gameplay with up to 11 simultaneous touch points to challenge every finger and an additional extremity. Plants Vs. Zombies HD comes with 18 mini-games, including the iPad-only game "Buttered Popcorn." 50 levels, 49 types of plants, 26 zombie types and now an undisclosed number of iPad specific achievements."
Why The Excitement?: Either you love zombies and therefore will love a proven, excellent tower defense game involving them... or you hate zombies and therefore will enjoy destroying them with plants, ensuring they never make it to the opposite side of your iPad screen.
Any Reason To Worry? : No. This iPad game may be another upscaled iPhone game, but it worked so well on that platform that it felt as if it was made for it. No panicking here.
Scrabble ($10)
Official Description: "The iPad seems like it's been tailor made for classic board games, and it doesn't get much more classic than Scrabble. Scrabble for the iPad features all the joy and wonder of the classic word scrabble game, with the ability to play alone or with friends via Facebook or the new Party Play mode. You can even download a Scrabble Tile Rack app to your iPhone and use it to flick tiles from your iPhone to your iPad."
Why The Excitement?: Early iPad reviewers loved this game and loved the idea of using their iPhones to "hold" their pieces in a multiplayer game.
Any Reason To Worry?: This just might be an unnecessarily expensive way to play Scrabble and that might make Scrabble players feel a tad guilty about their life of luxury.
X-Plane ($10)
Official Description:" Flight simulator X-Plane lets you take control of gliders, X-15s, F-22s, light planes, fighter jets and "much much much more" in high-resolution. The new iPad version features updated graphics, a new interface, new scenery terrain data and new instrument panels. Enjoy the soothing sounds of Air Traffic Control radio chatter for maximum simulation effect.
Why The Excitement? : If we can tilt a screen in our hands to fly a virtual plane, well, that's either good or at least the kind of gaming-of-the-future experience worth trying on this thing.
Any Reason To Worry?: Tilt-based flight games are often hit-or-miss. Just ask PlayStation 3 players who played Lair. And it might look kind of silly to play this one, arms stretched in front of you, iPad clutched, as you fly through your house.
VH1 Classic Presents: Intellivision for iPad ($3)
Official Description: "Turn your iPad into an Intellivision, complete with faux wood grain-trimmed television set for that retro ambiance. Rediscover six classics from the early days of gaming - Astrosmash, Chip Shop Golf, Night Stalker, Thin Ice, Thunder Castle, and Skiing - all with support for the iPad's accelerometer, letting players experience these retro games in a whole new way. "
Why The Excitement?: People have been downloading Intellivision games for years, just not always legally. Here we can do it on a machine way more powerful than an Intellivision and remember how quaint the old days were. And, hey, this is an iPad game that doesn't cost more than lunch!
Any Reason To Worry? Some would say that many old games kind of suck.
Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies for iPad ($15)
Official Description : "All the gore and mayhem of the iPhone version of World at War: Zombies is now bigger and better than ever before. Both Nacht der Untoten and Verruckt are represented here, optimized with new audio and enhanced HD graphics to take advantage of the iPad's enhanced capabilities. It's 4-player co-op WiFi zombie-slaying on a much larger scale."
Why The Excitement?: Because the iPhone version of this was really good?
Any Reason To Worry?: Well, if you have this game on your iPhone and you have CoD on your TV via your console, do you need this one too? We do not know the answer, but our wallet might be saying "no."
Worms HD ($5)
Official Description: "Team 17's classic game of trajectories and invertebrates comes to the iPad, with all the features of the iPad version intact. 50 challenges, 6 environments, 4-player multiplayer, and the brutal Body Count mode all make their way into the iPad version, with enhanced graphics making the bigger screen worth your while."
Why The Excitement? : Worms is a classic. What could go wrong, aside from the solely-touch-based controls the iPad offers.
Any Reason To Worry? : Worms is a classic. What could go wrong, aside from the solely-touch-based controls the iPad offers.
N.O.V.A. - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD ($10)
Official Description: "Gameloft's sci-fi first-person shooter gets an iPad upgrade in the form of optimized controls that are "more intuitive than ever," featuring grenade trajectory swiping and multi-touch target acquisition. 13 levels, five environments and six weapons, plus a multiplayer mode for up to four players online may make N.O.V.A. the Halo clone for iPad that you've been waiting for."
Why The Excitement: Until Apple buys Microsoft and puts Halo on the iPad, we'll have to settle for Halo-esque games. Here's one! And it was good on the iPhone. Plus, Gameloft, always aggressive in its development if not its originality, seems to have been one of the first companies to work on tailoring games for an iPad, increasing the odds that this game will use the hardware well.
Any Reason To Worry? : Well, have you ever played a touch-screen first-person shooter on a screen the size of a book? Where did you put your thumbs? Exactly.
UNO HD ($7)
Official Description: "The classic card game comes to the iPad with support for four players on a single device and wireless local multiplayer for maximum Uno fun. Players can also take their Uno skills online and play against anyone in the world. Uno HD for iPad also touts rule customization, tournament mode and unlockable Uno deck themes."
Why The Excitement: It's Uno. Uno is good. And they are promising "maximum Uno fun."
Any Reason To Worry? As with Scrabble this one may make iPad owners feel like profligate over-spenders.
Command & Conquer Red Alert for iPad ($15)
Official Description: The classic real-time strategy game gets an updated port for higher resolutions, offering improved graphics, multitouch Selection Box control, new Skirmish maps and the "Rising Sun" expansion pack, bundled only with the iPad version. Of course, there's reliable Soviets versus Allies tactical conflict to keep you coming back.
Why The Excitement?: With better control, maybe real-time strategy can work on a touchscreen device. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth multiplayer also works "seamlessly with iPad, iPhone and iPod touch."
Any Reason To Worry?: This may be the future of the Command & Conquer franchise...
Mirror's Edge for iPad ($13)
Official Description: Rooftop-bounding side-scrolling action returns in the iPad version of DICE's original Mirror's Edge. Play as Faith Connors, the underground "Runner" racing to stop a deadly threat to the right of the screen. Mirror's Edge for iPad packs in 14 levels of "increasing intensity" plus multiplayer racing.
Why The Excitement?: Until a higher-definition of Canabalt comes to the iPad, Mirror's Edge is our best hope for platforming on Apple's new device.
Any Reason To Worry?: Fear of heights, maybe?
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Those are just 12 of the iPad games that caught our eyes today. (To say nothing of Flight Control HD, We Rule for iPad and some others.) Apple's new device is expected to have a waterfall of games, from both the big companies and the little guys who have kept iPhone gaming interesting.
Tip: Back in 2001 you could buy Super Monkey Ball for the GameCube before the GameCube came out. I did that and stared at a disc for two days. Nine years later, you can go to iTunes and buy Super Monkey Ball for the iPad or any of these other iPad games we've listed above. They're not on discs, so you can't even stare at them. Maybe wait until you get an iPad. And start saving money if you are. These games ain't cheap.
For a list of many, many more games coming to the platform, check out Kotaku's Ultimate iPad Video Game Guide.