Head Over Heels Review

Back when I was an impressionable young child, I stumbled across Head Over Heels - a fascinating isometric arcade adventure - that, at my tender age, I had no chance of ever completing. It stuck in my memory for many years though which is why I was so keen to rediscover it on the iPhone.

Translated by the retro experts, Elite Systems, Head Over Heels is a fine conversion. Much like in the case of the Elite Collection, Head Over Heels uses iDaptive controls to ensure maximum flexibility. Players should have no problems with designing a control system that works well for them. A further nod to the rich history of the game comes from a section detailing the plotline as well as the history and great success that the game originally garnered.

But what's actually involved when playing the game? That's where the once innovative feature comes into play. Throughout Head Over Heels, players control two characters. Each offer different abilities such as Head's high jumping ability and Heels fast running speed and ability to carry objects. It makes for an intriguing set of puzzles. Over 300 screens are there to negotiate each with increasingly complex puzzles. Thanks to that focus on cerebral conundrums, the only real thing dated about Head Over Heels is its graphics. Everything else is still just as enjoyable as back in the 1980s.

Both as a history lesson and as a fun adventure game, Head Over Heels succeeds. While its graphics may look dated, the strength of its gameplay more than makes up for this flaw. Either as part of the Elite Collection or separately, Heads Over Heels is keenly priced for the amount of content involved.