Tilt to Live HD Review

Tilt to Live was much beloved in its iPhone incarnation, and it would have been easy for developer One Man Left to simply update the graphics, tweak the controls a bit, and call it a day for Tilt to Live HD. However, they decided to do a bit more than that in making Tilt to Live HD feel more like a game naturally made for the iPad and not just an iPhone port. The first big change is that the playing field is huge, filling up the iPad screen, with all other objects only 1.3x bigger than their iPhone counterparts, meaning the game feels a lot more open. The other big change is that Gauntlet mode has been redone entirely. Instead of navigating through enemies in maze-like formations, you are now avoiding enemies and flying weaponry andcollecting orbs to score points, all of which feels truer to the Tilt to Live ideal than the original Gauntlet mode did.

And really, everything that is great about Tilt to Live HD is the same as what was great about the iPhone version. It's still incredibly addictive and fun, with fantastic tilt controls and a great sense of humor. The tweaks One Man Left have made to the iPad version really do make the game feel more like an iPad game in every aspect from gameplay to controls. As well, the game uses a trial model similar to Xbox Live Arcade - you get the original game mode and initial 3 weapons for free, but have to pay a $3.99 in-app purchase to unlock the Code Red, Gauntlet, and Frostbite modes along with the rest of the weapons.

The biggest problem with Tilt to Live HD is less a problem with the game as much as it is a problem with tilt-based games on the iPad. Because of the larger size of the iPad compared to the iPhone, it just does not feel as comfortable or natural as playing the iPhone version does just based on the hardware in play here. As well, the iPad version still uses Agon Online for high scores; there's nothing necessarily wrong with the implementation, it just would be great to see a more popular service like OpenFeint used, so my achievement points could go towards a greater total.

Much like the iPhone version, it's hard to say anything bad about Tilt to Live HD; this is still one of the better arena shooter-style games on the App Store (minus any actual shooting), and it has lost nothing in the iPad transition. If you have an iPad and love Tilt to Live but want it in a more native flavor on your tablet, or have never experienced Tilt to Live before, Tilt to Live HD is well worth checking out.