Castle of Magic

Is your iPhone looking for a family-friendly platformer and can't seem to find any worth the price of admission? If so, you are in luck as Gameloft delivers with Castle of Magic.

Priced at $4.99, this bright and colorful Mario-styled platformer plays in familiar 2D gameplay surrounded in a 3D shell. Players utilize an on-screen D-Pad to move, and hit the virtual buttons to attack and jump. As with most iPhone games utilizing this "imaginary" controller, you may feel that the game doesn't quite respond correctly. This is due to hitting outside of the area. Hopefully one day we will get an add-on attachment to add physical controls.

The story in Castle of Magic is reminiscent of classic platformer titles. Players must go after the evil magician Nestafax who has kidnapped your friend Jenny. Grabbing a magical hat, players take on newfound abilities to assist them on their quest to save Jenny.

Throughout the five worlds and twenty levels in Castle of Magic, players will bounce around the 2D world--collecting powerups, attacking enemies, and avoiding obstacles from within the world. The game is very easy to pick up, accessible by all ages, and provides a good deal of challenge too--with plenty of open areas to explore. And no platformer would be complete without plenty of bosses. Though the action can get a bit repetitive in these battles, they do offer a break to the other levels.

Overall, Castle of Magic is a fun-filled platformer that the entire family can enjoy. If you are looking for something fun to stick on your iPhone, look no further than Castle of Magic.