RocketCat Games should — by this point — be synonymous with iOS games… excellent iOS games, actually. Everything they have released up until this point has been gold, certified by thousands of gamers and dozens of press and industry figures (IGF anyone?). So why is it so surprising that Mage Gauntlet is their best game thus far? For one thing, it doesn’t involve hooks, although it does involve a very unique (and awesome) gauntlet. For another, it’s much more of an RPG than their earlier titles, which were based around jump/hook/platforming kinds of experiences. Either way, Mage Gauntlet is an absolute must-own on the iOS because it’s pretty much the definitive mobile action-RPG — minus some terrific RPG elements that could have improved the overall experience.

To start with, RocketCat’s retro style has always fit the iOS and this time around it’s no different. Mage Gauntlet looks fantastic with its 16-bit glory: its characters, its areas, its animations, and so forth are all truly impressive. Even the music, which is varied through different stages, is a notable feature that won’t make you want to play your own soundtrack instead. So, aesthetically and aurally, the game holds up with the best of the best on iOS.

But what takes center stage with Mage Gauntlet is its incredibly addicting battle system. Mage Gauntlet at first glance is a bit like Chrono Trigger, but its battle system is far more action-oriented than it is RPG-oriented. There are two main components to attacking during fighting: basic attack (swing of the sword, axe, or otherwise) and spells (a variety including Frost Shards, Summon Sprite, Beam of Light, Sword Fury, and others). The variance between the attacks is actually painfully fun. You will find personal favorites one way or another and it should also be noted that some spells may be more effective against certain enemies. Acquiring enough energy to cast spells will come by destroying urns in the environment; these urns contain the energy required to cast the spell, so you can’t simply cast a spell using your stamina. There is also a dodge/dash mechanic which will be very helpful when you are over-encumbered with enemies. Each dodge will eat up a slice of your stamina bar but there is no need to worry as stamina regenerates fairly quickly over time (and even faster in some cases if you have equipment which allows so).

It may sound like a fairly rudimentary combat system (spells and attacks, what’s new here?), but Mage Gauntlet will test your speed and skill convincingly. Nearly at the end of every level (which generally includes 3 or 4 stages), a boss fight will pit you against a powerful foe. It is here that your utilization of skills, the dash/dodge mechanic, and attack timing will really ask the most of you and it is also here that you will have endless amounts of fun dishing out different spells. Every now and then you will get a “critical” hit, which you can also increase the likelihood of via upgrades as you level up your stats, proving helpful for taking down bigger enemies and especially satisfying with powerful weapons.

So far, everything about Mage Gauntlet is damn near perfect. Unfortunately, I can cite a couple of issues with the game — none of which have anything to do with functionality. The reason Mage Gauntlet falls short of being the perfect acton/RPG is because of its lack of exploration. It may sound ludicrous at first, considering each stage of every level has several areas (including secret ones) for exploration and a variety of surroundings throughout. However, I’m talking about the kind of exploration you have in Skyrim or any of the old Final Fantasy series: open-world. It’s not so much that the lack of open-world hinders the enjoyment of the game, but rather the fact that it would have added so much more. Given RocketCat’s M.O. though, it’s not all that surprising how the setup of the progression is; Hook Worlds, Hook Champ and Super QuickHook had an almost identical progression system. My only other issue with the game is that the story is a bit cookie-cutter. Its got far more personality in the interactions with NPCs throughout the levels, but the whole “evil has returned and must be vanquished” story setup makes me feel as if the game is loosely tied together by thin strands of facetious narrative when it could have been something a little more special.

In any case, Mage Gauntlet is an outstanding effort on the iOS. RocketCat has once again outdone itself, but this time they have created a hook-free experience that will still get you hooked (see what I did there?). For only $2.99, this will be one of the best games in your library and one of the best games of 2011. Here’s to hoping a sequel with open-world exploration is somewhere on the horizon!

[Mage Gauntlet, RocketCat Games]