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• Price: $4.99 (Get It)
• Version: 1.2
• Developer: Imitation Pickles

Version 1.2 Update: Multiplayer mode was added which now allows you to browse for local and internet servers to play against others, as well as other additions, and with this update the rating for the game has been changed from 4.5 stars to 5 stars. Galcon is now an absolutely superb strategy game that belongs on everyone’s iPhone/iPod Touch.

I’ve never been one to enjoy real-time strategy games, or its cousin, 4x space strategy. Which is why I mostly ignored Galcon when it first came out. However, so much praise was heaped on it, that I became curious. Finally I bought it, and I’m really glad I did!

The thing is, Galcon may not sound exciting when explained. It may not even look exciting when watching a video of it in action. When playing it, though, it actually is exciting. There’s an element of strategy involved in trying to outwit and outmaneuver your opponent(s).

Essentially it’s Risk stripped down to the simplest gameplay mechanic, where you try to overcome and overrun enemy planets. Instructions are provided in-game. The size of the planet indicates the production of ships, while the numbers on the planets indicate the amount of ships waiting for orders. Your planets are green, neutral are grey, and the enemy are any other colors.

To play, you tap on a planet you own and tap an enemy or neutral planet to acquire its production of ships, and then use that planet and your existing planets to conquer more planets. It’s incredibly simple to learn, but challenging to master. Quick fingers and decision-making are a must in the higher difficulty levels.

There are 5 different gameplay modes to choose from; Classic, Stealth, Vacuum, Beast, and 3-way. Here’s the skinny on each mode:

• Classic - It’s you and an opponent, the first to conquer the opposing planets wins.
• Stealth - You can’t see what your enemy is doing, or planning to do. More challenging.
• Vacuum - It’s just you and a bunch of neutral planets. Conquer every single one in the quickest time before time runs out.
• Beast - It’s you against overwhelming odds, as the enemy has a lot of planets at its disposal while you only start with two planets.
• 3-Way - It’s you against two other opponents in a game much like Classic, but you have to fend off two instead of one.

There are 10 difficulty modes to choose from. The higher the difficulty, the smarter the bots are in each gameplay mode you play. The maps you play on are randomized, so no two games are alike.

The graphics are perfect for the game. It’s not flashy or 3D, but it provides the information you need to make the game fun. My only issue is that the numbers on the planet, signifying the amount of ships available, are too tiny. That could just be my bad eyesight, though. Sound effects, while sparse, aren’t annoying, and has this satisfying popping sound when ships are attacking a planet, and a quick snap when a planet is defeated. There’s no music, but you can play your own library’s music while playing the game.

Tags: galcon, Hassey Enterprises, rts, strategy