If you would have asked me a few days ago what the best Missile Command game was on the App Store, I would have responded Earth vs Moon without hesitation. That is, before I downloaded Pangea Software’s Warheads [App Store], a game that takes the standard Missile Command formula, and then smears a layer of explosions, particle effects, and other eye candy creating a totally over the top experience.
Radio chatter calls out which sector the current barrage of incoming missiles is coming from, the camera shifts to that direction, and you tap the screen to fire your own missiles. The gameplay isn’t anything we haven’t seen before, but the sound effects coupled with the camera shaking around and the constant change of direction really creates a surprisingly frantic atmosphere, especially when you advance in attack waves and difficulty.
Four different power-ups can be shot down which give you bonus ammo, bonus points, make the explosion radius of your missiles larger, or clear the whole screen. To see how this all ties together, check out the following gameplay video:
The truly unfortunate thing about Warheads is the lack of any kind of online scoring. This is a game that is practically begging for some kind of online leaderboard and achievement system. In its current state, there isn’t much replay value to be found short of just beating your own scores locally. Regardless, I’m sure there are some Missile Command fans out there who will appreciate what Pangea has done with the classic 30 year old gameplay.
App Store Link: Warheads, 99¢
