Released: Jan 30, 2009
Developer/Publisher: MotionX/FullPower Technologies
Verdict: Buy It – $2.99 | LITE version available.
Pros: It’s addictive and beautiful
Cons: Save file disappears if you start with the LITE version

I feel obligated to review the game that’s  had the most play out of any iPod Touch / iPhone games I’ve bought so far. That game is MotionX Poker Quest by Fullpower Technologies, Inc. and you can download it for only $2.99. There’s also a lite version, if you don’t want to commit right away. Don’t make the same mistake I did, though. Just buy the full version so you don’t have to start over once you realize how awesome this title is.

So what is Poker Quest, you ask? Poker Quest is a dice game based around poker hands. You get three rolls to make the best hand you can against a computer controlled opponent.  It’s so simple is virtually sinful. That on its own is addictive enough, but there’s loads more. There are somewhere around 40 different sets of unlockable dice. You get a new set any time you can win a hand with five-of-a-kind. You also get achievements to unlock. Those are FAR from easy. I’ll just say that it’ll take you quite a while to finish the “earn a bankroll of 250,000,000 coins.”

I downloaded this game right after my wrist surgery, so I couldn’t play standard video games for a few months. This became my primary time-sink. My save file showed 147 hours before my iPod Touch crashed and lost it. I had all the dice sets, and all but one of the non-secret achievments. I’m already back over 10 hours and am working my way back to unlocking everything again. I kind of like the fact I have to do it all over again. It’s just an excuse to play this even more :)

This is one of those perfect casual titles. Anyone can play it. It’s easy to win, but hard to master. Most importantly, it’s a game you can pick up for 1-5 minutes while waiting for something and easily put back down. It also fits my other requirements for a great iPhone game, in that it has great sound, but you can turn it off and listen to your own music or podcasts instead.

If I was big on giving things ratings, this game would get a perfect 10 out of 10. I don’t toss a compliment like that around, so please trust me on it.

If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you’re committing a huge crime against yourself by not buying this game.