Terraria for iOS review: A beautifully ported game with flawed ...

Terraria for iOS brings the popular 2D sandbox adventure game that was loosely based on Minecraft to the touch screen. As a longtime player ... XPixelEventPixelWatchFireTVvs.FrameTVHellraiserReviewAudibleDealPrimeDayWhyYouCanTrustCNETOurexpert,award-winningstaffselectstheproductswecoverandrigorouslyresearchesandtestsourtoppicks.Ifyoubuythroughourlinks,wemaygetacommission.ReviewsethicsstatementTechServices&Software TerrariaforiOSreview:Abeautifullyportedgamewithflawedcontrols Thepopularopen-worldadventuregameoriginallyforPCsandconsolesisfinallyoniOS,butsomecontrolissuesmakeitdifficulttorecommendforallyouriOSdevices. JasonParker Sept.6,20131:59p.m.PTJasonParkerSeniorEditor/Reviews-SoftwareJasonParkerhasbeenatCNETfornearly15years.HeisthesenioreditorinchargeofiOSsoftwareandhasbecomeanexpertreviewerofthesoftwarethatrunsoneachnewAppledevice.HenowspendsmostofhistimecoveringAppleiOSreleasesandthird-partyapps.Seefullbio4minreadTerrariaforiOSbringsthepopular2DsandboxadventuregamethatwaslooselybasedonMinecrafttothetouchscreen.AsalongtimeplayerofthegameonPC,IwasexcitedtogetmyhandsontheiOSversion,andafterafewhoursofplaying,Ithinkitstacksupwellwiththeoriginal.ButoneflawmakesthegamemuchbetterontheiPadthanitisoneithertheiPhoneoriPodTouch.8.1TerrariaforiOSTheGood TerrariaforiOSlooksandsoundsjustlikethePCandconsoleversions,withhugemapstoexplore,tonsofitemstocraft,andchallengingbossestofight. TheBad Thetouch-screencontrolsarenotasgoodasamouseorcontroller.PlayingonaniPhoneoriPodTouchisevenworsewithlessviewingareaandzoomwindowproblems. TheBottomLine Terrariaisanincrediblyinvolvedandchallenginggamethat'sworthbuyingaslongasyouplayitontheiPad. NeverthesameexperienceOneofthegreatthingsaboutthis2Dadventuregameonanyplatformisthatwhenyoustartanewworld,itisbuiltrandomlysoyounevergetthesamegametwice.Themapsholdallthesameelements,butyouneverknowwherethedifferentbiomes,onelargedungeon,orthefloatingislandswillbe.Thismeanstheonlywaytoexploretheenormousmapisbywalkingoverlandorminingyourwayintothedepths. TerrarialooksgreatoniOS(pictures) +6more SeeallphotosTogetstarted,youcancustomizeyourcharacter'slookbychoosingeithermaleorfemale,thenchoosingthecolorofyourhair,eyes,skin,andclothing.Then,yousimplygiveyourcharacteranameandthennametheworldthatwillbecreated.PlayingthegameEarlyon,yourcharacterisfairlyweakandoncenightfalls,zombiesandotherbaddieswillbeonthehunt.That'swhyit'simportanttostartchoppingdowntreesrightawaytobuildashelterbeforenightfall.Later,you'llalsowanttobuildhousingforNPCsthatarriveasyoupasscertainmilestones.Butratherthangivingyouastep-by-stepguidefortheearlypartsofthisextremelyinvolvedgame,thebestresourceforlearninghowtoplayTerrariaisattheTerrariaWiki.Generally,thekeyistoexploreandmineblocksinordertocraftitemsthatwillmakeyourcharacterstrongersoyoucantakeonthegame'sfivedifficultbosses.Asyoudigdeeper,you'llcomeacrossgiantcavernsthatmaycontainchests,valuableminerals,anddangerousmonsters.ScreenshotbyJasonParker/CNETAsyouexploreandfindmineralsandotheritems,you'llbeabletocraftmorethan200differentthings,fromtoolsandweaponsyourcharactercanusetochandeliersandbookcasesfordecoratingyourhomebase.CheckoutthecraftingrecipepageatTerrariaWikitoseethetypesofthingsyoucanmake.Ifyouhaven'tguessedalready,thisisagamewithaimmenseamountofdepth(punintended),soifyouwerelookingforasimplecasualdistraction,thisisnotthegameforyou.ThecontrolsarenotperfectThetouch-screencontrolsarefunctional,butnotideal.Tomoveyourcharacter,there'sacontrolpadinthelowerleftofthescreen.Anyitemyouuse,whetherit'saswordorablasterorastickofdynamite,isactivatedbytouchingtherightsideofthescreen.WhereinthePCversionofthegameyouminebypointingyourmousecursoratablockandclicking,withtheiOSversionyoujusttouchtheblockwithyourfinger.Thisopensupasmallzoomwindowsoyoucanseeexactlywhichblockyou'remining.OntheiPad,thiscontrolsetupworksfairlywell,butitstillcan'tcomparetoakeyboardandamouseoragamecontroller.ButwhenitcomestothesmallerscreenoftheiPhoneoriPodTouch,it'smuchmorefrustrating.You'llneedtobuildhousinginordertoattractNPCsthatwillsellyouspecialitems.ScreenshotbyJasonParker/CNETThedifferencebetweenthetwodevicesismorethanjustadifferenceinscreensize.Withthesmallerscreen,youactuallycan'tseeasmuchofyoursurroundingsatonetimeasyoucanontheiPad.Buttomakeitevenmorefrustrating,thesmallzoomwindowwillactuallysometimesappearhalfwayoffthescreensoyoucan'tseewhichblockyou'remining.Hopefully,afixwillcomeinthenextupdatethatsmartlypushesthezoomwindowbelowyourfingerwhenit'sgettingclosetothetopofthescreen,butiPhoneandiPodusersshouldbewareofthislimitationbeforebuying.ConclusionTerrariaforiOSstaysfaithfultotheoriginalwiththesamegraphics,enormousopen-worldmaps,andhoursoffungameplay.Thetouch-screencontrolsarealittletoughtogetusedtoandnotasgoodasamouseorcontroller,butaremostlyfunctionalontheiPad.OntheiPhoneoriPodTouch,notasmuchofthemapisshown,andthezoomwindowsometimesgoesoffscreenmakingitdifficulttorecommendforthosedevices.Still,whetheryouhaveplayedTerrariabeforeorarenewtothegame,theiOSversionisanexcellentportandmakesfortheperfecttimekillerasyouexploreanenormousworldandbattlechallengingbosses.Butuntilanupdatefixesthesmallscreenproblems,IcanonlyrecommenditforiPad.8.1TerrariaforiOSScoreBreakdownSetup10Features10Interface5Performance8 Seefullspecs GetthebestpriceoneverythingShopyourfavoriteproductsandwe’llfindthebestdealwithasingleclick.Designedtomakeshoppingeasier. 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