My rating: 4.5 out of 5
Sideloading is now available on iOS, and with it, the first alternative App Store called AltStore is here. As of now, the App Store contains only two apps: Clip (a clipboard manager) and Delta. While Clip is available only through a pledge, Delta (a Nintendo Emulator) is downloadable for free.
Installing the open-source AltStore only works through Safari and costs €1.50 per year + VAT. That is the amount to cover Apple’s Core Technology Fee. I think that’s a fair price. Furthermore, I’m curious to see how the emulator works. A few years ago, there was a website where you could upload a ROM file and play Game Boy games, and I had fun playing there. And now I wonder if I can do that again.
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: yes, but there’s always a “but.” On the plus side is to say that you can play NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy (Color & Advance), and even DS Games. For the DS, the screen is divided into two screens, and I can’t wait to play Zelda for DS because I never played that so far. Uploading and loading the ROMs is as easy as possible. Subsequently, the game library is filled with games and sorted by device. If you miss a game artwork in the library, you can download that from an integrated artwork gallery. Games start within a blink of an eye, and the performance is superb, but not surprising considering the original devices only had a fraction of today’s iPhones resources.
As a big fan of the Zelda series, I started Delta with my all-time favorite: “Link’s Awakening” for Game Boy Color. Back in the days, I only had the regular Game Boy, but color can’t add much more to the fun that game is. It was my first Zelda ever, and even though Ocarina of Time is on top of the most community rankings, Link’s Awakening will always have a special place in my heart because it took my Zelda virginity.
When the splash screen appears, and the 8-bit soundtrack intros the opening sequence, I feel shivers going down my spine, just like when I started it for the first time. I skipped the dialogues because I played that game like 10 times, and I know what they are saying anyway. When I walk around there, it just feels like coming home after you’ve been away for a long time. And I would love to play the Switch version of that game one day.
But, and that’s a minus, the controlling is not working to my satisfaction. My fingers are maybe too fat for such delicate non-flexible touchscreen controls. Despite the haptic feedback, it’s really difficult for me to master complex maneuvers. But the option to save the game at any given moment helps to reduce frustration. You can even add cheat codes if it pleases you. You can also turn the screen for a different gaming layout.
Of course, you can use a controller if you’ve got one. I don’t, but I think this is a good reason to get one. Despite the lack of a controller, I think Delta will give me a few hours of fun and desperation. I would wish for alternative on-screen controls, in addition to the classic control layout.
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