iPhone NES "Playability" Thread

Hi, I'd like to start a list of NES games considered playable on the iPhone. Because everyone's idea of "Playable" is relative, I suggest this list be rated on a system of 3 levels of playability.

I ask that you post the games you feel are playable, along with your rating based on the key below. I'll add them to this top post to keep the list growing and in one spot for newcomers who would like to see what they're in for if they decide to take the modding plunge.

The Playability Key

1: This game requires little or no compromise to play, and can be enjoyed by anyone not familiar with the control interface.

2: This game requires a learning curve to play and is playable with practice.

3: This game requires a learning curve and/or has limitations that may affect certain aspects of the gameplay.

The List of NES Games Playable on the iPhone

Arkanoid: 2
The lower the frameskip, the easier this is to play. When you get the laser upgrade, hold the fire button first, then move left and right. You'll be able to move freely while shooting (the fire button should stick and autofire). Release the fire button first when you don't need to shoot anymore.

Balloon Fight: 3
Balloon Trip mode is fully playable and totally fun. You install this game for Balloon Trip mode, TRUST ME!!!

Bard's Tale: 1

Baseball: 1

Dig Dug: 2

Donkey Kong 3: 2

Donkey Kong Classics: 2

Dr.Mario: 2

Famicom Wars: 1

Galaga: 3
There's 3 ways to play this game: 1) Stop and shoot. 2) Move and keep tapping shoot (to Zero out last key held) and 3) Hold Fire button and move left or right freely. Method 3 is very nice and works, but Galaga is about accuracy so if you're a purist (like me) it's a hard lump to swallow. Best method is 1 when you're solo, and 3 when you have dual ships.

Galaxian: 2
For best results, only shoot when standing still.

Golf: 1

Golgo 13: 1

Metal Gear: 2

Micro Machines: 2
Hold Gas button, THEN tap Left or Right to steer. You will drive in circles if you do not hold the Gas button First. This game is one of the best for the iPhone next to RC ProAm in terms of playability.

Mike Tyson's Punchout: 3

Monopoly: 1

Ms.Pac-Man: 2

Pac-Man: 2

Pac-Mania: 1

Pinball: 1

Popeye: 1

RC Pro-Am: 2
Hold Gas then Tap Left/Right to Steer. Works perfect. To Fire, release gas and Dpad.

RC Pro-Am 2: 2
See Above. This game plays great.

Tennis: 3
Very fun once you get the hang of it. Play it like Pong and swing early.

Tetris: 3
This game gets hard when it speeds up and I would not suggest using the down arrow to drop pieces faster.

Tetris 2: 3
Same as above

Three Stooges: 2
Some stages can be a bit difficult, but the game was never really that intuitive, and is overall playable.

Wheel of Fortune: 1

Zelda, The Legend of: 3
I'm mixed on this one. You can play this game, provided you play a little differently, like stopping to attack. Some people may consider this a 2.

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End of List

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Gaming Tips

There are some interesting nuances I've noticed with the control scheme, I'll do my best to shed light on what I've found.

Hold Button then Move: This method is perfect for driving games and shooting games. What you do is hold your action button first, say for the Gas pedal. Once you're moving you can slide your finger left or right, or tap the dpad. Your action button will keep firing or whatever it's supposed to do for the game you're playing, for as long as you hold that button down.

Tap Lightly: For games like Pac-Man, you need to press specific directions at a moments notice. Unfortunately, without tactile feedback it's very common to get diagonals instead of a true up or down. To help increase your accuracy, press as lightly as possible so that you have a smaller contact patch with the screen. With practice, your muscle memory will kick in and you'll be clearing Pac-Man mazes with ease.

It's Stuck Going Left!: Your control isn't zeroed out. Chances are you hit a diagonal while you were sliding your finger to another dpad position. Since you zeroed out the diagonal when you released it, your next button will get stuck. To "Un-Stick" it you have two quick options: 1) slide your finger the correct direction you want to go in a "smearing" motion to Zero out any left over hot-spots and 2) Tap the A or B button once or twice. I'll use both of these methods when playing Pac-Man sometimes.

Mash the Dpad: This technique is the brute force approach. You basically blanket all of the hotspots for any given direction and don't let your thumb up. When you need to change position, just slide your finger over to the next area. This works well for some games like Pac-Man, or anything else that doesn't need you to release the controller.

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Hope this list helps some of you add more games to your collection, and if you feel differently about how I have rated a game, let me know and I'll change it so we're better informed.

Thanks!