With the new Wolfenstein game coming out soon, it is only fitting to return to the classic, completely ported to iPhone, and only $5.00.

Seeing that the game had all original 60 levels, I knew that it would definitely keep me occupied for quite some time and be well worth my cash. I remember playing Wolfenstein 3D on my PC for hours, running along every wall and trying to find every secret. That feeling definitely came back with the iPhone version. This is a straight port – all the levels and assets are the same, just optimized for a smaller screen.

More after the jump…

You’re probably already thinking to yourself, “FPS on the iPhone? I’ve seen it before and it sucks.” Up until now you would have been pretty much right. The tilt and touch controls were even less accurate than console controllers.  I think id-Mobile did well by giving you several options to configure your controls. You essentially have five options:

1) Move & Turn with left “stick” and Fire with a button on the right
2) Reverse of above version (“stick” on right, fire button on left).
3) WASD-control on left, and Rotate on right, with Fire button in the top right
4) Reverse of #3, except fire button still stays in upper right
5) Tilt-Controls

Below is an example of control scheme #1, which I find the most comfortable.

You essentially just press your thumb forward or back to move in those directions, and slide it left or right to turn. How far you slide is how fast you move or turn. With any of the settings, it is good to go in and adjust the sensitivity so that you can move with some semblance of confort. Mine is cranked up about halfway, so that I can spin and shoot when I hear the ever-present, “Achtung!” which means my enemies are about to be all up in my kool-aid.

 The shooting is pretty forgiving, and and difficulty on its hardest setting means you die with just a few shots. You’ve got to be able to move behind a wall quick, since you cannot strafe easilly and shoot at the same time. I really wished for a shoulder button of some type on my iPhone – even if they tasked the volume up/down buttons that would really have made my day as well as made the game easier to get used to. Overall, its one of the better innovations in control, and the sensitivity adjustments are a welcome addition that other iPhone FPS games do not do (or do well). The tilt controls aren’t for me – I find myself not always sitting upright when I’m playing and therefore it didn’t seem smart to get used to that control scheme and I expect many others feel the same.

Another thing that really isn’t gameplay related, but something that impressed the hell out of me was how little battery this game takes. I played for about an hour straight right after I bought the game and noticed only about a 5-6% drop in my battery. I had another hour session later on and I didn’t break below half battery charge. Whatever id Mobile did to save battery life, thank you! This means when I’m at the airport I don’t have to have ninja-like reflexes to get in at the charge bays.

The gameplay is what I remember from Wolf 3D of old. It may be hard for younger people today to get into it, since what really draws me is the feeling of nostalgia as well as a simple shooter that can make a long wait turn into something enjoyable. With the rise of complex FPS games like Call of Duty, and Cover Shooters like Gears of War, I don’t know if something this pure will pull younger users in. However, this being the best FPS on the iPhone platform, it will likely not matter.

One item I hope makes it into an update is multiplayer. I don’t know how they would make it work in the super-latent atmosphere of the iPhone, but if anyone can do it, John Carmack can! Overall, the game is exactly what it was when it came out, except now its portable, energy efficient, and you get to pwn Mecha-Hitler on the road. You can’t pay enough for that kind of satisfaction.

Screenshots below:

Just found this tasty tidbit in my email box – id’s John Carmack personally programmed Wolfenstein 3d for iPhone. Just finished downloading it and I have to say I’m already impressed with the smoothness of the controls and shooting. Weighing in at under 10mb, it has all 6 original eps and decent sounds. For 60 levels (10 levels per episode), 4.99 is well worth the price. Apparently we have more than just Wolfenstien to look forward to…

Full review will come once I have had a chance to sink my teeth into the game for a while.

More details after the jump…

Here’s the info I was sent:

id Software just is unleashing Wolfenstein 3D Classic ™ for the iPhone and iPod Touch.  The “grandfather of first person shooters” will now feature your choice of all new touch and tilt-based controls personally developed by technical visionary and id Software founder, John Carmack.

John recently said  “Not very long ago, it was an open question if classic first person shooter play styles could be adapted to the touch and tilt controls of the iPhone and still remain fun, so I set out to find the answer with a small research project based on our classic Wolfenstein 3D game.  It quickly became apparent that it could work out very well indeed, and it was a lot of fun to grow the project from a little experiment into a full-fledged product.  To me, the iPhone is the most exciting new platform in ages, and I am very much looking forward to bringing our entire historic series of titles over, as well as brand new work.”

Wolfenstein 3D Classic is non-stop action and all of the memorable enemies are there for players to conquer from Hans Grosse to MechaHitler!  As OSA super agent B.J. Blazkowicz, players must escape from Castle Wolfenstein and defeat the twisted Nazi regime.  The game includes all six original episodes with 60 classic levels and unforgettable weapons like the brutal chain gun that still define action gaming today.  Also, a new top down map shows where you have been in each level while players can search for hidden secrets that reveal stolen Nazi treasure, health packs, ammo and weapons, or even short cuts.

Fans can expect a lot more from id Software in future releases of their world renowned games now coming to the iPhone.  Wolfenstein 3D Classic is just the first in a series of unforgettable games under the “id Classic™” label that they plan to release.  Watch for upcoming information about id Software’s other classic properties, including DOOM® and QUAKE® coming soon.

Wolfenstein 3D Classic is currently available at the iPhone app store for $4.99 and can be accessed at http://www.idsoftware.com/wolfenstein3dclassic/.