If there are games with IAP that aren’t either designed to get money out of you, or are just badly designed grinding snore-fests, I haven’t seen one but, frankly, I don’t want to. I do sometimes look at what the IAPs are; if they’re just character/level unlocks that’s less of an issue, but when I see a list of ‘handful of gems’ and ‘chestful of bullion’ I’m physically repulsed. It’s a cancer in videogames, and I fear it’s a tumour that we’ve let grow beyond the point of curative treatment. When you see these things with digital loot going for £80, I don’t for one minute believe that anyone in their right mind is buying that and feeling good about it. It’s about as loathesome a tactic as the current theme of online bookmaker advertising.

Pretty much.

The truth is that if you release a complete game on mobile for £10 or whatever and don't offer microtransactions, it's pretty much guaranteed to bomb. Even Nintendo weren't immune from a huge drop off in users once people actually had to fork out for the full game. The only way that a higher upfront cost may make any sense is if the game is is being ported over from another platform in order to squeeze out a few more sales.

When it comes to mobile gaming, the entire industry is subsidised by those players willing to chuck loads of money at microtransactions. By all means avoid games that use them if you like, but you might as well try avoid restaurants that serve soft drinks on the grounds that they cause obesity.

Or forced me to eat the same starter over and over until I’d collected enough stamps to have the main course.

Andy, maybe just maybe not every game follows the same path. 

Some are virtually unplayable unless you continually fork out for IAP; some IAPs allow you to push ahead quickly; some use IAP to unlock chapters so the free part of the game acts as a demo; with others it's dressing like extra heroes or literally just decorations and the game plays well with no IAP at all.

Iron Marines is in that last category. Then again it's a fiver. 

Avoiding all mobile games with IAP is a pretty extreme response and shuts you off from a lot of decent experiences.

I would think anyone on this forum is educated enough to try a free game and realise if IAP is balanced or not. To say all IAP games are bad is disingenuous at best. It’s all about where you place value.

Clash Royale is one of the highest grossing games there is but you don't have to spend a penny to compete at the top. It's just more of a grind.

Likewise the Kingdom Rush games offer the ‘buy more gold or this hero character’ IAP but do not require you to do so to complete the games. It doesn’t even feel like a grind to do it without IAP assistance because the core game mechanic is so good. I have never purchased any IAP for that series but it’s easily one of if not my most played series of games on iOS.

any good NEW tower defence games out? Not played one for a while. 

Love games like kingdom rush, pvz, the creeps etc

NeoDefense is pretty much GeoDefense, if you like that kinda thing.

I love Dungeon Warfare - which is similar to TD but floor and wall traps instead. Nice RPG type upgradeability to it as well for progression.

Oof http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPad/CUPHEAD/news.asp?c=76232

after I bought it - strange thing is it plays perfectly

Doesn’t sound like it:

http://toucharcade.com/2017/12/18/the-cuphead-scam-and-toucharcade-what-happened/

Madness.

Just on that topic I don’t suppose anyone has a recommendation for an IPad game pad?

Bought Jade Empire last night, it looks quite good but it’s just not happening with the touchscreen interface.

Andy wrote:

SteelSeries Nimbus.

Yup.