While the console versions of WB Games and Netherrealm Studios’ Injustice: Gods Among Us have been out for a month with one downloadable character already out, one more coming in another couple of weeks, and two more rumored ones, there is actually a version of the game that plays completely different. The version I’m talking about is the iOS as the latest fighting game to feature the DC universe is also playable on the iPhone and iPad. Your first expectation of this mobile version may be that they’re just replicate the console game with a virtual stick and buttons like how the Capcom fighters were handled. Turns out that this is not the case with Injustice as the game relies on simple touch and swipe motions.
The iOS version of Injustice is a free-to-play fighting game featuring most of the cast that is also in the console versions. Your standard heroes are expected to be in this one from Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash, and Wonder Woman, but some that are playable in the console game didn’t make Aquaman, Raven, Shazam, Black Adam, Killer Frost, and Ares. Instead of a picking one character to fight in a standard fighting game, Injustice on iOS devices is 3-on-3 with tag mechanics. The fighters consist of character cards that have their unique stats and special moves. For example, there are three versions of Green Lantern with different stats and moves. The New 52 version has a special move that is one of his normal strings in the console game while the Regime version has the machine gun move. The character cards are also split into bronze, silver, gold tiers. For the majority of the game, you’ll be using the bronze and silver cards, as you start encountering gold cards in the end. Most of the popular characters such as Batman and Superman are in the gold tier, so if you’re looking forward to playing as them right away in the iOS version, prepare to grind and grind a lot.
Speaking of grinding, this game is free-to-play after all, but there is a twist. Similar to the majority of social and Facebook games, character cards are tied into energy so they can be used for a limited time before they have to recharge for some hours. However, if you have recharges, they can keep fighting. The grinding aspect also plays along into the credits system where you don’t really earn a lot of credits for beating fights and battles. Impatient types that just to have the powerful cards right away can spend real money to accumulate credits to buy them along with support cards that increase their energy recovery, damage, and health. There is no crazy story mode like the console versions as this iOS version consist of a series of battles. You will also fight against boss versions of character cards occasionally and some battles throw some stipulations such as defeating your opponents in a limited time, your health is constantly draining, etc. Bonus battles are also offered for a chance to earn free character cards at random as well.
As mentioned earlier, the controls for Injustice on iOS devices are pretty simple. Tapping the screen multiple times is a light attack combo string while swiping is for heavy attacks. Blocking is done by holding two fingers on the screen as you will be doing lots of it in the later battles against tougher opponents. Like the console versions, meter management is key in Injustice in terms of using powers. Using one to two bars of meter gives you special moves while saving all three lets you use your super. Supers are not unlocked until your specific character card is level 20, so you’ll be mixing up with your two special moves for a while. Certain special moves by characters also special abilities such as meter drain, stunning, freezing, or poisoning your opponents. While the controls are simple, the systems are surprisingly deep in this version of Injustice and it can be all about the finding the right combination of three fighters to use to your advantage against the opposition.
The main hook of this iOS version of Injustice for many is the WBID connectivity with the console versions. By having a WBID account and performing certain tasks in the iOS version, you can unlock costumes and hero card stuff for the console versions and vice versa. For instance, the only way to use the Batman Beyond costume for Batman in the console games is to buy a Batman character card in the iOS game and he is one of the more expensive cards to buy. This is also another way to get powerful cards early by the beating some of the single player modes in the console versions. Connectivity features like these give a good reason to actually both console and mobile versions even though they have been done before, but Injustice’s approach is the best one I seen yet.
Graphically, Injustice on iOS devices look great. The characters and stages look close to identical than their console counterparts. The same can also be said for the super move animations as well. Sure, they can’t have all of the characters’ move lists from the console versions in this one due to power limitations, but Netherrealm’s iOS team did a good job of having a mobile-friendly looking version of the game.
Injustice: Gods Among Us for the iOS is a great version of the latest DC fighting game by Netherrealm Studios. After all, it is free to play even though it has its use of microtransactions and other social game quirks if you feel like spending money to get the good stuff early. The structure of this version does a little get grindy and tough, especially at the last set of battles. The controls and systems are simple and easy to understand, yet deep at the same time in terms of which character combinations work out to your fighting style. There is no online component in terms of playing against other human players, which is unfortunate, but the WBID connectivity with the console versions especially if you’re the collectable type that wants everything. Even if you don’t have the game on Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or Wii U, Injustice on the iPhone and iPad is still a great fighting game to have if you’re looking to have a near-console gaming experience with a twist.
