Obviously Spy vs Spy for iOS is a remake, and you can fully appreciate just how much thanks to the retro mode.

Spy Vs Spy (Universal: $0.99) 

Presentation

In retro mode, you can enjoy the original pixel graphics from the Atari, Commodore 64 version. But for most of us, we’ll be playing the modern version of the game. Although the retro mode is more helpful to showing where players have been and items are hidden, I preferred playing it on the modern version for the retina goodness. The game is split screen, with one spy shown on top and the other one shown underneath. We’ll get to that in gameplay.

 Controls

Movement is controlled by a d-pad that shows up whenever you swipe your finger on the screen. To get your objects from the objects on the game, simply get close to it and tap it. The same goes for the doors, simply get close to them, tap them to open it, and walk out. Admittedly, the d-pad is a pain to work with in the beginning. Even after playing it for a while, it was still a bit clumsy.  However, it was bearable after getting used to it.

Gameplay

In the game you choose whether you want to play as the black spy or the white spy, although the difference is purely cosmetic. You can choose to play online with other players or alone against the AI. As we mentioned above, you’ll be seeing the other spy move as you play, apart from the footsteps he leaves behind. This helps out because you can try to remember the location and avoid the other spy, or lay a trap for him.

So how does the game work? The main goal in the main is to find four items, and a briefcase to hold them in. However, the other spy is trying to do the same exact thing, which is where things start to get tricky. You can leave booby traps behind for the other spy, such as springs, guns, bombs, or a bucket of water.

You can tie these objects to certain objects like doors to trigger them. And if you do bump into the other spy, you engage in hand-to-hand combat. However, when it comes to the combat, it does feel a bit weak, like you’re tapping random buttons, only it’s not satisfying. All this is fun and games, but if you’re up for a challenge, you can compete against another spy online, then things get real.

Conclusion

It has never been easier to play Spy vs Spy. Fans of the classic won’t be disappointed, and they can even choose to play the retro mode. For the rest of us (and even some of the old fans), there’s the updated modern setting and graphics, which is what I enjoyed most about the game. It’s an enjoyable experience different to most games I’ve played on the AppStore. I’d recommend picking it up. 8/10