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Apple unveils first iPhone games

Spore, Super Monkey Ball and Touch Fighter shown as iPhone / iPod touch SDK revealed

Apple unveils first iPhone games
Apple has given a crowd that assembled for its US iPhone SDK (software development kit) presentation a glimpse at the handset's gaming prowess with some demos.

One was Electronic Arts' Spore, which uses the device's accelerometer to move the game's creatures. It's significant not only because it took the team just a couple of weeks to get it up and running, but also because it obviously commits powerhouse publisher EA to iPhone. And that kind of backing is a big deal.

As is Sega's support, confirmed during the press conference with a Super Monkey Ball demo.

Both EA and Sega have previously contributed iPod games, of course, so their presence on iPhone isn't exactly unexpected.

The final title to be shown was an in-house 3D space shoot-'em-up effort. Touch Fighter also uses the accelerometer for movement, with the shooting duties assigned to screen touching. The game is reportedly technically impressive and boasts a high frame rate. Again, not bad for two weeks' work.

We've been waiting for the release of the iPhone SDK with great anticipation because its arrival will finally enable the handset to establish itself within the mobile gaming scene in the way we hoped it would since first getting our hands on one. The prospect of what developers can come up with from hereon in is genuinely exciting.

Oh, for those that don't know, games for iPhone will also work on the iPod touch as both devices share a common operating system.

With three boys under the age of 12, former Edge editor Joao has given up his dream of making it to F1 and instead spends his weekends transforming his living room floor into a venue for hosting increasingly complex Scalextric tracks. When in work mode, he looks after the production (aka the behind-the-scenes magic) of Steel Media's series of conferences.