Hands-on At Gameloft's 10th Anniversary

Few gaming studios embody the advancements the industry has undergone over the last decade quite like Gameloft. The Parisian publisher has come a long way since its days as a purveyor of dot matrix mobile phone titles, with recent download statistics suggesting that it's now among the elite where digital distribution is concerned.

Founded by the Guillemot brothers back when online games were in their infancy, the studio has gone on to distribute over 330 million titles worldwide, making it the second largest mobile gaming firm on the scene.

Gameloft recently celebrated a decade in the business, unveiling a shiny new logo and parading its latest iPhone and iPad releases to mark the occasion. DS tagged along to bring you the best of what was on offer.

Hero Of Sparta II (iPhone)

The follow-up to Gameloft's award-winning Hero Of Sparta was the most anticipated iPhone offering on show by a country mile. This one is shaping up to be a prime example of an effective sequel, surpassing its predecessor in every way. Those with a penchant for unabashed action, free-flowing gore and Greek mythology will be right at home here. King Argos's latest adventure may take every one of its cues from the God Of War series, but which action game doesn't these days?

With a range of weapons to get to grips with, magical items to wield and mythological creatures to carve up, there will be no shortage of thrills on offer. Throw in vastly improved visuals, increased scope and finely-tuned controls, and Hero Of Sparta II looks on course to become one of this year’s essential App Store purchases.

> Click here to read our full hands-on with the game

Brothers In Arms 2: Global Front HD (iPad)

As fans of the series will tell you, the Brothers In Arms titles offer a gritty take on the warfare genre with an emphasis on the camaraderie that flourishes between servicemen on the frontline. Global Front proved a worthy addition to the franchise when it arrived on the iPhone earlier this year, making it a clear contender to make the step up to the iPad.

Rendered in glorious high definition, the iPad iteration feels infinitely more immersive and intense than its iPhone cousin. While the larger screen size makes a world of difference, its gains aren't limited to the cosmetic. Customisable controls enable gamers of all hand spans to adjust the virtual buttons to the most comfortable position. New touch-screen mechanics allow you to hurl a grenade with a slide of two digits and zoom in on a target by pinching the screen.

While its original formula hasn't been tampered with too much, Brothers In Arms 2 is proof of the potential for iPhone titles to make the jump to the iPad, and hopefully the first of many high-quality shooters on the platform.

Gangstar West Coast Hustle (iPad)

Gangstar West Coast Hustle is another iPhone original and Gameloft's answer to Grand Theft Auto. Like Brothers In Arms 2, the game has been given an impressive facelift and the larger display makes this a richer experience.

This one has endured stiff competition in the crime sim genre from the likes of GTA: Chinatown Wars and Car Jack Streets, yet West Coast Hustle is the first game of its kind to earn an iPad upgrade.

Again, the differences are both aesthetic and functional. Taking full advantage of the system's capabilities, the developers have fleshed out the in-game environments, adding more traffic, extra pedestrians and a bigger arsenal. On the control side, running the title on a larger device lends the player greater freedom of movement, particularly when steering a vehicle using the accelerometer. Furthermore, the title features the same customisable control option as the rest of Gameloft's library.

As the first fully 3D crime sim on the App Store, fans of the genre should consider giving this a look.

Blokus (iPad)

Given the dimensions and advanced touch-screen capabilities of the iPad, old-school board games are sure to see a resurgence on the platform. The shape-slamming Blokus is one of the first games of this variety to appear on the system, and while it wasn't one of the most technologically impressive titles on show, it will certainly please its target audience.

Supporting up to four players (or AI stand-ins if you have no friends), gameplay involves arranging shapes across a square board. Rather aptly, the object is to block your opponents through the strategic placement of your pieces. Players have the option to forego their turn should they be unable to move, and the game ends when nobody can place any more pieces. The player with the most shapes on the board wins.

Beyond the fact that Blokus is a quintessentially entertaining family board game and a great fit for the iPad, there's really very little to say about this one. It's good clean fun and highly recommended.

Iron Man 2 (iPad)

Iron Man 2 may not have been the best superhero sequel to appear in cinemas in recent years, but that doesn't mean we should dismiss its game tie-in off hand. Granted the iPhone edition couldn't have been any more difficult to control if your hands were encased in iron, but its iPad counterpart appears to have made an effort to address this.

There's plenty for the comic book fraternity to sink their teeth into here. Not only does the game include all of the main events from its big screen equivalents, the developers have delved into Iron Man comic law to bring you additional armour, villains and scenarios from the character's rich history.

But despite its best attempts to avoid the pitfalls of the iPhone iteration, Iron Man 2 for iPad still has the feel of an awkwardly constructed action title. It looks like this may be one for diehards only.

GT Racing: Motor Academy (iPad)

Based on the success of GT Racing on the iPhone, the driving simulation is another obvious choice for the iPad treatment. Providing realistic take on the genre, the game features a host of licensed tracks and an impressive selection of cars spanning different time periods.

Graphical enhancements are the most significant additions here, though their inclusion also impacts on the gameplay. Each car and its interior has been remade for the iPad from the ground up, which results in a more absorbing experience. Furthermore, an improved framerate means that scenery pop-up is reduced to a minimum.

GT Racing: Motor Academy promises to provide one of the most authentic racing experiences this side of Gran Turismo, so fans of the iPhone version and the genre alike should make this one a priority when it accelerates onto the App Store later this month.