Having gotten a Nintendo 3DS years after the system launched and having by no means owned a Nintendo DS earlier than, I loved testing the huge library of video games from Japan that I missed. Barring the a number of RPGs I performed, there have been fairly a couple of Nintendo eShop exclusives that have been continually really helpful. Considered one of them was Pokémon developer Recreation Freak’s Pocket Card Jockey. Pocket Card Jockey blended components of simulation video games, horse racing, and solitaire to be one thing I by no means thought would work on paper, nevertheless it did. I solely performed a couple of hours of it after I purchased it on 3DS, however beloved what I performed.
Earlier immediately, Recreation Freak launched Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! () for Apple Arcade gadgets as the most recent recreation on the service. Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! is a mix of a remake and a port of the Nintendo 3DS recreation for contemporary gadgets. I’ve been enjoying a pre-release construct of Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! on my iPhone and iPad for overview, however wished to additionally attempt the macOS and tvOS variations for this overview, since that is the primary time now we have a Pocket Card Jockey recreation on non-portable platforms as properly.
Since I didn’t put in as a lot time into the 3DS model as I had favored over time, I can solely touch upon the similarities or variations within the early components of the sport. This Apple Arcade overview may also focus totally on the ports reasonably than the sport itself, which is similar to what I performed on 3DS albeit with a couple of modifications and one new function.
In the event you aren’t conversant in Pocket Card Jockey in any respect, it’s a card recreation that blends in simulation, solitaire, horse racing, technique, and extra. Initially, Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! might sound a bit complicated with its mechanics, however its gameplay loop is elegant as soon as it clicks. In the event you don’t get pleasure from solitaire in any respect although, this isn’t for you. I get pleasure from seeing new takes on tried and examined gameplay, and Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! appears like a recreation that was at all times designed for cellular, reasonably than an enhanced model of a transportable console launch.
In Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On!, you spend time in races or within the simulation points. The previous entails totally different phases. These embody the solitaire, technique, and useful resource administration. The simulation points are fairly deep, and you will note them proceed to develop the extra you play. Having performed some Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! each day for a few week on totally different gadgets, I’m more than happy by the most recent addition to Apple Arcade. The construction of Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! permits for seemingly infinite replay worth.
With regards to the controls, Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! could be very a lot a touch-focused recreation. Whereas it does have macOS and tvOS variations since it’s an Apple Arcade Unique, these really feel like afterthoughts. They even say “faucet” as an alternative of “click on” for macOS. The tvOS model on Apple TV forces you to pair a controller to play Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On!, however you utilize it to simulate a contact cursor with the left stick and press the affirm button to click on. The interface right here additionally mentions tapping as an alternative of clicking or urgent a button. There is no such thing as a controller assist on iOS and iPadOS as of this writing. I attempted three totally different controllers on my iPad Professional with no luck. The interface feels nice on contact, however that is value noting as some individuals who subscribe to Apple Arcade get pleasure from utilizing controllers to play video games.
Barring the change to 3D for the racing, Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! additionally has a brand new each day login system. That is one thing I anticipated given how the goal of this launch can be to maintain folks enjoying the sport and remaining subscribed to Apple Arcade. It isn’t a dealbreaker by any means, however one thing to remember. I haven’t performed the free-to-play iOS model of the sport in Japan from years in the past, so I’m undecided if this can be a remnant of that launch. There have additionally been a couple of modifications to some points of the sport from the 3DS model which you’ll be able to learn in my interview with Recreation Freak right here.
I’ve praised Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! fairly a bit, and whereas I like the transition the sport has constituted of 3DS to trendy iOS gadgets, I hope a future replace can add a better body price choice. The races could be so much nicer at 60fps or 120fps. I can’t think about that’s an excessive amount of for contemporary iOS gadgets given the visuals on show. Barring that, Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! seems to be nice and seamlessly syncs throughout gadgets.
Whereas among the technical points are disappointing, Pocket Card Jockey: Journey On! is a straightforward suggestion you probably have an Apple Arcade subscription. The construction of the sport completely fits the service, and I hope it will get up to date over time to usher in new content material and repair among the points. In the event you don’t have an Apple Arcade subscription but however loved Pocket Card Jockey on 3DS, that is the most effective motive to examine the service out.
