Doom is Back

Doom is coming to the iPhone. Ok, thats no surprise. Doom has been ported to just about everything that uses electricity, and probably some things that don't. This one is different though. It isn't a port. id themselves are releasing classic Doom for the iPhone I love it when old classics live on, and it doesn't get much better than original Doom.

This was first announced earlier in the year, and the trailer is available. It was shown at WWDC this week, and the reviews are impressive. While the graphics are dated, they are pure Doom. Some reviews claim 30 FPS; that seems high for the iPhone, but I am not one to question the ability of id software to extract every once of power out of any system. The five hours of game play is also impressive. Unfortunately, some reviews say the game will be on rails. I'd prefer totally free camera controls, but rails can work if done well.

Word is the title will be released next week. In the meantime, there is a fantastic article from John Carmack himself on the technical challenges of moving Doom to the iPhone. The article is fairly detailed and well worth the read whether you are an industry pro, a casual gamer, or just plain bored. If like me you were wondering about this mythical toaster that John Carmack refers to... I'm sorry but I just couldn't find it. Here's the best I can do. I don't think any of those are available at your local kitchen store. How disappointing.