Ascendancy

9 cert, The Logic Factory, iOS ****

Games fans might remember Ascendancy in the mid-1990s, when it was available for the PC and considered quite cutting edge. Things have moved on, but this space exploration game is as appealing as it ever was. Though reworked for the iPhone and iPad, it retains all the good bits of the original. The premise is that you take on the guise of one of 21 different alien species, build up their home plantet and reach for the stars, where your people will come into contact with different life forms and begin to conquer the galaxy. Like any 4X strategy game, it’s complex, but with an easily accessed help menu to guide you through the initial stages. The touch-screen functionality adds an extra dimension. You can rotate the star map, swipe it and select stars with a few gestures. A great example of how classic games can make the leap to a new platform.