Cat Quest III is a pirate action RPG for iPhone and iPad where your ship is part of the fighting. Sail between islands, exchange cannon fire, then head ashore for a dungeon or a quest, with a bright cartoon archipelago holding the treasure hunt together.
Ashore, the weapons change. You can combine melee attacks with ranged weapons and spells. Pocket Gamer's iOS review describes a button for switching weapons and a spell gesture that starts by holding the attack button, then sliding toward the spell. Enemy attack patterns give dodging a purpose. On the ship, the problem becomes lining up cannon shots and avoiding incoming fire. Returning to town lets you improve equipment before taking another route across the islands.
That change of pace is the reason I'd choose Cat Quest III for a handheld adventure. The developer lets you pursue quests in different orders, and Pocket Gamer found the mixture of sailing and land combat entertaining without much complicated management. Replay expectations deserve some restraint: an August US App Store reviewer wished it lasted longer, while an October player found New Game+ too similar after finishing the story. Keeping equipment doesn't turn a second trip into a new map.
A run through the islands should suit iPhoners after readable combat and a cheerful treasure hunt. Treat the repeat modes as optional extra visits.
