Mad Man - Resonate Galaxy for iOS

Mad Man is the newest in a long line of apps channeling the faux retro arcade feel of the '70's when many games were about space, neon lights, and time limits. In this case, you are pitted against an opponent online and must move your light across the screen without it being hit by any of the obstacles, including your opponent. The result is quick and entertaining, though ultimately lacking due to some design decisions.

The interface is fun and easy to use. The game loads quickly, the music is suitably old-school, and the graphics are both bright and engaging -- and dated enough to pull off the overall theme. The major issue with this game is that it has no practice, tutorial, or single player modes. You must wait for it to match you with a player online and it can take anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes to do, not ideal for a mobile game, especially when not connected to the Internet. This is the biggest gripe, however, because the rest of the game runs quite well. The voice chat feature is buggy at times, but is an incredible addition to a free game in the App Store. High scores, leaderboards, and rematch functions are equally entertaining.

If Mad Man gets a single player mode to offset the low early user numbers, provides some guidance for new players, and possibly adds more game modes, it has the opportunity to be a certified hit in the App Store. Currently it is free and ad-supported, though no ads appear during the actual gameplay, so they are not distracting at all. Mad Man is a good game, loaded with short bursts of action, and a great way to meet new players around the world.