Full Version: Apple touts more than 1,000 applications on the App Store. Unfortunately many think that most of those apps are crap. For the most part I agree.
One of the gems to bubble to the top is MotionX Poker (iTS link). The attention to detail, both visually and audibly, is outstanding. The description given by the developer is minimal compared to the rich feature set of the game. Simply put, you shake the phone to roll your dice. Select your hand and shake again. But it is much more than this.
Dice and Tables
There are 39 beautifully rendered sets of dice that you can unlock as you play (you unlock dice by getting 5-of-a-kind). Even more impressive is that each set of dice makes a slightly different sound when you roll them. The "Nomad" dice, which appear to be made of wood, sound very different than the "Immortal" dice, presumably made of some type of metal. This attention to detail not only makes me want to continue to play, but also switch between sets of dice.
Along with the 39 sets of dice are five different tables to play on (you start with two playable tables and unlock the next three). Each new table allows you to bet more and in turn win more. They have put great time and effort into the detail of the tables as well. The Rooster table is covered with felt, and the sound reflects this. The dragon table on the other hand is more of a hard porcelain surface and the sound of the dice hitting it reflect that difference.
Gems
Another feature that isn't mentioned in the developer's description is "gems". Gems are acquired by reaching certain milestones such as "Win with every possible five of a kind", "Earn a comeback bonus and a low hand bonus with the same hand", or "Earn a straight bonus and a repeat hand bonus in the same hand".
These gems (there are 14 of them) keep the game interesting the more hours you play. You can even click the info button next to the gem to see how close you are to attaining your gem.
Statistics
Being able to keep track of your stats is a valuable feature in my mind. Keeping track of your win percentage, what your "luckiest" dice are, and how many winning days in a row you've had keep interest high and boredom low.
It is also a remind of how much time you have wasted building up your bankroll. As of this writing I have spent almost 8 hours trying to attain all 14 gems.
Overall
This game has been able to hold my interest more than any other application on the iPhone so far. With goals (other than winning) to strive for and amazing attention to detail this application is a must buy.
★★★★★ in my book.
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