Review
ROYALE RUMBLE
Is Fortnite on iPhone any good? Watch us play it on release day here
We've spent some time playing Fortnite on iPhone, and it's brilliant fun as usual – but are there any issues, and is it as good as the console version?
FORTNITE Battle Royale has arrived on iPhone, and we've had a chance to play it – for educational purposes, naturally.
It's not easy to squeeze a great console game onto a smartphone, and we've been sceptical that it would work. So, has it?
7
The answer is yes.
Let's start with graphics: this game looks ruddy gorgeous on mobile.
It's worth mentioning that we're trying it out on Apple's £999 iPhone X (with its fancy, hi-res OLED screen), so that helps.
The details are sharp, the colours are vibrant, and the frame rate is smooth – there's no choppy stuttering.
What is Fortnite Battle Royale?
If you're new to the game, here's what you need to know
- Fortnite Battle Royale is a free game
- It's available on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac and now iPhone too
- In the game, up to 100 players are dropped onto a fictional island
- Players are then forced to battle it out in a last-person-standing deathmatch
- To help, players can collect a range of weapons hidden all over the island
- You can also collect resources – like wood, bricks and metal – to build defensive structures
- The area you can play in on the island is constantly shrinking thanks to an encroaching storm
- This means players are forced together over time, until just one person survives
- The game has been a huge hit, and is currently being trialled on iPhone
- But only people who sign up can receive a download invitation for the iPhone game
- And you might have to wait months to get your hands on an iPhone code
The game easily looks as good as it does on your TV, because all the detail is being crammed onto a small screen – for stunning visuals.
It's made even better by the fact that phone games usually look a bit rubbish – but Fortnite has been ported from powerful consoles, and looks incredible.
It's no major surprise that the game looks good, however. The real trick is getting the gameplay right.
Taking a game that's usually played with a joypad or keyboard and putting it on a phone isn't easy. There aren't any buttons, for a start.
7
And admittedly, it took a bit of getting used to.
Moving and aiming is actually very easy. You push along the screen in the bottom left corner to move, and then you use your right finger to drag your point-of-view around. It feels very natural.
When you want to shoot or swing your axe, you simply tap with your right finger.
Surprisingly, aiming is actually easier compared to the Xbox and PS4 versions of the game. It's more natural to point with your finger than to wiggle a joystick on a controller.
But that's only true when you're not moving.
7
7
Where it gets tricky is moving, aiming and firing all in one go. Thankfully, there's a generous aim-assist running in the background that we'd be stuffed without.
The hardest bits compared to consoles are (1) switching weapons and (2) building fortifications.
Swapping between weapons should be simpler, because you can tap on the one you want. On Xbox or PS4, you have to scroll through all six of them using the joypad's shoulder buttons, which can be cumbersome.
But we found that the hit-box for your finger taps on mobile didn't seem to work right for weapons.
This is a nightmare when you're in a duel with someone, and you're trying to change to another gun.
We found that by tapping slightly above the weapon box, finger recognition is a bit better – but it still feels awkward.
Building objects is probably the hardest thing about the game, and that's mainly because it's so easy on console.
7
It's a lot of effort to tap on the build mode button, then tap on the object you want, and then tap again to build – all the while feeling like you're about to drop your iPhone.
Your fingers also get very tired when playing, although we reckon this will improve over time thanks to muscle memory.
But these are all minor issues, and unless you opt into cross-play with PS4 or Xbox players, you'll only be fighting against other iPhone users who have all the same hamstrings you do.
That means the game actually feels really fair. We ended up getting more kills on mobile than we usually do on console, which is encouraging.
7
The fact of the matter is that Fortnite Battle Royale actually works incredibly well as a mobile game.
It's pretty, it's fun, and games are short enough to complete on your train into work.
It also paves the way for a better future of gaming – where iPhone owners can play the same games as console players, and even fight in the same matches.
We still suck at Fortnite (and Battle Royale on mobile hasn't really improved that) but we're having loads of fun regardless, and that's a big reason why this game is so addictive. Even if you lose, you're still winning – because you're having fun.
7
Fortnite on iPhone first impressions
The mobile version of iPhone has a few control niggles to sort out, and our hands definitely need to toughen up for prolonged play.
There are also plenty of complaints about overheating iPhones online – even our powerful iPhone X was warm after just a couple of games.
But overall, Fortnite is a stellar example of how to do mobile games right.
The console and PC game has been hugely successful, and although the iPhone controls are a bit different, the core magic of what makes Fortnite so great has been carried over.
MOST READ IN TECH
It's amazing to think that just 20 years ago, we were happy with Snake on a mobile phone. And now I'm playing a stunning game on my mobile that looks identical to its PS4 or Xbox counterpart.
With Fortnite on iPhone, the future of gaming just got a little brighter.
Have you managed to get a Fortnite invite for iPhone yet? Let us know how you're finding the game in the comments.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
Topics