Finds that just-right balance between arcade and sim

The cat-and-mouse duet of WWII-era u-boats and their Allied quarry has long appealed to me, and Ive been through a number of apps. Im not satisfied with mindless shoot-em-ups, but I dont want to deal with numerous plotting and navigation issues, either.

I wasnt hoping for much with my iPad Airs limited resources. But wow, this game was a pleasant surprise! Its functionality and level of player involvement are top notch.

Since I got it yesterday, the gameplay has kept me glued to the screen for hours.

An excellent tutorial section gives you a running start in just a few minutes. I couldnt find a typo anywhere — excellent doc!

And while the graphics arent quite state of the art, theyre good enough. Periscope view is so-so but to compensate theres an excellent chart display. Which is in keeping with the tiny amount of time a u-boat captain actually uses the periscope.

The sound effects -- so often overlooked -- are excellent and really add to the claustrophobic mood. (The music is another matter. I turn it off in every game, first thing.)

If your priorities are like mine, go ahead and spring for the price. There are no ads and, while you play, no come-ons to buy more stuff. This is an honorable, straight-up, mind-melting game.

John Mulvihill about Crash Dive