Faithful Recreation, Frustrating Controls
I grew up with the TI-99/4A home computer, and Parsec was my favorite game. This iPhone version faithfully recreates the original, complete with the directional pad, three-level lift button, and fire button. From a nostalgia standpoint, it’s outstanding.
Unfortunately, the touch controls let it down. The directional controls aren’t very responsive, and my ship will sometimes suddenly thrust forward when I don’t want it to. The fire button is also partially off-screen, making it difficult to press consistently.
More importantly, all of the on-screen controls need to be repositioned. Placing them at the very edge of the display doesn’t work well across different iPhone models. Instead of focusing on the game, you’re fighting the controls, and that takes away from what made the original Parsec so enjoyable.
I was genuinely excited to see one of my favorite childhood games on the App Store, but until the controls are redesigned and made more responsive, it simply doesn’t play like the original. The control issues were frustrating enough that I requested a refund.
Nostalgia: ★★★★★
Gameplay: ★☆☆☆☆
Overall: ★☆☆☆☆
Unfortunately, the touch controls let it down. The directional controls aren’t very responsive, and my ship will sometimes suddenly thrust forward when I don’t want it to. The fire button is also partially off-screen, making it difficult to press consistently.
More importantly, all of the on-screen controls need to be repositioned. Placing them at the very edge of the display doesn’t work well across different iPhone models. Instead of focusing on the game, you’re fighting the controls, and that takes away from what made the original Parsec so enjoyable.
I was genuinely excited to see one of my favorite childhood games on the App Store, but until the controls are redesigned and made more responsive, it simply doesn’t play like the original. The control issues were frustrating enough that I requested a refund.
Nostalgia: ★★★★★
Gameplay: ★☆☆☆☆
Overall: ★☆☆☆☆
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😡
The game doesn t work 😡
Childhood memories
Great Ti game, the best in my opinion !
Play insane amount of hours in my teens, plays and sounds great! Love it, thank you for porting it!
Play insane amount of hours in my teens, plays and sounds great! Love it, thank you for porting it!
Only reason to own an iPhone
Seriously the best game ever made. Miss my ti99/4a
I had a TI99/4A back in the good old days.
This was the first cartridge game I got for it, and this version is spot on. Perfect. Couldn’t do TI Invaders next could you?
Crashes on my phone as soon as I open it
Too bad
Parsec!
Great game visually, but there doesn’t seem to be any audio.
The game description says there are sound effects but I can’t hear any.
The game description says there are sound effects but I can’t hear any.
Terrible controls for an awesome game
I loved Parsec on the TI-99/4a. This is a faithful reproduction, except for one thing.
The controls are terrible! They only work intermittently, and the fixed location and small trigger areas only serves to highlight the shortcoming of touch-screen controls - you have to look at the controls, to use them.
The control area is too small, which means you frequently miss them.
Because they are fixed, you constantly have to look down to reorient your fingers.
They also seem far more sensitive than the controls on the original. The game and ship speed at level 1 feels like level 3, on the original; it’s too easy to fly into the ground or an enemy ship.
I want to love this game again, but it’s pretty much unplayable past level 1.
The controls are terrible! They only work intermittently, and the fixed location and small trigger areas only serves to highlight the shortcoming of touch-screen controls - you have to look at the controls, to use them.
The control area is too small, which means you frequently miss them.
Because they are fixed, you constantly have to look down to reorient your fingers.
They also seem far more sensitive than the controls on the original. The game and ship speed at level 1 feels like level 3, on the original; it’s too easy to fly into the ground or an enemy ship.
I want to love this game again, but it’s pretty much unplayable past level 1.
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Fantastico
Ritorno al passato. Il mio primo gioco SSS per TI-99/4a
Fun, great execution although the controls are small.
I look forward to pulling it out in random situations and imagining real arcades with these type of games back in the 70’s and up.
Love this remake of an old classic
Nostalgic. Brings back memories of my first computer, the TI99/4A and it’s amazing gameplay. I played Parsec all the time.
My only issue is with the controls. It’s difficult to play on my iPhone 13 Pro Max. Can the controls be moved closer to the center - at least for the larger form factors? The fire button is in the lower-right corner and is often missed when tapped. It’s nearly off-screen for me.
My only issue is with the controls. It’s difficult to play on my iPhone 13 Pro Max. Can the controls be moved closer to the center - at least for the larger form factors? The fire button is in the lower-right corner and is often missed when tapped. It’s nearly off-screen for me.
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Takes me back to my childhood!
Awesome remake! I forgot how difficult it was. However on my iPhone 14 pro max, the controls are in the corners, almost off the screen completely. Makes it difficult to hold the phone and they aren’t very responsive. They need to be moved in the screen more. Other than that it’s great!
Hard to use fire button on a phone with a case on
Too tucked away in the corner. Otherwise loved it! Could you make Alpiner? It was my favourite and very popular game for ti-99!
Outstanding!
Perfect emulation of a classic for old-timers like me!
Parsec
I played this game as a kid and still have it on the original Ti99 now and this plays exactly the same. It’s nice to have speech in it too. Plugging in the speech synth into the iPhone could be tricky.
I did so speak to the original coders years ago for a piece I wrote.
Mj nurney.
I did so speak to the original coders years ago for a piece I wrote.
Mj nurney.
Spettacolo!
Erano anni che aspettavo l’app con questo gioco spettacolare!
Feel like a kid again…but controls not responsive enough
I love this game,,,I wish the screen joystick control was more responsive and not so close to the edge. My son thinks it doesn’t work right because the controller is too close to the screen border. We are using a iPad Pro.
Parsec
Its a faithful lovely 80s graphic - I wish there were much more.
Unfortunately, as mentioned by a previous reviewer, the direction control for this game is pretty suboptimal and unfortunately leaves me feeling unable to enjoy this game.
Unfortunately, as mentioned by a previous reviewer, the direction control for this game is pretty suboptimal and unfortunately leaves me feeling unable to enjoy this game.
Pas à jour sur les nouveaux smartphone
Le bouton de contrôle de direction est limite inutilisable le jeu est injouable il part en avant alors je veux le faire monter même à un 1€ je me sens arnaquer
Only two thing needs to be changed
Please add external bluetooth joystick support, so that it will work with iPhone joysticks, and I can use a separate joystick just like I did back in my TI994A days.
Please stop the top score from resetting. To encourage game play, I want to try to beat my last high score with my kids, but the app doesn’t retain the top score after exiting :(
Please stop the top score from resetting. To encourage game play, I want to try to beat my last high score with my kids, but the app doesn’t retain the top score after exiting :(
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