Sega classic ChuChu Rocket chugs onto the iPhone

Colorful, stylized creatures called ChuChus. Evil cats wandering around patterned game boards. Confusing arrows and labyrinth style puzzles. Dreamcast nostalgia go!Classic Sega puzzler ChuChu Rocket! is now available for your iPadPhoneTouch on the App Store.

"ChuChu Rocket! is undoubtedly one of our most beloved franchises," said Sega VP in charge of digital stuff Haruki Satomi. Well, we're not sure it's that much of a classic. But, if you owned a Dreamcast you must have at least noticed the eye-catching box art at some point. And if you got your Dreamcast late inthe system'slife cycle, you probably got a copy of the game for free as part of a demo to show off the system's online capabilities. It was one of the first successful online console games in the US.

Above: One of the "most beloved" Dreamcast franchises...

Butif you never got a chance to play it back in the day, now's your chance.

"We have built this app with both longtime fans and a new generation of players in mind, and it is poised to become just as much of a classic on the App Store as it was on the Dreamcast," added Satomi.

The game's objective involves placing arrows on a gridded game board to direct mice to your rocket at the edge of the board. But there are three other players trying to do the same thing, and they'll try to sabotage you by directing harmful cats to your side.

The iOS version of the game has been faithfully recreated with a single-player mode, andthe ability to play against three opponents wirelessly. It also has Game Center support so you can show off your prowess like you never could on the Dreamcast, with unlockable achievements and online leaderboards.

The game is available as a $5 download for the iPhone and iPod Touch, or $7 for an HD version on the iPad.

Oct 28, 2010