An a-maze-ing iPhone and iPad game that was unforgettable
Our latest classic game couldn’t decide which iconic arcade game to be – and so decided to be all of them at once.
Forget-Me-Not in 2011.
What was Forget-Me-Not?
At a glance, sort-of Pac-Man, in that the hero – a square with eyes – had to roam a maze, munch dots (well, flowers in this case) and avoid enemies. However, Forget-Me-Not went much further than the static and repetitive Pac-Man.
Mazes were procedurally generated, which meant no two games were ever the same. The foes that populated the maze were varied, each having distinct personalities and powers. Some pursued you with terrifying accuracy. Others were content blasting each other to smithereens, eradicating entire sections of the maze as you played. Fortunately, you could shoot back, given that the hero was equipped with its own endlessly firing weapon.
Why was it a classic?
Because there was so much going on. The visuals were a celebration of retro gaming, with pulsating neon color and characterful enemies. The game was immediate and yet had depth, with you learning how to pit enemies against each other, use a key as a shield, and grind against walls to gain a speed boost you could use to squash foes. There was even a simultaneous two-player mode.
Best of all, though, Forget-Me-Not’s cramped arenas felt alive, as various critters blazed around, blowing each other to pieces in a barely contained chaos. It didn’t so much feel like an arcade game on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad as all of the best classic arcade games distilled into a perfect mix, available at a moment’s notice.
Forget-Me-Not in 2023.
Where is it now?
Being created by the tiniest of indie developers (the game was essentially a one-man production from Brandon Williamson), Forget-Me-Not struggled to keep pace with iPhone hardware changes and hit compatibility issues more than once.
It was resurrected a few years back as part of GameClub, a now seemingly dormant subscription service that provides access to a slew of ‘rescued’ gaming classics from the iPhone’s earlier years. Fortunately, there’s a month-long free trial, so you can find out why this classic is one we’ll never forget.
Get Forget-Me-Not ($subscription) from the App Store, or visit the Itch-io page for the desktop sequel.