Bit.Trip Beat iPad preview: move to keep the beat

The problem I've always had with Bit.Trip Beat is that you could only control it by twisting the Wiimote. It's not the most accurate control scheme and, since the game is largely built on the player's ability to quickly and precisely move from one place to another, it was one tough experience. However, on the iPad, it's far more responsive -- sporting both touch-based and tilt-based controls in the final product, it was quickly evident that this was the best way to play the game.
It's an overall better package, even visually -- mostly since it's running at a higher resolution than the WiiWare game. And thanks to the pixel density of the iPad, colors look way more vibrant and less flat compared to playing it on the Wii.

But it's all about the controls and the iPad version seemed far more sensitive to my subtle movements than the Wiimote. While I was anxious to check out the touch-based controls (and promised multiplayer), Alex Neuse, CEO and designer at Gaijin Games, could only show me a version of the game with tilt -- sorry, no multiplayer, either.

I did well, to be honest. I made my way through almost all of Transition, the game's first (and incredibly long) level without even going into "the black-and-white zone" signifying you're on the brink of death. And most importantly, I had a lot of fun playing it on the iPad. With a built-in platform to support DLC and superior control schemes and visuals, Bit.Trip Beat on the iPad is easily the best way to play Gaijin Games' first installment in its long-running rhythm series.