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I’m not entirely sure what’s going on over there at Konami. They’ve got a solid catalog of games, some of which have made their way to the iPhone. Most of those I’ve liked. WireWay, KrazyKart Racing, Metal Gear Solid Touch; all good stuff. But this latest round—Frogger Inferno, Double Dribble Fastbreak and Elebits Capture—seems kind of…pointless? Take a look and see if you agree.

Frogger Inferno

Category: Arcade Games
Seller: Konami
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
File Size: 4.0MB
Version Reviewed: 1.0.1
Price: $0.99
Age Rating: 4+

I dig the Frogger action. It’s been one of my favorite arcade games since it was first released, mainly because I was good at it. I could play it for a long time. I could get a high score. It was fun. The original arcade version has been on the iPhone for a while now, and it’s enjoyable. Frogger Inferno? Well…

Imagine someone gives you a cheeseburger. You take a few bites. It’s tasty. Then, before you’re halfway through, that fellow brings you another burger. It’s the exact same burger, but it looks prettier. “I’m not done with this one,” you say. “No matter,” says the burger man. “This one is warmer. Buy it.”

That’s kind of what Konami has done here. Frogger Inferno is Frogger with improved graphics and this gimmick where the frog leaves a trail of fire behind him so he can’t backtrack. And there you go, that’s the new version.

Oh, it also connects to Facebook and you can include pictures with the high scores and who cares? It’s still just Frogger. Slide, tap or tilt your way across the highway and river to the lily pad. Done.

Does it need to be pretty? Does it need to have fire? If so, get this version. If not, get the original. They cost the same.

Double Dribble Fastbreak

Category: Arcade Sports Games
Seller: Konami
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
File Size: 12.6MB
Version Reviewed: 1.0.0
Price: $0.99
Age Rating: 4+

You have to love a sports game named after a penalty. Why is there no football game called “Encroachment?” A hockey game called “Too Many Men On the Ice?” But here we have Double Dribble, a basketball game from the mid-80s, now on your iPhone. And although it’s a fun game, it’s not well suited for the iPhone controls.

No matter which of the two options you go with (one involving virtual buttons, one not), accuracy is spotty. With five tiny guys on each team, it tends to be a mess of action. Compounding the matter is the fact that the computer AI isn’t all that great, so players don’t react as you’d expect them to.

I likely shouldn’t expect that in an iPhone game, but considering how difficult it is for my large thumbs to hit the tiny iPhone screen with any accuracy, a little help from my teammates would be nice.

Also, there’s hardly any customization here. Team colors and game difficulty are about it. You can adjust the duration of the quarters and unlock a second court, but where’s the multiplayer? Where’s the OpenFeint integration? Where’s the fun?

Avoid this one. Even if you’re nostalgic for the old NES version, avoid it. I won’t fault Konami for trying, but they’ll have to work harder to compensate for the iPhone’s controls if they want to make such a game worth even $0.99.

Elebits Capture

Category: Games
Seller: Konami
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
File Size: 7.1MB
Version Reviewed: 1.0.0
Price: $0.99
Age Rating: 4+

Of the three, this is one I really just don’t get at all. Elebits was a decent Wii game that showed off the WiiMote controls. Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero brought the basic concept to the DS, but with its own unique and charming spin. Elebits Capture brings nothing to the iPhone at all.

Nothing.

Well, it looks pretty, I suppose, but so what? There’s nothing to do here. Against only a single backdrop, you touch the Elebits as they run around the bottom of the screen. This stuns them momentarily. If they’re hiding behind something, zap it with a laser to get it out of the way. You then touch the big white blob at the top so he can swoop down to capture them before they regain their senses. The more you capture in one swoop, the higher your score.

Time runs out. Game is over. Play again.

But you won’t, because it’s not fun. Other than beating your score, there’s no reason to keep playing after you finish it the first time. This is just a lazy, limited, pointless game, which is very disappointing considering the franchise from which it comes. It’s certainly not worth $0.99, and likely wouldn’t even be worth the download if it were free.