We're returning from Taco Planet to bring Roberto his lunch.

Dropship pairs clear, vector-style graphics with a dead-simple premise of retrieving lost people and packages. But as a space-faring courier, you’ll also have to navigate twisting crevasses and return fire from enemy gunners. The game solidifies as a fun, iPhone-sized distraction, even if it lacks long-term depth.

Dropship's controls precisely pilot your ship through the 18 levels. Your left thumb thrusts, pushing the ship around light-gravity mazes. Your right thumb shoots a regularly upgrading gun. Both controls are activated by the direction you swipe your thumb anywhere on the screen. We quickly understood the intuitive controls, although we stayed challenged by the game's twists and aggressive enemy types.

Although the 3D view shifts your perspective to add flair, the ship only moves in a 2D plane. The sharp, simple graphics look great, and the game names its stranded people using your address book; we felt especially invested in rescuing “Lieutenant Baldwin” and  “Admiral Ayers.”

The promise of freely downloadable maps—there were three as this was published—and an endless mode compensate for the modest group of 18 mazes. But the repetitive play is more likely to bore you first.

Stylized graphics, sharp controls, and repetitive action make Dropship a great diversion with limited long-term appeal.

Dropship 1.0
COMPANY: ngmoco
CONTACT: www.ngmoco.com
PRICE: $1.99
REQUIREMENTS: iPhone or iPod touch with 2.1 software update.
Responsive, intuitive controls. Great looking graphics. Uses your contacts to name lost people. Can download new levels.
Grows repetitive. Can't flip the iPhone for opposite headphone-jack placement. Can't invert left/right functions for Southpaws.