Allied forces charge ahead.

Like Rock Band, Command & Conquer: Red Alert for the iPhone takes a game many will recognize and effectively condenses it into Apple's handheld device. If you've led troops through the PC or Mac strategy game, this version will be instantly familiar. I've been advancing through a pre-release version and am looking forward to EA shipping the title later this month.

In the iPhone edition, you'll still build up bases and armies for battles. On-screen taps create most of the same soldiers, tanks, and other vehicles as the original game, plus you'll get most of the same building options, including defensive turrets, power stations, and airbases. You'll move troops and attack enemies by tapping a destination.

Want to pay a dollar for more stuff? There's a map for that.

Some of the complexity is cut in the translation, which seems like the best choice for an iPhone game. Units lack the same sorts of upgrades and special powers as in the computer version; instead, each type tends to serve a single, main function.

But the game plays out in a similar style. You can heard units together in up to three preset groups, double-tap to pick all units of the same type, or select multiple units by dragging a selection box. These controls work well on the iPhone, although units often act dumb, having trouble automatically driving together over a narrow path, ignoring attacking enemies, and otherwise being absent-minded. Hopefully, EA can improve these issues ahead of the game's release.

Russia gets its revenge.

Otherwise, for better--and occasionally worse--Red Alert behaves much like its long-running Mac/PC strategy originator. Some battles can feel drawn out; while you can stop and resume in the middle of a fight, Red Alert demands a longer attention span than many iPhone games. There's no multiplayer option, and you choose from two factions instead of three. The game will ship with 12 levels, although in-app purchases could expand its length.

But the crafty, strategy core feels intact. There's always a certain unit that works best to defend or attack in a given situation. Discover and exploit these patterns, and you'll feel like a brilliant general.

The end, until you play as the other side.