To celebrate its 30th anniversary, a new remastered version of the classic puzzle game Myst arrived today on iOS devices. Myst Mobile, as this new version is called, allows players to start exploring the entire island of Myst for free without time limits, which was never offered before, the game manufacturer’s notes.
An early hit in computer gaming, Myst once held the best-selling PC game title of all time and was later expanded into a franchise. This latest version of the game, however, is based on the most recent port, 2021 Myst, but has been designed from the ground up to be optimized for the latest generations of iPhone and iPad devices – i.e. those using A12 Bionic chip or above.
Targeting the new iOS M1 and M2 devices, the company says it will be able to default the game to the highest graphics settings to date, or what it calls “Epic” settings. This means it’s available to play in “real-time 3D” and includes new graphics, new sounds, reimagined interactions, accessibility options and localization for different languages, and even optional puzzle randomization. .
It will also support a variety of input options, such as touch controls, gamepad, keyboard, and trackpad input from Apple Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folios.
Myst creator Cyan Worlds teased the game’s upcoming launch earlier in the week, then released it on Thursday, touting its free-to-explore nature. In the new mobile game, players can reminisce by visiting the mysterious Myst Island for as long as they want, which is a new hook for the popular title. On the island, players can learn and interact with their surroundings, solving puzzles while learning about the game’s story of the “ruthless betrayal of the family,” reads the game’s description.
Afterwards, if players wish to explore the other Ages of Myst, they can do so through a one-time in-app purchase of $14.99. This will allow them to further explore the world and solve even more difficult puzzles as the story progresses.
For launch, the purchase price is reduced to $9.99 for a limited time.
Supported devices for this version of Myst include iPhone XS (Sep 2018 and up), iPhone SE 2nd Gen. (April 2020) and higher, iPad Air 3rd Generation (Mar 2019) and higher, iPad Mini 5th Generation (Mar 2019) and higher, iPad 8th Generation (Sep 2020) and higher, and iPad Pro 4th Generation (March 2020) and higher above. According to its description in the App Store, the game does not collect any user data.
Previously, the game was available for PC users and on Oculus headsets. Apple users also had a way to play Myst from their Mac through a macOS version that won Game of the Year in 2021.
If you want to know more about Myst’s journey to iOS, Apple has highlighted it in an editorial article on the App Store homepage.
