March 8, 2011 – Mac Aficionado

The fact the iPad 2 comes with a dual-core A5 processor and has (if Apple is to be believed) an greatly improved graphics performance (up to 9x the original version) is something that is exciting game designers.

Features that the enhanced specification will allow include real-time shadows and shafts of light, something that will improve the appearance of games no end and should greatly add to the iPad as a gaming platform for software companies.

Already the likes of Unity (game engine) and Epic Games (Infinity Blade developer) are talking up the new iOS device and their plans for the future.

The addition of a gyroscope is also attracting speculations to how games developers are going to take advantage of its capabilities. The impact of the gyroscope will probably be seem most in games that require steering in 3d space, such as driving games like Real Racing HD (by Firemint).

All this can only mean greater success for the iPad as a gaming platform and with new features coming in the iOS side of things Apple looks like it has another winner on is hands. Who woud have thought in the pre-Intel days that Apple would see success in the gaming arena like its seeing today with the iPhone, iPod and iPad?