Labyrinth: A new app starring David Bowie and David Bowie's package.

Okay, the headline lies, but can you blame me for wanting to get at least one Labyrinth-the-movie reference in this review?  No, this is not an app devoted to the immortal pop star.  Instead, it's devoted to the past time of trying to get your ball to roll past holes in a hellish death trap.

This game ended badly.

We've all played the classic game.  There are two knobs attached to a (usually wooden) box.  The top of the box is filled with holes, and your goal is to move a marble from "start" to "finish" without falling into oblivion.  It's hard as hell, with each tiny turn of the nob causing more effect than you'd want.

On an iPhone or iPod touch, this Labyrinth application, from Codify, works exactly the same.  Instead of turning knobs, however, you tilt the iPhone and use its tilt sensors to move your ball in the desired direction.  And the best compliment I can give this game is as follows: it's just as hard as the real version.

The menus aren't nearly as spiffy as the gameplay.

I've played iBall3D, a similar game, and didn't like it.  The physics engine was sub-par, with the ball's inertia set too high or the reaction to my movements being exaggerated, but not with Labyrinth.  The engine that runs this thing is spot-on in an almost creepy way, and that's what makes it great.  You find yourself working to keep a steady hand and being careful to keep your ball from rolling out of control.   The programming disappears, and it's just you, a ball, and a maze from hell.

The interface, however, leaves a little to be desired.  Menu screens are plain and boring, and the game board, while elegant, is a simple wooden pattern.  There are no options to plug-in different themes which is something I wish the developer would explore. Sound, however, is great.  No music, bells or whistles...just the realistic sounds of a ball rolling on wood.  And with the new update, it seems the Codify guys have fixed the buggy audio in the previous versions; well done.

You too can make custom levels that disobey all rules of quality and logic

There are tons of levels in multiple game packs, which is great, but I wish I could arrange the level packs based on difficulty.  Other than one pack named "easy," I had no idea which levels were in-line with my skill level.  It was a matter of trial and error to find a level pack that suited me.

But the coolest thing about this app--the thing that makes it a must-have for anybody--is the ability to customize courses.  That's right: if you log onto the website provided in the app, you can create your own layout for a labyrinth using very simple tools to build walls, create holes, and set the end point.  Then the iPhone easily downloads your levels via a wifi network and saves them to a special pack on your phone.

Stellar.

So, when you get down to it, this game can never really run out of levels, and you can never totally master it as a player since you can always create the hardest level you can imagine.

Overall it's a fantastic, nail-bitingly addictive app.  Add a few more backgrounds and a better sorted list of level packs, and it would be as close to perfect as you could ask.

The app is a little pricey at $6.99 on the app store.  I think that could be reduced by a few dollars, especially considering that fully-loaded apps like Ferrari GT: Evolution are often $5.99 or less.  But if you are light on cash, check out the lite edition which has the same game play but with a limited number of levels.

You can buy Labyrinth HERE.