The more RPGs you play on the iPhone, the more you discover that often the simplest, “retro” little games can actually be the most satisfying and enjoyable in terms of gameplay. Simple graphics can also be a lot cleaner and clearer on a small screen than the busy feel that more intricate and animated titles create. They also tend to be less battery hungry.

CrazyQuest
CrazyQuest reminds me very much of old text-based MUDs, except it’s obviously a graphical game. It has the same “rooms” structure, and the same waiting-for-a-respawn to kill monsters again. Best of all there are shops, which means you’re grinding for gold as well as exp/skill points, so you have more choice on how to equip your character.

Small RPG
Small RPG had me hooked until I sadly hit the highest level, after which there wasn’t anything to continue for, although the game kept going. While there wasn’t a shop, there was an inventory which allowed you to pick and choose equipment. It was also great getting enhanced and rarer items, which are well balanced to your level, giving a nice sense of progression as everything gets more powerful.

Yipe 5
Yipe was brilliant on Mac OS years ago, and has translated perfectly to small-screen iOS. It’s just enormous fun, both in terms of gameplay and its quirky humour. Often humour in a game can irritate, but in Yipe it’s warm and amusing. And there are multiple quests, so you get that real Classic RPG feel in a lovely retro game.

TapQuest
So much fun, especially being able to autoplay your characters and have them move and fight automatically across the screen. In many ways it’s more about managing your party than fighting with them. And there were (free) downloadable maps once you finished the pre-installed ones. It’s a pity the devs didn’t keep going, because it had a lot more mileage in it.

Also worth a mention, though they’re much longer and more involved games:

Dragon Bane II and Princess Demelza
Two very old-style but also lengthy and fully featured games, built on the same engine. These appeared to use no battery at all, so were perfect for playing when stuck in public transport for hours. A nice bit of nostalgia for those that remember the text-based RPG era, as they’re something of a hybrid between old MUD style games and graphical games.