1993 was the year gaming was born. In a single year, the release of two games advanced for their time, drastically changed the way games were made and opened new doors of possibility for the gaming industry. And their legacy remains: in 2004 Doom was voted the greatest game of all time by industry insiders, it pioneering violent 3D graphics and multiplayer gameplay; and Myst has only been surpassed recently as the best-selling PC game of all time, but still is the best selling adventure game. In complete opposition to Doom, Myst shattered molds of conformity by relying on logical thinking and puzzle gameplay, in a complex, emotional, world of mystery and intrigue. Myst’s ability to transcend the blood and gore of now common Doom-type first person shooters, and its ability to appeal to all ages, has carved for it a very special, and unattainable niche that will never be surpassed.

Myst and its successors have been adopted onto every gaming platform available, from Macs, to console systems like the ever popular Playstation and the scarce, extinct Sega Saturn, and now, as of April 22, 2009, to the nascent iPhone. Just like back in 1993, Myst’s developer Cyan is breaking new ground by introducing the heavyweight 727 MB adaptation to the iPhone, a device that usually contains games no more than a few megs in size. For the lower end 3G iPhone model, 700+ MB for a game is a whopping behemoth to contain.

However, Myst fans can rejoice in knowing that Cyan has upheld its principle in never scrimping on style or story, and their Myst adaptation for the iPhone is no slouch in the details department. For its great downloading size, Myst for the iPhone is the PC game itself, in all its full glory, for play on a miniature screen. The iPhone touchscreen is the perfect medium for Myst’s point-and-click gamestyle, and the graphics and audio have maintained the same high quality as expected from the PC.

For those unfamiliar with the Myst universe, this iPhone version offers a breath of new life into a classic game, and offers the same PC style into a condensed, transportable device for a whole new generation to become enthralled with. While Myst fans may criticize the hefty $5.99 price tag for such an old and done game, believing the price to be a recycling effort at profit, it’s a fair bargain for those new to the game, especially considering most wouldn’t think to purchase an old game like Myst for their computer. After all, recycling the Myst game should be applauded, because to date there are still few games that offer the stunning complexity and intricate backstory that Myst has.

Your character begins stranded on an island strapped with all kinds of curious Leonardo Da Vinci like technology, from star-gazing chairs to golden-lined tree rooms, and contains various clues in the forms of diary entries and picture examinations. Upon finding two books in a library, one red and one blue, your character is introduced to the concept of linking books, special books that transport you to other worlds; as you later learn, these two books happen to be specially crafted prison worlds for the greedy, tempestuous men Sirrus and Achenar, sons to a man named Atrus who created the different worlds of Myst. Tapping around the worlds – called “ages” in Myst lingo – of Myst Island, Channelwood, Selenitic, Stoneship and Mechanical, your character solves puzzles in order to access new areas, and learns more and more about Sirrus and Achenar, the D’ni people, and future choices you’ll have to make.

For newcomers to Myst, they’re sure to be vexed by the seemingly illogical logic puzzles, and the vague, clueless, open format of unchartered exploration without an inkling of violence. But when coming face to face with the morals and repercussions of your actions – freeing Sirrus, are you? – newcomers will understand and embrace the depth and art of story.

For a full, PC-quality game at $5.99 that still offers the beauty of storytelling and thinking that most games do not bother with, Myst is a great addition to your iPhone should you have the space. I can only hope that Cyan will continue to produce the Myst series in the iPhone format so this magical world can be experienced all over again.

So what will it be? What book will you choose?