The lack of offline play on the iPad, for instance, is a shitstorm waiting to happen.
Seriously, can someone explain why this would be?
Because basically every other deckbuilding game adapted for the iPad has it, and because not everyone's iPad is in a Wifi hotspot at all times. Also see Diablo III.
...and because iPad users demand that everything be optimized for their device.
I know this is trolling, but I feel compelled to respond anyway.
First off, buying a non-iOS mobile device is like using a non-Windows desktop OS. You just can't expect as many games, because most of the game developers primarily target iOS/Windows, and most people who care about games use iOS/Windows, because of that. So while you're free to choose whichever mobile device you like, it rankles me a bit to complain about games when you chose a platform that gets fewer games, just like an iOS user would be silly to complain too much about lack of customizability.
Second, mobile devices benefit a lot from native apps, much more than desktop OSes. For example:
- Mobile devices are not as powerful as even laptop computers, so performance is a big deal.
- Screen size is limited, so the app needs to be designed for the particular screen. Each device with a different screen size potentially needs a re-thinking of the design in order to have a good interface.
- It's difficult to accurately fake native touch response, for scrolling, etc.
Third, iOS devices alone are a big games market. If the market is that big, it's not unreasonable to expect a top-notch offering. If it isn't top-notch, there are lots of alternatives to play instead.