There aren't really too many games in which you get to pull off a heist. Oh sure there's a bank robbery in Grand Theft Auto 4, and there are games like The Getaway that pay homage to those types of movies, but the act of planning an elaborate thieving of some priceless artifact or gem is not really seen. Despite its name, Half-inch Heist really isn't the type of game to provide this experience. No, what we have here is more a quick reflexes arcade experience wrapped up in an eight bit shell. Yes there is a diamond that you are protecting from all manner of security measures, but in a way, you are the diamond yourself. Let's explain.

The game in simple terms has you placing your finger over the gem and then wherever your finger goes, the gem travels under it. The security whips into play almost immediately and you have to not only dodge incoming rockets, laser beams, and all manner of robotic monstrosities, but there are a string of bosses as well, each with a gem shaped weak point (oh I wonder how they might be defeated). There is a disconnect between these two sections of gameplay though. During the dodging sections, there is a delay of the gem under your finger, and a lot of the time you can find it whipping out in an arc as you speedily change direction to avoid a curving projectile. Most of the time the read is quite agile, but partly due to your finger obscuring a portion of the screen, and partly due to this lag, many times the game will end without you understanding why. Then, when you get to the bosses, the gem must be close to exactly placed over the weak spot to deal damage (and of course with all manner of boss defense measures, it can be hard to see one creeping up on you under your finger). Really, because of the brutal arcade difficulty and having to restart the game upon death, this takes its toll on the game being an enjoyable experience.

Well that's not entirely true. There are continues, but they cost three hundred coins a pop. The coins are collected from downed bosses or purchased, and seeing how the game operates, while it seems feasible for someone to become good enough to complete the game with one life, it is also quite unlikely for the majority of players.

So with that said, Half-inch Heist isn't necessarily a bad game. The music was catchy and seeing what would come next after each onslaught was survived brought a sense of anticipation and wonder. If the controls could work more with the game instead of against it, this could be a very enjoyable title for those who like to brag to their friends how far they were able to get.