for the iPhone and iPod touch is a slick derivative of Facebook godfather. The app has certain distinct flaws, but it still sets a high bar. ambitious but imitative and ( Macworld rated 2 out of 5 mice ) are both variations on the same game. The essential questions facing each are: Is the game playable? Is it reasonably free of bugs? Is it fun?

I've been hooked on Facebook's Mafia Wars for a few months now. For my labors, I am a Level 246 master boss with a carefully cultivated gang more than 450 strong, a real estate portfolio that would make Donald Trump envious, and an arsenal worthy of most "developing" nations.

So I was initially dismayed with the Mafia Wars app. Truth is, the Mafia Wars app will likely be an immediate disappointment to Facebook veterans who have spent a lot of time building up their characters. The problem is, the game isn't linked to Facebook. Yes, you can import your Mafia for fights--gang size matters, even in the early levels of the game when you aren't as well armed or defended. But all of those jobs you've completed and those fights you won on Facebook? Sorry. You start from scratch.

That's a strange deficiency, I think. It's not as if Zynga doesn't know how to link its mobile games to Facebook. After all, uses Facebook Connect. Perhaps Zynga wanted players to start the game fresh and on a level playing field. But if that's true, the developers shouldn't have allowed players to import their Mafias.

In any case, any ill feeling should pass if you stick with the game long enough. The mechanics of the mobile Mafia Wars app are essentially the same as the online game, and it can be just as addictive. The iPhone version certainly looks better than the Facebook game, with more interesting graphics, animation, and a tight interface.