iPhone games – the next big thing?
Posted by Eivind Røbekk Hagerup on April 1, 2008
Mobile games never really became “the next big thing” as everyone predicted. Even though it sounds undeniably like a good idea in theory, everyone having a mobile phone and all, games like Paris Hilton’s Diamond Quest aren’t. Maybe it’s because of the limited power in mobile phones, combined with small screens and clunky buttons and interfaces?
Say what you want about the iPhone or its bastard child, the iPod Touch, but you cannot escape the fact that it’s pretty damn sexy. It’s got a sleek design and a great interface, as well as a number of innovative new features. What could game designers do with features such as the accelerometer or multi-touch screen?
Consider the enormous success of the Nintendo DS. Then add accelerometer. And multi-touch. And VoIP, camera and proximity sensor!
Both the iPhone and iPod Touch sells like there’s no tomorrow apparently, and could be a very exciting new platform for games. Better yet, the SDK is surprisingly cheap, with Apple only charging 99$ for the whole thing. Also, if you pay a 99$ extra, you’ll be able to sell your game on iTunes, leaving you with a 70% revenue from sales.
I have been testing out a few concepts for the platforms myself, as part of a school assignment. I have had a few ideas for a couple of racing games, as well as a dancing game. I’ll probably post them here later.
I have not yet seen a iPhone/iPod-game that utilizes the platforms’ innovative features. Have you? If so, please let me know!
