FingerGaming

The Wall Street Journal joins in on the coverage of gaming on the iPhone and iPod Touch and what it means to the mobile gaming stalwarts, Nintendo and Sony, with their DS and PSP respectively. Last week BusinessWeek also chimed in on these same grounds. I think the more people try to say gaming on the iPhone won’t last, the less convinced they are lately.

From the Wall Street Journal article:

Sega has sold more than 500,000 copies of a $10 game called “Super Monkey Ball” for the iPhone and iPod touch. The game, in which a player navigates a rolling orb around mazes by tilting the device, has reached a sales level that Sega says would be considered a hit for a DS or PSP game, which can cost up to $40.

“It feels to me like there’s a real threat to their [Sony's and Nintendo's] business from the iPhone,” said Neil Young, a longtime executive at games publisher Electronic Arts Inc. Mr. Young quit EA this year to form a start-up, Ngmoco Inc., dedicated to publishing iPhone and iPod touch games.

As often as Sega’s Super Monkey Ball ($9.99) game on the iPhone gets quoted with the earnings it has netted Sega, imagine if the game was really good (global reviews puts the game at about above average with the biggest complaint being the overly sensitive controls.)

Super Monkey Ball could’ve had the potential to sell over a million if Sega took the time to make sure the game was easier to pick up and enjoy. Sadly, subsequent patches from Sega has not addressed this issue to much satisfaction.

Thanks Simon for sending in the link.

Tags: Apple, Article, iPhone, iPod Touch, wall street journal

BusinessWeek has posted an article about gaming on the iPhone and iPod Touch, and why both Sony and Nintendo should watch out. The article mentions games such as Gameloft’s Real Soccer 2009 ($9.99) and EA Mobile’s upcoming SimCity.

I didn’t expect much from games on the iPhone. I had visions of casual games, perhaps a fancy take on solitaire or a version of poker that takes advantage of the handset’s touchscreen. Surely not a true mobile gaming experience.

Boy, was I wrong. For the last few days I’ve been sampling some of the games available from the iTunes Store on the iPod Touch, and I’ve been stunned at how elaborate and involved they are. On the iPod Touch I’ve played a version of Gameloft’s Real Soccer 2009 that rivals the version of the game on the Nintendo DS, and I didn’t even miss the buttons. I’ve seen demonstrations of Sim City, forthcoming for the iPhone and the Touch from Electronic Arts (ERTS), that look more elaborate and sophisticated than any versions I’ve played before on a desktop PC or console.

While personally I don’t think Sony or Nintendo has anything to worry about, I do think that they will take note of the success of gaming using the accelerometer and multi-touch capabilities and incorporate them into future gaming handheld devices. Just like the Wii from Nintendo hasn’t cut into sales of the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, it still caters to a larger, more mainstream demographic, and it’s nice to have options.

Tags: Article, iPhone, iPod Touch, nintendo, real soccer 2009, simcity, sony

oeFun, developers of games such as Tilt Me ($0.99 - Free Demo) and the recently pulled Cosmic One (likely due to stiff competition from Cloud Girls ($2.99)) has posted a rant about the App Store. They’ve mentioned what’s great about it, what’s bad about it, and what’s ugly about the App Store.

This rant provides a little insight into what iPhone game developers face with the growth pains of the App Store. In my opinion, the App Store, while great on many levels, is restricted by the very foundation of the iTunes Music Store, which was designed to sell music.

When Apple decided to enter the app selling game due to great demand from iPhone/iPod Touch lovers, they had to quickly put together the App Store within a program and backend that wasn’t meant for the job. I think what Apple needs to do is to create a dedicated program specifically for selling apps to alleviate many of the problems the App Store faces today.

Tags: Article, cosmic one, oefun, tilt me

MSNBC’s Citizen Gamer column, written by Winda Benedetti, has an article online today, titled Games are serious business for Apple. In it, are quotes from me about the excitement behind gaming on the iPhone and iPod Touch, and whether or not Nintendo and Sony should be quaking in their boots.

Apple iPhone and Touch users can interact with games by touching the screens and by tilting the machines to and fro. “The possibilities are near limitless with what can be done in games using these unique methods to interact with games,” says Matt Burris, creator of the blog FingerGaming.com.

Additionally, when the App Store launched in July, it suddenly offered an easy way for iPhone and Touch owners to download a veritable smorgasbord of games (and other programs) onto their devices. And Burris points out, “These games are affordable, lower than any other games on the market. They range from free, 99 cents, all the way up to $9.99. You don’t have to go to the store to get them. All you have to do is tap on an icon, choose the game you want to buy, and within minutes you’re playing that game.”

And further along in the article:

Burris disagrees. “If anything, Nintendo should be excited. The iPhone and iPod Touch will be reaching even further to an audience that may not even consider themselves gamers.”

He says that most people who have purchased an iPhone probably didn’t buy it to play games. But now that they’re able to find and easily play interesting games, they’ll be pulled into the fold.

For their part, Nintendo is striking a nonchalant tone.

Games mentioned in the article are Toy Bot Diaries: Entry 1 ($3.99 - Free Demo), Asphalt 4: Elite Racing, and Apple’s own Texas Hold’em ($4.99). Head on over and read it on MSNBC.

Tags: Apple, Article, asphalt 4, iPhone, iPod Touch, texas hold em, toy bot diaries

It’s always nice to see the mainstream media getting in on the fun with the iPhone and other mobile handset gaming. Statesman.com talk about gaming on the iPhone and iPod Touch, plus the competitors such as Nokia and Sony getting in on the action now that Apple has opened up a whole new industry. Games mentioned in the article are Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D ($9.99) and Super Monkey Ball ($9.99).

Clayton Wakida, a TV news producer from Honolulu, was never into mobile games because they were so “primitive.” But after he purchased the new iPhone in July, he decided to try “Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D” from mobile-game developer Polarbit. He’d heard good things about the game and downloaded it for $9.99 from the Apple application store.

“I was pretty blown away, actually,” Wakida said. In particular, he liked the gameplay features, which allow gamers to change the car’s speed and direction by tilting the cell phone, thanks to the accelerometer in the iPhone. The touch screen can also activate features such as shooting missiles. “The iPhone games are just a totally different experience,” he says.

Tags: Apple, Article, crash bandicoot nitro kart 3d, iPhone, iPod Touch, super monkey ball

TouchArcade has an article up that lists 5 games worth a look. The games they recommend are:

1. Apache Lander
2. Fire Drop
3. BubbleWrap
4. Cookie Bonus Solitaire - Free
5. Tunnels

Oddly enough, the only game on this list I’ve played is Cookie Bonus Solitaire. The cards in that game were too tiny for me, and the ads were a bit annoying, so I deleted it promptly. Your mileage may vary.

Some of my favorite free games you should also take a look at are:

1. JawBreaker
2. Spinner Prologue
3. Labyrinth Lite Edition
4. Matches
5. Cube Runner

Tags: Article, free