Do people want their phones to be fully video-game functional, or is Temple Run a good compromise for on-the-go gamers?Ībout a year ago, I happened upon this statement about the Monitor in the Harvard Business Review – under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”: Luckyanova and Shepherd capitalized on the idea that players would be less hesitant to throw money at a game that they learned to love than one they weren’t sure they would like.Īs developers such as Rockstar attempt to jump on the games-for-phones bandwagon, the question remains – is it possible to beat the addicting simplicity of a Temple Run using old tricks? Can a TV-game mindset create a dynamite commuter game? As phones evolve, we can expect to see improvements in graphics and play modes. Add-ons become more useful as you try to beat your high score. After the change, more people downloaded the app, got hooked, and decided to spend money on paid extras, including additional characters and power-ups. This proved to be a wise decision – revenue quintupled. The game was first sold for $0.99 in the App Store, but Luckyanova and Shepherd decided to remove the price tag when they weren’t seeing many downloads. That was a savvy decision by the creators, not an act of kindness. Temple Run makes a great first impression because it’s, well, free. Temple Run’s enormous success throws into question whether developers like Rockstar, the company behind Grand Theft Auto, can bridge the gap and appeal to millions of smart-phoners who aren’t necessarily looking to play a complicated game on the way to work. That being said, smart phones are becoming more and more popular and cost-friendly. Those who are willing to shell out $60 for the premiere, eight- to 20-hour video games are in a league of their own. Why? It stands to reason that not everyone who buys a mobile game is looking for the cutting edge. The app version performed well day-one but quickly disappeared. They compete with more heavy-duty opponents such as Grant Theft Auto 3, a mobile version of the 10-year-old console blockbuster. Bejeweled Blitz, Poker by Zynga, Tetris, and Words with Friends have stayed high on the App Store charts for months. It isn’t the only made-for-phone, points-based game that’s seeing success without attempting to mirror console games.
This vintage nature of Temple Run’s gameplay is appealing both to gamers and less video-game savvy players. This isn’t the case for Modern Warfare or other games featuring elongated campaigns, all of which require conscious effort and time. Whip out your iPhone, play for 30 seconds and go about your day, or sit on the couch and enjoy a longer session. What is it about Temple Run that resonates?įor one thing, games such as Temple Run are perfect in terms of the smart-phone mentality – they’re quick, easy, versatile, and don’t take much thought. So how is a game with such a simple premise holding its own in the era of Modern Warfare 3, which has a six-hour story and 16 multiplayer arenas? There are countless iPhone games with simple premises and rudimentary graphics. The objective is to collect coins, grab power-ups, and stay alive – a call back to the days of the original Super Mario Bros. Temple Run features Guy Dangerous, “just your average explorer,” running from a band of polygonal demon monkeys through an endless, twisting jungle path.
#Imangi studios temple run 3 for android
That’s 36 million downloads on just iPhone and iPad – the game was released for Android on Tuesday. Temple Run, developed by Imangi Studios’ designer-couple Natalia Luckyanova and Keith Shepherd, hit 36 million downloads in February, according to the company. And at least one app has made a fortune by giving away its app for free. In-depth game play is often scrapped for a single, well-realized idea. Cutting-edge graphics are nice, but hardly necessary. The game made $400 million on its opening day, selling 9 million copies in November alone.īut that cardinal rule of $60 Xbox games doesn't apply to iPhone and Android. In the blossoming world of mobile games, success is much less predictable. Last year’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 combined player customization, varying scenarios, tight controls, and explosive visuals worthy of a summer popcorn flick. Almost all successful video games share one thing in common: They pair in-depth game play with stunning graphics.