Gaming
Browser Pong
The guys over at Stewdio have launched a very cool new take on the classic pioneering video game Pong done with three browser windows. The controls couldn’t be any simpler but it still is fun and you can play against the computer or another person.
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VW drives GTI launch with just an iPhone app
VW has decided to launch their new 2010 GTI soley through a new iPhone app that is an independent level of the racing game Firement Real Racing, which has already received 70-million downloads since launching back in June. In this version can choose between 6 different GTI to race with the best times competing to win one of six real limited-edition black GTI MkVI cars.
This is the first time that I know of where a brand is using an iPhone all as their only marketing and advertising for a product. The choice to build the app on top of an existing successful app was a smart one we have seen how badly building an app from scratch can go in the case of the Audi A4 launch application. This game actually makes the driving experience fun and gives consumers a strong impression of the car that could drive them into dealerships. I wish that link to the dealerships was more prominent because you have to realize that you will find that info under Showroom. Once you find it the functionality is well done as it uses your GPS location to find the nearest dealer and then ties into the iPhone nicely with options to call the dealership or map a route.
I think VW has made a lot of smart decisions in creating this app and an experience that will have a positive effect consumer who had this car in their consideration set but only time will tell if a free app can drive consumer to buy a $25-$30,000 car.
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Kern – The typesetting video game
I am a type nerd and I freely admit it. I proved it once again today by how happy I got after I downloaded and found out how freakishly good I am at KERN the new iPhone game from FORMation. It’s a typesetting game where a random type-centric word with a missing letter appears at different point sizes. the word beings to fall down the screen (the leading shrinks) and you have to get the missing letter to the proper space. The sooner your lock it in place and the placement accuracy is measured and your score is calculated based on the size of the type, the leading height, and the perfection of placement—all measured in points of course. If your placement is too bad you will form an unnecessary ligature and if you get five of them then you lose the game. The game design is a Bauhaus playground with a stark black background with clean white Helvetica type accented only the occasional grey line or interface element. the design and game play make KERN a fun diversion for anyone who loves typography. Also check out their Eye vs Eye iPhone game that pits 2 designers against each other to see who has the best eye for color.
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The U.K. has some pissed off hamburgers
Burger King in the U.K. has launched a new microsite called Angry Gram to promote their new spicy Angry Whopper. You create an Angry Gram by filling in six blanks on form letter and you much choose from available options for each blank. You get a lot more options for each blank than you would think and you can create some very funny combinations. When you are finished with the rant it is played out by a 3D animation of the Angry Whopper himself. I have seen this execution done for other products but this works for several reasons. The fact that you can really customize the message, that the product is kept as the center and hero of the concept and that the animation is entertaining and well done make it work. Plus isn’t everything funnier with a British accent?
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Manning’s Mind
I was watching football this weekend and saw the seemingly Twin Peaks inspired new commercial with Payton Manning for Sprint. Maybe it is me but I just didn’t see how something that high concept would play with the male dominated football crowd. The end was tagged with the URL ManningsMind.com so I cruised over to check out the site.
It is basically a simple trivia game wrapped in a football game. You answer multiple choice questions of varying difficultly with the difficulty equating to different amounts of yardage. Like any football game you have to keep getting first down and scoring points to win. It is engaging for a little while but does get repetitive quickly.
The design is pretty vanilla with simple video responses from Manning and a nice but quickly repetitive hologram style animation of the play after you answer each question. I did run into technical problem with the site though and played through the game four times and 2 of the times the game completely froze up on my around the 3rd quarter.
You would have thought that Sprint could have done more than create this disjointed campaign with Manning. It will be interesting to see if they stick with this campaign or creating something new.
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Altoids Google Earth Game
Altoids has launched a new game called “Where’s Cindy“. The game is a straight rip off of Where’s Waldo with the only unique twist is that it is done in Google Earth where you follow clues to Where’s Cindy. So while this gets some credit for being the first attempt I have seen to use Google Earth in a game, the problem is that there is no explanation about why I should care about finding her.
The game play consists of you typing a location into your passport and correct answers will give you Google Earth kml file with the corresponding place mark of the answer on Google Earth. When you load the place mark all it does it link back to a new page on the website with a new clue. This constant back and forth creates a bad user dynamic because you have to keep switching between your web browser and Google Earth as each new clue comes in a new kml file. So while this is breaking new ground, the way it is executed keeps it from being anything more than a forgettable first attempt that will be lost to the hype that will surround concept that gets this channel right.
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Doritos – Fight for the Flavor
Doritos has launched a new microsite site called Fight for the Flavor to promote two new flavors of Doritos. Only one of the flavors will get produced based on how the public votes so this forms the concept behind the site.
I find this concept very curious since I am being asked to vote on a food I have never tasted. It may be tied to my pet pieve of any dining experience where immediately after getting a salad or plate of food an over eager waiter appears with a comically oversized pepper grinder wanting to know if I would like some added to the food. I haven’t tasted it yet so how the hell can I answer that question? It seems like the same thing here because I have no idea which one I like.
That core problem aside, the content is only made up of the ability to vote for a flavor or playing a game that will let you control one of the two bags in a boxing style fight. The fighting game is well done and a short diversion but it reminds me of the Burger King Chicken Fight game from over a year ago.
A link at the bottom says this is part of the new Snack Strong Production which I haven’t seen before it is an elaborate production I will explore more in another post.
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Makibishi Comic
I cam across a cool little Japanese site called Makibishi Comic. it is a stylized point and click adventure where you need to find 5 hidden Ninja. The site style is very cool with a variety of interesting and weird backdrops for you to explore.
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MSNBC NewsBreaker
MSNBC has launched the beta of Newsbreaker which is a game like Breakout where breaking bricks reveal power-ups and other goodies but in this case the goodies are headlines of the day. It is an interesting online extension of SS+K’s “A Fuller Spectrum of News” campaign.
The game was created by Fuel Industries wuth SS+K and it arranges the falling headlines revealed from breaking bricks along the right side of the screen so you can read the headlines after your last life is lost or you pause the game. It is an interesting twist on online gaming with a content integration twist.
SS+K also developed a very cool and unique multiplayer version of the game to be played inside movie theaters and relies on collective audience participation. Several theaters in LA, Philadelphia and New York City will be equipped with a camera that tracks the motion of the entire audience. Projected on the screen will be a modified version of the game and a faint mirror image of the audience in the background. When the audience leans their bodies to the left in their seats, the paddle on the bottom will react with their movement and move to the left. When the ball makes it way towards the right, they will all have to collectively lean to the right to keep the ball in play, and so on.
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Little Big Planet
I have been into video games more than usual lately and I recently saw one that really got my attention call Little Big Planet for the PS3. The game starts with you learning about the character’s powers as they interact with the game environment made up of obstacles to explore, things to collect and puzzles to solve. As you explore, your creative skills will grow and you will be ready to start creating and modifying your surroundings. That for me is the most intriguing part since creativity is huge part of the game play experience. Since you can alter the world you can make your world as open or as secretive as you want. When your world is ready, you can invite anyone within the LittleBigPlanet community to come and explore your design or can go and explore other level created by the community. It is this aspect of community and user-generated content in a new very accessible presentation that has me so interested. Plus the added bonus is that the whole thing looks like it is a real time PIXAR movie. A demo is due out later this year and full game release in early 2008.
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