Wordle has a flipped a switch for me. I’m enjoying short, free, non-invasive puzzlers.
Neumorphic Knot is a fun, easy-to-play challenge. Solve a level, move on to the next one.
The only nit I have is the game mechanic itself. Once you figure it out (click on a puzzle piece, then click on an adjacent piece to swap them — The shaded piece is fixed in place, unswappable) it’s smooth sailing.
Have other similar games you love? Send ’em at me, please and thank you.
Follow the headline link, click on dailydordle or freedordle. Both will display a Wordle-like word guessing setup, with two words being guessed in parallel.
Once you get one of the words (all green), that word will lock and you’ll be left working on the other word.
Nice twist.
The New York Times:
The sudden hit Wordle, in which once a day players get six chances to guess a five-letter word, has been acquired by The New York Times Company.
And:
Wordle was acquired from its creator, Josh Wardle, a software engineer in Brooklyn, for a price “in the low seven figures,” The Times said. The company said the game would initially remain free to new and existing players.
Hard to believe Wordle was just released this past October, less than four months ago. Love this for Josh Wardle, riding a wave of publicity started by a profile in the New York Times and continued by the tech press highlighting the attack of the clones.
Some takes on this purchase call it a bad buy, think of Wordle as a fad that will quickly fade from the zeitgeist. But that’s the wrong way to think about it. The New York Times makes bank on crossword puzzles, acrostics, and other puzzles, that draw people to pay for a subscription to the Times, which gives them access to the articles and features, but also give them access to the games.
Wordle will be free initially, moving the link from Josh Wardle’s site to one nestled inside the Times paywall. As that pattern of play gets established, as that link becomes the place to go for Wordle, I expect ads to appear, offering discount subscriptions. Eventually, I’d expect that free-to-play to drop to once per week, with access to the archives (in effect, endless play) for paid subscribers only.
UPDATE: As Kirk McElhearn points out, not all games offer archives and part of the charm of Wordle is that you are limited to one play per day.
Wall Street Journal:
Microsoft Corp. agreed to buy Activision Blizzard Inc. in an all-cash deal valued at $68.7 billion, using its largest acquisition by far to grab a videogame heavyweight that has been roiled by claims of workplace misconduct.
And:
The deal, if completed, would sharply expand Microsoft’s already sizable videogame operation, adding a stable of popular game franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush to Microsoft’s Xbox console business and its own games like Minecraft and Doom. Microsoft said the transaction would make it the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Japan’s Sony Group Corp.
And:
Shares in Activision had been down nearly 30% since California regulators filed a lawsuit against the company in July alleging sexual harassment and gender pay disparity among the company’s roughly 10,000 employees.
And:
Microsoft said in its announcement that Bobby Kotick would remain as Activision’s CEO following the deal, and report to Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer.
From Microsoft’s press release:
Mobile is the largest segment in gaming, with nearly 95% of all players globally enjoying games on mobile. Through great teams and great technology, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard will empower players to enjoy the most-immersive franchises, like “Halo” and “Warcraft,” virtually anywhere they want. And with games like “Candy Crush,” Activision Blizzard´s mobile business represents a significant presence and opportunity for Microsoft in this fast-growing segment.
Huge move. Did the cultural problems drive the price down so much that Microsoft felt the headache worth the long term gains?
Apple:
Apple today revealed the 2021 App Store Award winners, recognizing the 15 best apps and games that helped users tap into personal passions, discover creative outlets, connect with new people and experiences, and simply have fun.
And:
Ten years after its App Store debut, Toca Life World is masterfully iterating on the art of play and self-expression for kids. The developers behind DAZN guided local sport culture into the global spotlight for everyone to enjoy, while Carrot Weather brought its best-in-class meteorological forecasts — and the witty character behind it — to users’ wrists. LumaFusion made video editing faster, less intimidating, and more portable for creators at every level, and Craft creatively enabled efficiency and artistry through a notebook with seemingly limitless capabilities. The incredible graphics and rich storylines woven into “League of Legends: Wild Rift,” “MARVEL Future Revolution,” “Myst,” “Space Marshals 3,” and Apple Arcade’s “Fantasian” transported players of all ages into immersive gaming experiences.
Scroll through the linked article for the details and some pretty screen shots.
Also check out these links to App Store charts for Top Apps of 2021, Top Games of 2021, and Top Apple Arcade Games.
An AI that can play Tetris (via Kottke.org). Watching this play is very satisfying, especially when it hits the “kill screen” that takes out the vast majority of human players (about 7 minute in).
But it goes way beyond that. Interesting to watch it run out of numbers to keep score (screen width limits number of digits) and moves on to other characters which, ultimately proves its undoing.
Follow the headline link, check out the teeth on Mickey and Buzz. I’m predicting they will win.
Benjamin Mayo, 9to5Mac:
Following an Android launch last week, Netflix has now launched its new Games initiative on iOS. Netflix subscribers can now enjoy the following games on iPhone and iPad: Stranger Things 1984, Stranger Things 3, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, and Teeter (Up!).
Interestingly, the Netflix PR implies that the games will be in the Netflix app itself, as shown in this tweet:
https://twitter.com/netflixgeeked/status/1458132284909883393?s=21
I just updated my iOS Netflix app and still don’t see a built-in Games section. But that said, the Netflix games are individually placed on the App Store, like so:
The games did not require me to login to Netflix to get started, so guessing they somehow see my Netflix login validation somehow. It’ll be interesting to follow the growth of Netflix games, see how it changes over time.
Netflix blog:
Starting today, members everywhere can play five mobile games: Stranger Things: 1984 (BonusXP), Stranger Things 3: The Game (BonusXP), Shooting Hoops (Frosty Pop), Card Blast (Amuzo & Rogue Games), and Teeter Up (Frosty Pop). Whether you’re craving a casual game you can start from scratch or an immersive experience that lets you dig deeper into your favorite stories, we want to begin to build a library of games that offers something for everyone.
For everyone? Great, let’s go!
All you need is a Netflix subscription — there’s no ads, no additional fees and no in-app purchases. (Don’t let the demogorgon tell you otherwise).
Perfect. I’ve got a Netflix subscription. How do I play?
Our mobile games are currently available on Android devices when you log into your Netflix profile.
Um. OK. So not everyone then.
And I searched the entire release, not a single mention of Apple, iPhone, or iOS. Feh.
PlayStation blog:
PS5 offers seamless integration with the Apple Music streaming service with background music and music video playback, so players can listen before, during, or after their gameplay session.
How’s it work?
PS5 users can either start the Apple Music app before hopping into a game, or during gameplay by pressing the PS button on the DualSense wireless controller to access the Control Center and select the Music Function card.
And:
From there, Apple Music subscribers can find recommendations that match the game they are currently playing, or choose from a playlist in their library or other Apple Music-curated playlists for gaming.
This is far more integration than I was expecting when I first heard about this. What about Xbox?
From Digital Music News:
You can listen to Spotify, SoundCloud, and Pandora on Xbox using an official app – but not Apple Music. However, that’s not to say you can’t enjoy the service using your Xbox Series X console. A third-party application called “AirServer” hooks into AirPlay and allows Apple Music content to be remotely cast to an Xbox device from an iPhone or iPad.
The PlayStation Apple Music integration is head and shoulders better.
Paul Rudd refuses to age.
If you liked Craig Grannell’s curated list of favorite iPhone/iPad apps, follow the headline link for his take on games.
All run on iPhone and/or iPad, but not all run on Android. Tiny evidence that for developers, it’s an Apple first world.
Andrew Webster, The Verge:
Last week, Apple Arcade received its biggest update since launching back in 2019. More than 30 titles were added to the subscription service, including much-anticipated games like Hironobu Sakaguchi’s roleplaying epic Fantasian. But while the quantity and quality of titles added were impressive, the most important part of the announcement was a change in direction. Among those big-name exclusives were a number of classics, ranging from Monument Valley to chess to Threes, that help round out the service. Apple Arcade has finally matured into something close to a Netflix for mobile games.
If you dipped your toes in the Apple Arcade waters and haven’t been back, worth another look. I’ve found some new games that really caught my attention, and the relaunches add some depth to the catalog.
Apple Arcade still feels like an experiment, running in parallel with the IAP and paid games section of the App Store. I hope it finds its groove with subscribers, bringing in enough value for Apple so they continue to invest in its growth.
[VIDEO] John Voorhees, MacStories, digs into a new game from the creator of The Oatmeal.
If you are a fan of The Oatmeal, read the review, take the game for a spin. The onboarding and the artwork alone are worth the download. It’s free to try, in-app purchase if you like the game, want to take it further.
You can immerse yourself in the official Oatmeal game page, or watch the video embedded in the main Loop post to get a sense of the game mechanic. It’s whimsical as hell.
A dungeon crawler, best played on the Mac. Hat tip to John Kordyback.
This really takes me back. Back to my Unix sysadmin days, when I would while away the hours playing the original dungeon-crawler, Rogue, and the 3D multi-player, Maze War.
[VIDEO] From the uncanny valley Wikipedia page:
In aesthetics, the uncanny valley is a hypothesized relationship between the degree of an object’s resemblance to a human being and the emotional response to such an object. The concept suggests that humanoid objects which imperfectly resemble actual human beings provoke uncanny or strangely familiar feelings of eeriness and revulsion in observers.
In a nutshell, fake people that are close to real, but still clearly fake, are creepy.
Watch the video embedded in the main Loop post. This is remarkable work. For me at least, the uncanny valley has been crossed. But that said, this terrifies me as much as it fascinates. Yet another sign of the deepfakes to come.
The New Yorker:
In 1977, Shigeru Miyamoto joined Nintendo, a company then known for selling toys, playing cards, and trivial novelties. Miyamoto was twenty-four, fresh out of art school. His employer, inspired by the success of a California company named Atari, was hoping to expand into video games. Miyamoto began tinkering with a story about a carpenter, a damsel in distress, and a giant ape. The result, Donkey Kong, débuted in 1981. Four years later, Miyamoto had turned the carpenter into a plumber; Mario, and the Super Mario Bros. franchise, had arrived. But Miyamoto wanted more. Tired of linear, side-scrolling mechanics, he yearned to conjure the open world and carefree adventures of his childhood in Sonobe, a town just west of Kyoto. In 1986, Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda.
And:
Miyamoto turned sixty-eight in November. He’s been linked to Walt Disney since the early days of his career, and those comparisons are set to continue; Miyamoto is currently overseeing the design and installation of Super Nintendo World, a half-billion-dollar theme park at Universal Studios in Osaka.
There are allegedly plans to bring a Super Nintendo World to Hollywood, Orlando, and Singapore, too.
A few days after Miyamoto’s birthday, I had a rare chance to speak to him at length, over Zoom—and he was willing to show more of the man behind the mascot than expected. In doing so, he revealed how deeply he has considered the discipline of game design and how much he has tried to move it forward. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
If you are a Nintendo fan, take some time to read the interview. Miyamoto rarely speaks publicly. Great read.
Doree Lewak, New York Post:
Six-year-old George Johnson secretly racked up more than $16,000 in Apple app store charges for his favorite video game, Sonic Forces — leaving his mom in shock.
And:
While working from home during the pandemic, Wilton., Conn., real estate broker Jessica Johnson, 41, didn’t realize the younger of her two sons had gone on a shopping spree on her iPad. Over the month of July, George bought add-on boosters — starting with $1.99 red rings and moving up to $99.99 gold rings — that allowed him to access new characters and more speed, spending hundreds of bucks at a time.
And:
“[Apple] said, ‘Tough.’ They told me that, because I didn’t call within 60 days of the charges, that they can’t do anything,” said Jessica. “The reason I didn’t call within 60 days is because Chase told me it was likely fraud — that PayPal and Apple.com are top fraud charges.”
Jessica got no sympathy from a customer service agent, even after confessing that she wouldn’t be able to pay her family’s mortgage. “They’re like, ‘There’s a setting, you should have known,’ ” she recalled.
All this assumes this is true and not a hoax.
That said, there is a setting. She should have known. If true, it is absolutely ridiculous that she is being forced to pay for this. It’s not like the money went to some sort of consumable good, or that someone’s labor was consumed. Seems like the game maker should step forward and make good on this, forgive the charge.
There’s definitely something wrong when a six-year-old can rack up $16,000 in charges playing a game. Something is broken here.
Crowdsourced site gathering info on games running on M1 Macs. Is the game playable? If so, what environment (Rosetta 2? Crossover emulation? Native?), frame rate, resolution?
Follow the headline link and search for a game, or simply scroll down and see what games do what. A great resource.
[VIDEO] Not sure how COVID will impact the opening of this land within Universal Studios, but this (video embedded in main Loop post) definitely looks like my kind of jam. Once it’s safe, I will definitely find a way to get there, spend some quality time with Mario and friends. And I hear there’s a Donkey Kong land opening next door.
Came across the linked site this morning on Hacker News. Did some reading, liked it enough to want to share with you.
If you know the basics of chess, spend a few minutes on the site. I’d suggest starting with The Knight Fork.
This section is very easy to read, presented consecutive pages, each focused and short. The whole world of chess is broken down like this. A fascinating exploration.
Here’s the official Microsoft announcement.
And here’s the official Sony announcement (from a few weeks ago).
Gruber, from this Daring Fireball post:
Xbox users who aren’t already subscribed to Apple TV+ will be able to do so right on their Xbox. I’m curious if that’s a thing where Microsoft gets a cut of the subscription — I’m guessing no, because I can’t see why Netflix would go for that.
Giant towers of commerce, all built on exclusive ecosystems, with tendrils working their way across battle lines into opposing camps, all built on foundations of control and exclusion. If anti-trust breaks one of those foundational building blocks, watch out.
Facebook Gaming blog:
Today we’re announcing that Facebook Gaming has launched several cloud-streamed games in the Facebook app and on browser — playable instantly, with no downloads required. We recently had 200,000 people playing our cloud-streamed games per week in limited regions, so while it’s not exactly a secret, I’m excited to lay out what we’re building.
Read the post for details. In a nutshell, the games are free, Android only, latency tolerable, and rolled out in limited regions in the US.
As to the snark, there’s this tweet:
You’ll just need the Facebook app on Android. iOS won’t work for now. Because, Apple (sigh).
Something deep inside me recoils at seeing Facebook throw shade at other platforms, even if there’s a grain of truth there.
That aside, here’s the specifics on iOS:
Unfortunately, we’re not launching cloud games on iOS, so only Android and web players will enjoy integrated cloud games on Facebook while we work on alternative options for iOS. Even with Apple’s new cloud games policy, we don’t know if launching on the App Store is a viable path. “Of course, there is always the open Internet,” so mobile browsers may wind up being an option, but there are limitations to what we can offer on Safari. While our iOS path is uncertain, one thing is clear. Apple treats games differently and continues to exert control over a very precious resource. Stay tuned as we work out the best way for people to play games when and how they want, regardless of what device they bought.
As to the cost:
Cloud gaming is about expanding the types of games we already offer, so we’ll start with the format people enjoy playing on Facebook: free-to-play games. That’s one of the reasons why we’re starting with games typically played on mobile devices. In the future, our systems and infrastructure will improve to deliver more types of games — possibly all types of games. Until then, rest assured that the cost of trying our cloud games is $0.
This reads, to me, like a short term experiment with free-to-play games, while leaving the door open to “free to try” but pay in some way more sophisticated games.
Will these games make their way to iOS? Short of a court order, I suspect the only way that’ll happen is if Facebook finds a way to turn their gaming platform into a revenue stream for Apple.
Sean Hollister, The Verge:
on Monday, Microsoft announced a new Xbox app that lets you stream games from your own Xbox to your own Android phone over your local network for free. There’s an iOS version coming too — and while my colleague Tom Warren originally suggested the console streaming feature probably wouldn’t come to iOS, I’m now willing to bet it will.
And:
Microsoft now tells me the goal is actually to have full parity between the iOS and Android apps, and that Apple is already reviewing the iOS version now.
And:
Sony’s PS4 Remote Play is already on iOS, and it works almost exactly the same as Microsoft’s Xbox console streaming. It similarly mirrors the entire PS4 interface, including access to the PlayStation Store. And though Microsoft’s Android app does include the ability to play over the internet, and a few more creature comforts like remote management of your console, I would think the “generic mirror” rule would keep it from getting kicked out.
That last is the precedent that makes this case. I’d be shocked if Apple blocked the Xbox streaming app.
Washington Post:
Mario as a character first debuted with the name Jumpman in “Donkey Kong” in 1981. But Nintendo wanted a new hit game, and Miyamoto had ideas for an “athletic” focused game starring a “large character.” The first prototype of the first game didn’t include Mario, and didn’t even have a principle protagonist. It wasn’t until later that Mario was retrofitted as the lead character and named after the landlord of the company’s then-new Seattle warehouse location.
And:
It’s well known that even Miyamoto didn’t expect Mario’s popularity, but it wasn’t lost to him and his team that they were working on something new and exciting for the world. The first game’s prototype hero was a “rectangular sprite that was 16×42 pixels and basically only able to move and jump,” Tezuka said. But even played in that diminished state, the team was excited for the game’s promise.
And:
The Post interviewed, by email, four of the principle figures in Mario’s proud and enduring history: Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario, Zelda and Nintendo representative director; Tezuka, assistant director for the first game and producer for several others; Yoshiaki Koizumi, director of “Super Mario Sunshine” and “Super Mario Galaxy”; and Kenta Motokura, character design for “Sunshine” and director of “Super Mario 3-D World” and “Super Mario Odyssey.”
Delicious read. Amazing how strong the Mario brand has remained, and grown, after all this time. Is there another video game character with as much worldwide recognition as Mario? I can think of a few that might be close (Pac-Man, Sonic, Link), but I’d pick Mario as the most recognizable of the bunch.
Epic Games FAQ:
Apple will no longer allow users to sign into Epic Games accounts using “Sign In with Apple” as soon as September 11, 2020. If you have previously used “Sign In with Apple”, please update your Epic Games account email address and password immediately so that you can still login after September 11, 2020.
That’s tomorrow (Friday).
As much as it’s easy to say, this is all Epic’s fault, the issue remains that folks who signed up using Sign In with Apple are losing access to that privacy login mechanism, forced to jump through hoops to go to an alternative.
You might make the point that folks playing on other devices are not using Sign in with Apple. But, from Apple’s official SiwA support page:
Sign in with Apple is available with participating apps on Apple devices with the latest software—iOS 13 or later, iPadOS 13 or later, watchOS 6 or later, macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, and tvOS 13 or later—and with participating websites in Safari. You can also use Sign in with Apple with other web browsers and on other platforms, like Android or Windows.
So if folks bought into Sign in with Apple and use that sign-in across all their devices to get to an Epic game account, they still have no choice. According to Epic, they must move to an alternative login mechanism.
TechRadar, on Apple Arcade’s highly addictive game, Grindstone:
Anyone who’s played Grindstone can attest to its engagement: the novel puzzle game centers around killing like-colored enemies in sequence to rack up big combos, with plenty of items to spare. But anyone versed in free-to-play games can see how easily Grindstone could include in-app monetization: there’s in-game gems and consumable health items that feel tailor-made for players to drop real-life money to buy. It’s so apparent that it seems like the game would have released with in-game purchases had Apple not come calling.
To me, this is a tremendous value point for Apple Arcade. You will never be held up for in-app-purchases that you need to, say, complete a level, or save yourself from an unreasonably, unnecessary grind.
Continuing:
In other words, part of what’s so engaging about Grindstone’s gameplay loop overlaps heavily with addictive loops that free-to-play games deploy to get players spending real money on in-app purchases.
There’s nothing preventing Apple from adding more games to Arcade that use such gameplay loops to keep players subscribed to the service without betraying Arcade’s no-monetization policy.
Interesting take, all the way around. The takeaway I got from this is that Apple Arcade has found its sweet spot. And they are tuning their future game acquisition model to home in on games that keep people engaged.
John Voorhees, MacStories:
Zach Gage has a knack for giving classic games an interesting twist. Sometimes that means turning the rules upside down and inside out like Flipflop Solitaire or Really Bad Chess. Other times, it means removing the tedious and boring parts of games to breathe new life into them, which is precisely what he and Jack Schlesinger have accomplished with Good Sudoku.
Follow the headline link for John’s review. I’ve been playing the hell out of the beta and I can tell you personally:
Download Good Sudoku for free, $3.99 to unlock the whole thing.
If you are into puzzles, this is money well spent.
Bloomberg:
On calls in mid-April, an Apple Arcade creative producer told some developers that their upcoming games didn’t have the level of “engagement” Apple is seeking, the people said. Apple is increasingly interested in titles that will keep users hooked, so subscribers stay beyond the free trial of the service, according to the people.
And:
On the calls with developers in April, the Apple Arcade representative cited a specific example of the type of game the company wants: Grindstone, an engaging puzzle-action game by Capybara Games that has many levels.
And, from Apple:
“Apple Arcade has redefined what a gaming service can be, putting unlimited play at the fingertips of subscribers and their families across all their Apple devices,” Apple said in a statement. “We are proud to have launched the first-ever mobile game subscription service that now features more than 120 games, many of which are award-winning and widely celebrated for their artistry and gameplay. The vision has always been to grow and evolve the Apple Arcade catalog, and we can’t wait for our users to try the games developers are working on now.”
This seems a sound business strategy. For Apple Arcade to work, it needs the revenue from users who pay to stay beyond their free trial. And games that pull users in are going to be the winners here, both for their studios and for Apple.
[VIDEO] Start off with the two videos embedded in the main Loop post. One is a “livestream”, showing a quick run through of a bit of Oceanhorn 2. It’s reminiscent of a Pixar short.
The second is an Apple Arcade commercial that’s just plain fun.
And last, but not least, jump to the Apple home page and check out the animated Apple Arcade additions. Don’t forget to scroll.
Whimsical, right?