Introducing Pixel Robot Jump Saga on Google Play

If you have an Android phone, Pixel Robot Jump Saga (available on Google Play) is a game that has charmingly retro graphics and a simple, fun interface.

The game features, yes, a pixel robot character, and the goal is to make the little guy jump vertically as many times as you can. The catch is that he's jumping inside a moving circle, and there's a gap in the circle, so you have to time your jumps carefully so that he doesn't jump through the gap, thus ending the game.

This YouTube video gives you a very clear idea of how the game works.

This game is made by Universal Games Team, and I asked them if there was anything in particular they wanted readers to know about it. They replied, "Pixel Robot Jump Saga is an insanely difficult retro game with pixel design and vintage sounds, making Flappy Bird seem easy."

I have to agree about the vintage sounds; listening to the game reminds me of my old Atari system in the best way possible. :) And the ease of the game--you just tap to jump--reminds me of old-school games, too.

I also asked the team what makes the game fun to play, and they said, "It's a frustratingly addictive game, an almost impossible game where you must tap to help a robot jump vertically out of a rotating circle and help it get back in safely. Just test your reflexes and see if the highest score you can obtain exceeds a single digit--you'll be a master if you get a two-digit score."

Have you played a game like this, where the creators say it will be hard for you to break into two-digit scoring? Sounds like a worthy challenge, if ever I've heard one!

Learn more by checking out the free app on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pixel.robot.jump.

Introducing Penguin Run Saga on Google Play

I recently interviewed one of the game designers from Universal Games Team about their car racing game called Neon 2 Cars Saga, available on Google Play. They have so many fun and creative games that I wanted to feature another game in its own post, so this post is dedicated to their game called Penguin Run Saga.

Do you love cute animal games? This game lets you be a cute penguin who is trying to catch fish, but who also encounters obstacles like snowballs and ice cones. The more fish you collect and points you rack up, the more colorful penguins you unlock. As with other games from Universal Games Team, you can compete against players all over the world using the global ranking feature.

I asked the game's creator to share what he wants people to know about the game and he described it as "a frustratingly addictive and challenging game with cute and smooth graphics." He added that his goal in creating the game was to give players an opportunity to test their reflexes with the high-speed action in the game.

The setting of this game is really fun, and as you play, be sure to carefully watch the behavior of the Antarctic and Arctic animals.

To learn more and to download the game and become a penguin legend, check out https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cartoon.penguin.run.

Meet Lenny and Louise, Creators of Secret Little Sparks

In the words of the creators of Secret Little Sparks (a card game for couples): "We are Lenny and Louise, a French-American couple! We met in 2012 in Berlin, Germany and been traveling around the world since then. This project is our intro into entrepreneurship, and we're having so much fun. We've done everything ourselves from the graphic design for the cards to building the website. Hope you enjoy it!"

Learn more by visiting SecretLittleSparks.com.

Lenny has answered the questions below...

1. What gave you the idea to create a card game in the first place?

I thought of the game while I was in California after we got married and she had returned home to France. Our relationship has had many chunks of time apart due to visa issues and our exploratory nature. During these breaks, I would really miss her, but just spending time daydreaming about her felt like a waste, even fake. So I tried to be more productive, and instead of just daydreaming, I would think of fun things we could do together when were reunited. Getting married was a first for both of us and little scary, so I focused on thinking of ways to help our sex life stay vibrant, and the idea for this game was born. A pitch for a business we could do together and the first six cards drawn by hand were my Christmas present to her one year ago.

2. What has been the most fun part of the process of creating the entire game (and business) yourselves--and what has been the most challenging part?

The most fun part for me was learning to use Inkscape. I'd never done any graphic design work before. But the fact that you can download this amazing open source software for free, and the fact that there are thousands of YouTube videos teaching you how to use it, made me happy to be alive at this time. The most challenging part was making sure the cards worked for all genders and preferences. Removing gender specificity from the cards wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, but something we both agreed was necessary.

3. How did you come up with the actions for the cards?

We've both had a pretty diverse history of sexual experiences and partners, from vanilla to...extremely not vanilla. So this part was kinda easy. Also with our experience we knew from the beginning that if we wanted to make a game that really pushed boundaries, not everyone would like every card. We actually have way more cards than fit into the deck, so expect an expansion pack on the horizon.

4. I like that your game differs from many games for couples in that you've designed it to be very inclusive. How would you define "couples," in contrast with more conservative notions of straight, monogamous pairings?

Haha I think this is my favorite question. We're not a straight monogamous pairing; we've been polyamorous since our relationship started. So "couple" to us means two people who choose to share each other. It is in no way indicative of gender or exclusivity. Everyone loves, and everyone should have the freedom to love whomever they choose. Our game is made to help two people explore a sexual relationship together, and we would not have been satisfied if anyone that fit our definition of "couple" couldn't play.

5. What else would you like readers to know about you and/or Secret Little Sparks?

We see Secret Little Sparks more like a project than a product. So if you have any ideas you want to share or if you want to personalize your game by designing some of your own cards, contact us! Our game is made and shipped one at a time, so we are very flexible! Help us help you! team@secretlittlesparks.com

Thanks, Lenny!

TypeKids.com, A Touch Typing Course for Kids

When I worked in a public library, I used to notice how easily kids navigated any new piece of computer equipment added to our branch. For example, when we received self-checkout machines with touchscreen functions, the kids just tapped away easily at the screen while the adults sometimes puzzled over what to do. But it's one thing to be able to intuit what to do on any interactive screen that comes your way, and it's another thing to be able to type accurately and efficiently. That's where TypeKids comes in with their fun online typing lessons.

TypeKids teaches touch typing by having kids play a game that involves joining a pirate captain on a treasure hunt. The game uses intelligent technology to adapt the exercises to the individual needs of each student; it can detect which letters need more practice and make adjustments to add more practice for those specific letters.

In short, TypeKids offers a fun way to learn typing at home. Who doesn't want to play a treasure hunt game with pirates? Sign up for a free trial to see if your kids like TypeKids, and soon they'll be typing with all ten fingers rather than hunting and pecking!

Meet Naser Abdulghani, Game Designer and Entrepreneur

Naser Abdulghani is an internet and multimedia entrepreneur who has recently launched his new Maryland-based start-up company, Jokerware LLC, specializing in mobile games and application development. Naser works alongside his creative team on a creating and launching new, challenging, and fun games that appeal to almost every type of gamer. Naser has launched his first ever mobile game "Love Gears" and is willing to launch more games in the near future.

Download Love Gears from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

1. What was your inspiration in designing your first mobile game, Love Gears?

I've always been a fan of mobile games that I play during my free time which I consider as a mind sport. I always look for a game that joins simplicity, fun, and challenge, and this is where the idea of creating my own game came from. 

  2. What are the unique challenges in creating a mobile app, as opposed to a game that would be played on a larger screen?

Mobiles are very easy to be carried around wherever you go, so the need for mobile games is much more higher than larger screen games; therefore, the competence to stand out from the crowd is higher and more difficult. There are hundreds of thousands of mobile games available at reasonable prices, so the tricky part is to design a game that fits perfectly with the taste of players. 

3. How did you get started in designing games, and what would you suggest other people do if they are interested in making games themselves?

Mobile games are today's trend, and there are many good and bad games out there. The idea behind the game should be unique and fun. I would advise people to innovate and be creative when it comes to designing games. People who download games are smart and would not fall for replication or boring ideas.

4. Who do you think would especially enjoy Love Gears? Are there other popular games you might compare it to?

Love Gears is designed to match the taste of people who like challenging, addictive games: people who like to think while they play and spend their time in something fun and useful. Love Gears is suitable for all family members especially those who like to challenge each other. Our game has been compared to "Cut the Rope" which flatters us and makes us proud as start-ups to be compared to such a successful game. 

5. What's next for Jokerware?

This was our first game, but stay tuned for more interesting competing games.

Thanks, Naser!

Meet Daphne and Diane, Creators of Tell a Fortune

Tell a Fortune is a fun, intuitive app based on principles of astrology and cardomancy, and meant to give "answers, inspiration, and hope." Inspired by the Tell a Fortune board game, the app is available on iPhone and iPad and soon to be available for Android.

Daphne Weld-Nichols is a renowned psychic, intuitive, healer, astrologer, fortune teller, reiki master, numerologist, tarot card reader, and feng shui practitioner. Daphne had her first psychic awareness experience at age seven. Since then she has devoted over 30 years to researching the mysteries of various healing frequencies of sound, color, music, crystals, gemstones, far infrared light, flower essences, flower energy, aromatherapy, power animals, feng shui balancing, and crystal energy healings.

Diane Dalpe is an intuitive counselor, card reader, psychic, palmist, reiki master, and life coach. From her earliest years, she possessed a unique ability to predict events prior to them happening. These unusual gifts motivated her to learn as much as possible about the paranormal and psychic awareness. She developed an understanding of how to use her natural psychic ability to help others through the use of their own tarot cards, palmistry crystal energy, and reiki healings. She draws upon all of these special gifts to guide her clients in her life coach practice.

The interview below is with Diane.

1. What was your process for taking your knowledge of card readings and fortune telling and making it available in the format of a mobile app?

Well, it's been nearly three decades since the release of our Tell a Fortune board game, which offers answers to people's questions via cards and an astrological wheel. We created the company in 1977, long before people had cell phones of course! Our mission has always been to provide high quality psychic guidance and tarot readings to all areas of one's life, including but not limited to relationships, career, finances, and health issues.

The process started when Daphne was a young girl and she used to rely on her gut or "personal guidance system" (the letters GPS rearranged). To help interpret her own feelings, she marked up an ordinary deck of playing cards, assigning meanings to numbers and suits. For example, the ten of diamonds meant big money, success and advancement, while the ace of spades was a major change, challenge, or decision. When faced with a choice, Daphne would read the cards. Friends called her so often asking what cards meant that she finally designed a deck everyone could use, enlisting a graphic artist to illustrate each card. The cards could be placed on a circular zodiac chart, which came with the deck. The whole set was dubbed Tell a Fortune.

Now everyone is carrying around smart devices, so we felt that it would be good to have the cards be mobile! They have a whole new modern life to them now! And with so many negative things in the environment, it's a challenge to stay positive every day; that's why ultimately why we wanted to make the app: It's renewal every day at your fingertips.

2. What can users do with the Tell a Fortune app?

Imagine being able at any time to ask questions and receive instant answers about any of life's important decisions or concerns. People can play by themselves, or with friends and family! The Tell a Fortune App is fun, accurate and insightful! Users are just a click away from receiving a Tell a Fortune card containing messages and answers to their questions along with daily affirmations. Users will download this app to receive amazingly accurate answers and future predictions to their questions about love, money, or any general category. The Tell a Fortune app will appeal to anyone interested in card reading, horoscopes, and the Zodiac; this includes beginners and experienced card readers.

Tell a Fortune is a fun, intuitive psychic oracle game that users will want to play again and again. They can ask as many questions a day as many times a day as they want. In the "Ask a Question" section, users can choose between three categories of questions: Love, Money, or General Questions. Users will receive straightforward answers and positive affirmations. They will also be able to play the "Zodiac Game of Life" which consists of 12 astrological houses representing 12 aspects of one's life including; Money, Relationships, Career, Health, and Goals. It can be played individually or with family and friends. A "Tell a Fortune" card will appear with insightful messages for each house. When playing with others you can take turns being the reader and interpreter of the other player’s cards.

3. Does the app have social features as well, to allow users to connect with each other?

"The Social Zodiac Game of Life" can be played with up to 12 players from all parts of world. This divination consists of a live, ongoing chat room in which the players can discuss their messages and other players' readings. This is a great way to develop your own intuition by giving suggestions, interpretations, and even guidance to others in your game. There is also a permanent chat room for use outside of the social game.

4. How can people benefit from daily affirmations, and could you describe the role of affirmations within Tell a Fortune?

Affirmations on the Tell a Fortune app are positive little bits to help a person's mind to start thinking positive. A lot of research has been done over the last two decades about happy, successful people. Time and again research shows that successful people aren't happy so much as happy people are successful. They found happiness comes first and then success follows, not the other way around like our culture would have us believe. Our affirmations help users be grateful for who they are right now and to cultivate an attitude of gratitude that is receptive to good things happening. The Tell a Fortune app doesn't have downers; there are no predictions of doom or gloom. The messages and the cards are designed to be direct and inspirational. The affirmations are not included as a bonus but as a very real tool in helping users create the life they want live.

5. In your experience, how does an openness to asking questions have an effect on people's lives?

Because people make their own reality, the answer is more effective if you believe it will be. However, there are skeptics and science-oriented people who became believers after getting unexpectedly accurate cards. One of these was me! I began marketing Daphne's cards after leaving a career as one of the first female executives at Gillette. I swore I'd never read them myself--until I started doing it by accident. As I demonstrated how the cards worked to prospective buyers, they would exclaim I was spot-on and ask how I could possibly know these things! I became a believer! I love how these cards show people they have options, and we love putting people in touch with instincts they may have ignored until now.

Thanks, Diane!