I’ll be brief. I’m obsessed with games – all games. Campers constantly ask about my console of choice and I cannot give a satisfactory answer. I love all of the consoles. And the PC. And the Mac. And the iPhone / iPad. I don’t have an Android device, but I love Linux and that’s pretty close.
Anyway, I attend a conference every year called “Games for Change,” where professional designers, educators, programmers and more all gather together to figure out how to educate (and other things) better using games. This past year, Gabe Newell gave a talk about using Valve software in education – particularly centered around a game called “Portal 2.”
After the talk, I met with Gabe and talked with him about – no joke – iD Tech Camps. One of our most popular outdoor games is “Outdoor Left 4 Dead,” inspired by one of Valves best-selling franchises. He said that he’d love to play! Perhaps we can get him at iD as a zombie this summer?
ANYWAY, Portal 2 is an incredible game and a perfect way to learn level design and develop critical thinking skills. And it happens to be the subject of a one of our new courses – 3D Game Modding. But the most important part of this post is that the STEAM THANKSGIVING SALE is happening RIGHT NOW (please forgive the caps, this is important!). From the timestamp on this very post, you have roughly 15 hours left to buy Portal 2 for $10. For a little more than $11, you can get the original Portal as well!
So don’t just sit there – buy the game now! And, when you realize how amazing it is (perhaps one of the top ten games of the last decade), sign up for 3D Game Modding. You won’t regret it.
Hey all – your friendly, neighborhood (the other) Pete here with another mildly rant-like contribution.
BUT FIRST – Acknowledgements / Shout Outs / Big Ups to Ryan who is going going crazy-awesome with content development! It’s great. I love it. Keep it up!
SomethingAwful (an old Internet community that uses profane language to express their points, so no link for you!) recently published a well-read article called, “I’m Begging You, World, Shut Up About Angry Birds.” The article started similarly to mine, with an upcoming rant confession turned apology, followed by how awful the Angry Birds phenomenon is – mainly because it’s been popular for so long and everyone should move on. A similar, less-read article was posted months before on The Yorker called “It’s Time to Stop Talking about Angry Birds,” which appears to contain family appropriate language and focuses strictly on the gameplay, not the cultural phenomenon. Countering both arguments, although addressing little of the same points, Gamespot posted “It’s Time to Stop Ignoring Angry Birds,” an article that calls out some of the great achievements the game has had so far – claiming in conclusion that, “This game will sell more copies than any video game ever made before it is forgotten, and it will shatter every perception of what a video game can do” – a pretty lofty expectation, although likely true.
I’m taking a fairly different stance – it’s awesome that everyone, including your grandmother, knows about Angry Birds. Computer gaming to non-gamers used to simply be Solitaire or Minesweeper, while console gaming was Mario. This over-simplification led to too many insulting encounters preaching the uselessness of games. Parents, teachers, even strangers would take arms against the childishness of console gaming or the non-stimulating nature of computer games. It was easy to put all of gaming into a single category as useless and a waste of time, a low form of entertainment for the young and easily amused. Violent video games only made matters worse - their loud graphic disturbances scared mature adults away from the living room and made games into an enemy rather than simply a time waste.
Video games became part of a generational divide – something that kids got and parents loathed. They opened a hole in communication and undoubtedly caused unnecessary friction between two sides that had no common ground.
Gamers (and iD Tech) know the truth. While there are many waste-worthy titles in the gaming landscape, hundreds of quality titles exist across all platforms – artistic masterpieces that challenge the mind and body in ways that cannot be achieved in any other media. The New York Times recently reviewed Uncharted 3 with such praise as, “From its engaging, heartfelt script and character performances to its meticulous pacing, dramatic cinematography and lush visual production, Uncharted 3 is mass-market interactive entertainment of the highest order.” The article scatters throughout the idea that Uncharted 3 is on par with a major motion picture – or even beyond one. But I’m not here to defend the honor of video games – it’s likely that you’re already a believer(!)
Angry Birds is a conversation between the gamers and the non-gamers. It’s an agreement that games can be worthwhile – even as something that’s basically goofy in spirit and design. Angry Birds goes beyond Minesweeper and Solitaire, as there is a strong narrative. It goes beyond Mario because the gameplay is accessible and understandable – a physics game is easier to grasp than a two dimensional platformer with magical mushrooms! The more that Grandma understands about Angry Birds, the better she’ll be at appreciating the value of Game Design I or II for the iPad and iPhone or even Android. Adults that start with Angry Birds may be more prepared to experiment with other forms of gaming, like amazing puzzle-game Portal 2 (and subsequent student mods).
Let Angry Birds be the bridge to comprehension. Allow everyone to talk about it, buy stuffed birds, and reenact it – none of those activities hurt gamers. Remember, non-gamers have to talk about *something*, they might as well talk about something that mildly resembles a modern game, particularly if it helps broaden their gaming horizons.
I don’t want to sell you the idea of iD Tech Camp on the iD Tech Camp blog – that’s kind of silly. You’re already here. There’s already something that appeals about this organization – or maybe you just enjoy the color scheme and subject matter of the blog. Maybe you’re a huge fan of my rants… Unlikely, I know.
I don’t want to sell you the idea of iD Tech Camp because I’d rather teach you about where the world of technology is today and where it will be tomorrow. I want you to think about the skills that are necessary for 21st century learners and workers based on the new world of connectivity and digital interactivity that is opening around us. When I was growing up, there were few computers. People with the right kind of eyes could see that the personal computer would soon invade every home. It wasn’t until my early teens that those same innovators saw the early Internet as something of value, something that would change our culture forever.
At the same time, game design was left to the experts – a brilliant few that had both coding and artistic chops, as well as thousands of hours and tons of patience. Luckily, we’ve moved beyond that – way beyond that.
Angry Birds has been downloaded 400 million times and has subsequently spiraled into a billion dollar piece of intellectual property. Billion. With a “B.” Does that seem like an impossible feat for a company with 12 people? But that’s a company – what about the indie developers; the kids?
Minecraft, a PC sandbox creation game, was originally created by a single programmer and now has 15.2 million registered users, almost 4 million of those folks actually paid for the game!
How can this be?
There are more gaming platforms now than ever before. According to VGChartz, over 400 million current generation gaming consoles have been sold on the planet. Additionally, almost 130 million iPhones have been sold and about 50 million iPads by the end of 2011. Android, the main competitor for iOS devices, currently has over 190 million devices in use. This, of course, does not count the countless number of personal computers and laptops, also tremendously capable of gaming. Impressive numbers, right?
The problem with so many devices is that they all need interesting software. A screen is nothing without something interesting to show! Over the years, various screen creators have made different development engines. These starts as very basic SDK’s, or “Software Development Kits.” These kits were incredibly expensive and hard to use. Not only that, but hardware manufacturers only gave the kits to reputable companies, meaning that only a few developers even got a chance to create something great.
Software development has left the hands of the super techies. Now, just about anyone can create an app for the iPhone or an Android device or even a game for the PC or XBox. The point is control – if you imagine it, you should be able to build it. The tools are out there and anything is possible.
So what exactly is the point?
When you read a book to a kid, at some point you want them to realize that they too can craft their own story. When you show a kid some art, at some point you want them to know that they too can paint their own picture. Our world is turning to interactive media – and it’s a user-created universe. It’s time to realize that when you use a piece of software, whether it’s a game, an application, a website, or a cool artsy interactive, at some point you too can create your own vision and make your interactive dreams a reality. It’s not about making money, although that’s can be a welcome side affect. It’s about claiming creative rights and becoming a 21st century contributor.
There was a time when I didn’t have the absurd game catalog that I sport today. I’m not bragging – I would quickly give up my library for more time to spend with some quality titles. The problem with getting older is that games become more affordable and free time becomes less available. I hate to admit that I’ve never finished “Mass Effect” because every time I sit down to play, I get sidetracked with something seemingly more important, like work, family or sleep. The majority of my gaming is portable, predominantly iPhone and iPad, simply because of convenience. I do steal some late night sessions with my Xbox or PS3, but I have to limit those experiences to quick interactions such as “Super Meat Boy,” “Zen Pinball” or the occasional “Battlefield 1943.”My childhood was littered, though, with constant gaming for lack of other things that interested me or my friends. Sure, we’d go out and play, but time moved slower and there was always a couple of hours available to pop a game in the Atari, Coleco, NES or Genesis (or PC!), regardless of how awful the gameplay turned out to be. My menu of options was quite limited back then, which meant that sometimes I would become quite obsessed with games that were simply awful. Here are ten of my favorite horrible games – please include yours in the comments!
Yes, I realize that Pitfall II was a groundbreaking game for the Atari and platform games in general. This also happened to be the very first game that I beat, at the tender age of 5, in fact! The game, though, required ridiculous patience. Identifying the single ledge that had a special jump that triggered a balloon was enough to make anyone mad with rage. Follow that with the final climb through bats and vultures and bats and vultures (again and again and again), any mistake in timing resulting in falling all the way to the bottom was infuriating. The only true positive from beating Pitfall II as a child is that Super Meat Boy does not really phase me… at all.
Swordquest was some sort of contest game – there were clues that inside the game needed to solve a real world puzzle. I never knew that. I just played this game (and the other Swordquest) again and again without any purpose. There was no save, so I just thought that I was running from room to room collecting items that would eventually bring about a grand end-state. Instead, hours of my life were spent running around with the notion that a purpose would present itself – and it never did.
The music from the Smurfs game still haunts my nightmares. Yes, I did rescue a couple of Smurfs from Gargamel, but most of the time I was cursing out the screen because of the mind numbingly impossible jumps (which was difficult, because at the time I didn’t know any curses)! The game was so frustrating that I eventually decided that if the Smurfs cannot in a world of fences or bushes, they do not deserve to be saved.
Fly a plane through some hazards and unlock a door – that’s fairly easy, right? Now fly through the inside of some wacky building with pipes and water hazards – still not bad. Now try to make it to the end without getting hit by a giant bouncing ball… Yeah. Looping is an incredibly bizarre joystick and shooting game that defies reality and rides the fine line of too difficult and satisfyingly successful. The music is great, but the premise is so overwhelming weird that it falls under the “what the heck did I just spend 3 hours playing?” category. I can imagine a 2012 sequel could put sense the insanity, but for now, I’m still scratching my head.
I do not even want to write about Bayou Billy. I was terrible at this game! I know that’s an unfair way to judge a game, but the only was I got past the first level or two was with Game Genie – and that went for all of my friends as well. I think I made it to first on-rails shooting level only a couple of times without completely dying. Yet I kept trying, day after day, because I really had no other option.
In the late 80’s, MTV had a game show that was actually based on music. I loved the show because it didn’t involve music videos, which I was too young to enjoy, and contained PG-13 level humor, which I was too young to understand. Somehow I was given the NES version of the show, which I played over and over again until I memorized all of the questions – otherwise, how would I know ANYTHING about Jon Bon Jovi? The game wasn’t broken, except that a 9 year old could easily win if he or she happened to play for more than 10 – 20 hours a week. I showed them!
This game is impossible. There’s no other way to describe the mildly entertaining Olympic-like exploits of these cartoony cavemen. Young gamers may know some Wii games that are merely based on shaking the controller endlessly – this was an early variation that required the player to repeatedly hit the “a” or “b” button at a machine-like pace. We bought a “turbo” (read *cheat*) controller specifically for this game and it made it much more interesting. My hands still hurt from the pre-turbo days.
I actually still love this game – it’s a series of mini-games where the Three Stooges try to accumulate the most amount of money to save the orphanage (?) or something noble like that. Perhaps they were kicked out of their house or grandma was dying – I do not recall and I’m much too busy to Google right now. The games were interesting and scattered throughout was real-life digital voice sound effects, which was novel outside of “Blade of Steel.” I included this because the whole game was fairly mindless and it distracted me from replaying the first 3 minutes of “The Adventures of Bayou Billy.”
This game looked great. At the time, Chester Cheetah was one of the sharpest looking cartoon-like games out there. The game even had a cool platform twist, which was that Chester would be invincible whenever he was dancing. Unfortunately, the designers saw fit to use that skill against Chester as often as possible. One level includes some fast-action boat platforming on the high seas – every move must be perfect or splash! Toward the end, almost unavoidable, is a nice dancing power-up that changes the music and sends Chester right into the water. Oh – did I mention this game is based on a character from a bag of cheese-covered junk food? Yeah. Gross.
I know it is unfair to (again) judge a game simply on how difficult each level is, but this is my blog entry and I’ll do what I want. Aero was so horribly hard that I could not fathom how someone could find any enjoyment from loading up the cartridge. I’m pretty sure I never got past the flaming ring in the first level. The *first* level. Yeah. I have no idea what the rest of the game looks like or if the “Sabre Dance” continues over and over again, nor will I ever find out. I prefer to live with the understanding that the game was an impossible hoax without any subsequent story or challenges…
Ladies & Gentlemen, your friendly neighborhood (the other) Pete here with yet another video entry.
As co-activity czar (with Brylock), I have helped shape several initiatives to make the camp experience more fun. One such program is our iDX competition, an all out battle for team supremacy in the fashion of a traditional camp colors war (iD Tech-style, of course)! Another is the popular staff incentive program, Nachos, which encourage staffers to go above and beyond in interesting and unique ways.
To highlight the feats of excellence performed by staffers across the country (and Canada!) Brylock and I host our very own weekly Vlog (video blog) called “The HiD.” Here’s our latest episode, the 2011 Year in Review, where the 2011 Nacho & iDX champions are announced – enjoy!!!
Hey all, your friendly neighborhood (the other) Pete here with another iD Tech Camp exclusive – an interview with the creator of “The Adventures of Timmy: Run Kitty, Run!”, an upcoming title for the iPhone.
I was really interested in how a game is made outside of the computer lab – from the idea; to gathering a team; to pouring your talents into something you love. My favorite course at iD Tech Camp is Game Creation: Arcade & Platform because I love Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog and LittleBigPlanet (as well as Terraria!) There is so much you can do with a 2D game and I’ve never seen two iD game projects created in Multimedia Fusion that are the same. Anyway, I hope that this interview inspires everyone to follow their passion and create something awesome!
There is no such thing as an educational game. Wait, that’s wrong. What I mean to say is that Every game is an educational game. Even Farmville. The question is not, “Can people learn from games?” but instead, “What do people learn from games?”
And it turns out, I have a lot of answers to that question.
Field Games for Change
I recently attended the Games for Change conference in New York. Researchers, educators and designers talked up games as the secret sauce to engage 21st century learners and save our educational system (as well as tons of other incredible aspirations). For the most part, however, the topic was screen-based video games. Board games can’t change people? How about sports or field games?
My training in outdoor activities is largely influenced by the experiential and adventure education movement. Outward Bound and Project Adventure, among many other organizations, use group games as a way to teach problem solving, collaboration, team work, trust and character development. I bring games to iD that encourage unique and positive social experiences, a tactic that creates a comfortable environment for collaboration and friendships. Some of the games are used to spice up the imaginations of the campers and expose the young designers to new dynamics that can be integrated into project work.
The campers will likely mention “fun” as the main quality of the games, but I include that as a prerequisite for all “games.”
Another type of game that occurs at iD that is not necessarily screen-based is iDX. This Colors War variant pits all of the camps in a battle to get the most points by the end of the season. Each camp is placed on one of four teams and campers earn points by completing self-guided activity sheets. These challenges give campers an opportunity to self-organize and take leadership positions while attempting to set world records on Record Setter (formerly URDB). I believe that iD Tech as a whole has over 60 standing world records, but the summer is only half complete.
Formerly VGC
Every now and then I get to cameo for a week as an iD instructor. My favorite class to teach used to be called “Video Game Creation,” now is called “Game Creation – Arcade & Platform.” I also taught “Adventures in Game Design” which has similar content aimed at a younger audience. These are really core classes of iD Tech – classes that have been sell-out landmarks for over a decade. Anyone that has taught these classes would readily agree that learning how to create a game helps teach essential universal concepts that everyone needs.
My campers would start with a plan.
We turned off the screens and brainstormed about what kind of games to create. What is the story? Who are the characters? Why is this fun? The young designers would sketch out the project early on, so they could continue to refine it over the week and leave with a blueprint for further development.
My campers had to learn about UI.
The user interface of most computer programs, from the way that drop down menu items work to learning about icons and how to find exactly what they do, is based on universal conventions – meaning that if a user can master Adobe Photoshop, then they can figure out how to use with a novice proficiency any other piece of software. I had campers that could not confidently read, yet could manipulate Photoshop and Fusion without a single issue.
My campers learned about coding.
Neither class I taught contained any true coding, only action and reaction statements that are made in a graphical and easy to comprehend way. The campers did, though, learn about the fundamentals of creating a program, particularly that someone had to create every little aspect of their favorite games. Campers from iD leave looking at games in a whole new way, possibly encouraging them to further explore more complex systems.
My campers learned about story.
I would constantly ask my game creators what the story was – “What are you trying to tell?” I’m sure they got sick of it! The outcome, however, was that instead of simply making something that was “cool,” the campers were able to relate a comprehensive narrative that slowly built to a climax and had a conclusion.
There are many other abstract ideas that my campers encountered, whether creating art assets, learning how to use a camera or tablet, creating a linear storyboard, or collaborating over a large group project, as well as any camper that happened to be lucky enough to take a course at iD Tech.
Good for Gaming
I sat through the Games for Change conference listening to people that desperately want to integrate gaming into curriculums and had to smile. I am lucky enough to serve a summer camp (that still has last-minute camp openings for July and August sessions!) that has understood the power of gaming (whether on the screen, table or field) for over 10 years! iD Tech doesn’t treat gaming as simply a frivolous time waster, nor needs to use gaming as an engagement trick. Games are like a shared language that the iD audience speaks; and through this communication method, we are able to give our campers tremendous learning opportunities for life.
iD held the annual staff trainings over the past month and I was lucky enough to participate in two, while my business partner, Bryan aka Brylock, visited the other two. Every year we get to show off some outdoor games while teaching the value of our collective brain-dump called the Activity Curriculum (The AC). Although iD Tech is a specialty camp for kids of all ages (7 – 18), a well-rounded camp experience that encourages growth in all areas, not simply technical skills, is our primary focus. Additionally, since we have college-based summer camps, we make any excuse to get the Campers outside to take advantage of the (almost universally) stunning campuses (I wanted to write campii)!
The AC is an incredibly deep vat of content relating to the experiences that the iD Tech Campers have during non-instructional time. There are all sorts of different initiatives within the AC that get Campers social, active and excited about coming back again and again. The more that our Campers communicate in a positive way, the better their projects turn out, whether they are creating iPhone games, learning professional photography or editing digital video.
One charge I had for this year’s trainings was to create a bunch of new games*** that we can use to inspire the staffers while giving them new ideas for keeping the camp season fresh. There are two games that I put together with Brylock that were a big hit, although they had a few small issues that need to be fixed.
Ingredients
The first game is called “Ingredients.” The game is fairly simple: 20 players are each given a single, simple ingredient that they must keep secret (such as Ice Cream). These ingredients form 4 different recipes with 5 ingredients each. The players must self-arrange into the recipes without talking, using sound or (obviously) showing their card.
The first time I played Ingredients, two groups did very well, one struggled a bit and the last group didn’t finish. The suggestion from the testers was that the game was too difficult without actually knowing what the recipes were. My second playtest included two variations of the game – one with the recipe as one of the ingredient cards, and the other standard set that I originally used.
The results from the second playtest were actually very surprising. Out of six groups, two struggled a bit while the other four succeeded. Of the four, two had the recipe name and two did not! Each group even preferred their set of cards!
The next step is to share the PDF of both game tests with all of iD and see what the Campers think. I also may change the name from “Ingredients” to simply “Categories” because there are dozens of other groupings that would work with the same concept. In fact, I think that the ingredient-based variation is only the beginning of a complex group challenge, with varying groupings and concepts. I can even imagine an advanced level where the groupings are based on group consensus more than something preconceived by the facilitator.
Fish in a Barrel
I love this concept, but fear that the present risks for injury are too great. This is a simple variation on Sharks & Minnows. Two players start as Throwers and have to stand outside of one of the long sides of the “Barrel,” a fairly oblong rectangular boundary. The Throwers are given a bunch of Trashballs (safe, cheap, green, homemade balls) as, for lack of a better term, ammunition. The Fish all start on the same short end and have to run inbounds past the other short end without being hit by a Trashball. If a Fish is hit, they become a Thrower in the next round.
Now, the game is tremendously fun. All of the players during both playtests were incredibly engaged for the entire game. The problem, however, was that there were moments of risk that made me uncomfortable. The Trashballs are 80% harmless, but I noticed too many players getting hit in the face, which doesn’t seem acceptable to me. I don’t think that anyone would get hurt by the Trashball, but they may get annoyed, which can lead to bigger problems. Another issue was that the Fish would clog up the Barrel and create an unsafe environment for running – especially when players are dodging left and right without looking.
I think the solution the needs to be tested is sending the Fish out in small waves. This will make everyone more aware of the surroundings (so no one gets trampled) and it would be easier to instruct Throwers to aim below the shoulders. Otherwise, the mad rush of Fish overwhelms the Throwers and Trashballs are thrown haphazardly. Brylock also suggested the addition of some form of shields to protect the Fish, but this may make the game too difficult for the initial Throwers!
* Yet Another Interesting** Post
** Interestingness not guaranteed!
*** New to me. I am positive with a little research that I can find similar variations to the games I proposed, but I like discovering ideas from scratch and seeing where the concept can go instead of relying on already worn paths.
(the other) Pete here with a slight departure from my normal rant (although I will post a game-related entry about Minecraft later this month!)
I was delayed in my monthly foray into the blogosphere not for business nor laziness, but because I had involuntary laser eye surgery this past week. Note, involuntary means that it *was* covered by insurance, but not necessarily sight-enhancing. While I was hoping that I may obtain a super power, such as x-ray vision or flight, my experience included many more headaches and blurry emails than life altering improvements. Regardless of my complaints, I will have the luxury of announcing to crowds once this ordeal is over in a couple of weeks that I have both of my eyes pierced, a bit of data that will be technically true and worth any potential cred with the Twilight crowd (there is still a Twilight crowd, right?)
Inspired by this ultimately significant event in my life, I have deleted my previous attempt at a post (will still come later!) to be replaced with…
(the other) Pete’s Rule(s) for Eye Safety at iD Tech Camps
I actually only have one rule per se, but there are many parts, so there may be various interpretations!
My role at iD is to get everyone having a fun, safe and social activity time. Instruction periods at our summer day camps and overnight summer camps have a major impact on everyone’s ability to participate to their fullest. If the campers are getting too antsy during instruction time, they may have a hard time focusing during activity time – and that can lead to major problems. Our instructors are well trained to keep the campers engaged and motivated throughout the lessons.
There is a bigger possible issue, though, that I have to enforce and reinforce that is difficult to observe during a screen-based class: Computer Vision Syndrome. CVS is basically the reason that I wear glasses (before the piercing, of course). Staring at a computer non-stop for hours on end is not good for one’s vision. Similar eye strain can happen during our photography courses or film programs for teens even when the campers are not on the computer. Campers have a particularly difficult time understanding this because they generally have strong eyes and stronger wills!
The accepted way to combat this temporary strain on the eyes is the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, stare at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. I did not make this rule up, but I do share the idea with our instructors every season to help them understand the importance of protecting the campers’ eyes.
I take a slightly different tactic, though, than to simply encourage a straight up 20-20-20 rule – mostly because that seems kind of boring. Instead of simply forcing the campers to stare out the window, I strongly suggest that every 20 minutes the instructors take a break that involves leaving the computer lab – if only for a couple minutes. This allows the campers to take a nature break and get the blood flowing through their bodies, which I suspect helps concentration, focus and memory retention. At first, veteran instructors are very resistant to such constant breaks, but after trials and some customization, many come around to realize the project quality improves and the campers are more productive. Plus, there are far less unanticipated interruptions which means that the instructor does not have to repeat themselves, definitely a major plus!
All of these potential benefits, simply for saving the eyes of our campers
Hey all – (the other) Pete here with another crazy post. I’m gearing up for another awesome season at iD and am particularly excited about our iPhone app courses. Many of our Summer Day Camps and Overnight Camps teach campers how to develop iPad apps and iPhone apps – which is pretty darn cool for an avid gamer that happens to play on my iPhone all the time.
I’ve been wondering lately what would happen if Pac-Man was in some of my other iPhone games. I know this seems random, but there a reason: Pac’N-Jump.
This cool new game is really close to the iPhone standard, Doodle Jump.
I *do* think that Pac’N-Jump takes Doodle Jump to a whole new level, although I may be partial because I am much better at Pac’N-Jump!
#7 Tiny Pac
Tiny Wings definitely sucked up a major amount of game time on my iPhone. The game is a simple timing / reaction exercise that features a poor little bird that can’t fly. The player’s goal is to get the bird as far as possible before the sun sets. Add some ghosts and power pellets and this could be a real winner!
#6 Super Mega Pac
Super Mega Worm is an absurdly gruesome ride through the life of a giant, man-eating worm. The goal is simple – eat anything that moves! That already sounds like something that Pac-Man loves to do! Perhaps I just want to imagine a gigantic Pac-Man running rampage over a small rural town. I can dream…
#5 Fruit Pac
My nephews will quickly steal away my phone to play Fruit Ninja for hours. What if, instead of slicing fruit, the player was an angry Pac-Man with a katana chopping the likes of Inky, Pinky, Blinky and Clyde? Now that’s the kind of Pac-Man game I can get into!
#4 Flick Pac
This is definitely one of the stranger combos that could possibly exist: Pac-Man in Flick Football. Really, though, it could happen. Instead of simply flicking the (soccer) football into the goal, players would have to follow specific paths and avoid ghosts. Sounds like it *could* work, although I’m already horrible at the original (see Hi Score).
#3 Pac the Rope
All right, I’ll admit – I’m pretty darn good at Cut the Rope. I had to slow down my 3-star performances because I was running out of levels (even with the new box!) Why not replace the stars with power pellets and our friendly candy-eating dinosaur (?) with Pac-Man? He does happen to be the original ever-hungry video game star…
#2 Cana-Pac
Canabalt is an excellent 10-second game (well, for me anyway). The premise is simple, jump from building to building at an fairly fast speed. Now, if this unknown parkour-inspired pixelated man can do it, why not Pac-Man?
#1 Angry Pac
This may be obvious, but the number one game that Pac-Man should, nay, likely WILL invade is Angry Birds. Look, Doodle Jump used to be the best seller on iTunes and now Angry Birds has stolen that honor (perhaps rightfully so). Forget a variety of birds attacking pigs – we all know it should be Pac-Man flying through the air in simulated physics bliss, raining on the unsuspecting ghosts. Now that would be worth 99¢!
Expertise: Photoshop, Illustrator & Graphic Design, Prairie Dogs, Corn, Driving Tractors, Moonwalking, and Guessing the Quantity of Random Objects in A Jar
I *do* think that Pac’N-Jump takes Doodle Jump to a whole new level, although I may be partial because I am much better at Pac’N-Jump!
My nephews will quickly steal away my phone to play 
This is definitely one of the stranger combos that could possibly exist: Pac-Man in 
All right, I’ll admit – I’m pretty darn good at 
This may be obvious, but the number one game that Pac-Man should, nay, likely WILL invade is 
