Art Crusade vol. 7
Shall we Play a Game
About a week ago, Apple Arcade added over 30 new titles including games from major game developers and popular indie developers. I have been a long-time fan of iOS games and the Apple Arcade, even though I rarely play games.
This got me thinking. As a kid, I loved going to the mall arcade and later playing the revolutionary(at the time) Atari 2600. These games changed my world. I would realize later that I absorbed many things from these games like, typography, user experience, and principles of gamification, which would all help me in my career endeavors creating digital experiences for companies around the globe.
The arcade was a wonderful hangout. Countless tokens were spent on my favorite game trying to beat the high score or at least improve on my last score. Hanging out with friends and eating pizza by the slice was all part of the experience.
Along with the arcades came the first handheld electronic games like Mattel’s Football and then the Atari 2600, which soon allowed us to play many of our arcade favorites in our own homes and on the go. Later the Gameboy would arrive, along with more powerful graphics and sound.
Many of the early games were about strategy and timing rather than fighting or defeating an opponent(other than who has the highest score). I still enjoy these games today. Games that are less about conflict and opposition.
I love that indie game developers have challenged us to explore and think, rather than mindlessly shot at opponents. Here are some of the games that I enjoy:
Monument Valley 2
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/monument-valley-2/id1187265767
Blackbox
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blackbox/id962969578
Florence
https://annapurnainteractive.com/games/florence
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/florence/id1297430468
Reading:
Apple Arcade gets massive expansion…
Michael Potuck
https://9to5mac.com/2021/04/02/apple-arcade-gets-massive-expansion/
Apple Arcade just went from a potential flop to a likely success
José Adorno
https://9to5mac.com/2021/04/03/opinion-apple-arcade-just-went-from-a-potential-flop-to-a-likely-success/
Watching:
High Score (Netflix)
A documentary series that traces the history of classic video games, featuring insights from the innovators who brought these worlds and characters to life.
https://www.netflix.com/title/81019087
The Making of Florence | Episode 1 (YouTube)
Go behind the scenes with the Mountains team during the development of Florence.
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