We started the new year with a bang: Our most successful iPhone ad game, Barclaycard Waterslide Extreme, has cracked 10 million downloads, Rally Master Pro™ will be released –  for free (!) – in an extra high resolution Symbian version for Sony Ericsson Satio™ and Vivaz™ in a few days, and we recently launched a new iPhone game for Volkswagen: Volkswagen Think Blue. Challenge. This iPhone promotional game we are particularly proud of, because usually promotional games are inferior to regular commercial games for reasons of budget, and the subject of fuel saving is rather uncommon in games. Nevertheless, we were able to turn all that into a high-quality, exciting game, as even the folks at toucharcade declared (a great honour!). You see, promotional games can be quite entertaining, and so you can look forward to at least two more free  casual games, that will be launched by this summer.

Fresh games for iPhone, iPad & friends

Of course, this year, we aren’t just developing ad games for iPhone and iPad and revamping existing iPhone games for other smartphones; we are also working on several completely new titles. With a racing game that has music as an essential component, we are entering new territory. We can’t tell you too much, but the first playable version caused quite a sensation both in-house and with marketing partners.

Along with our iPhone and iPad developments, we also want to put out feelers towards Android this year. As with the iPhone before, we will first port our casual games, like Burning Tires™, to get a feel for the new platform. If the effort proves worth the trouble, we will definitely follow up with more titles. Beyond that, we are working on a AAA title closely together with Nokia featuring OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics for a large screen.

Reunion with Keith on iPhone, iPad and Nokia Smartphones

It’s been at least a year since we ported our most important brand to the iPhone: Galaxy on Fire™. Our 3D space shooter with open gameplay and RPG-like equipment options for spaceships is still unchallenged in the AppStore. But despite heavily pepped up graphics and crisp sound, GoF on the iPhone cannot deny its Java origins and its five-year old design. Sci-fi action fans will be glad to hear that we have been working on converting Galaxy on Fire™ 2 to the iPhone and other smartphones since October.

The sequel to the space epic has set standards in the Java field similar to Part 1 and, thanks to the even more open game design, offers significantly greater potential to be a megahit on the iPhone. So you can look forward to seeing Keith and other acquaintances from the first part once again later this year and play the Alien part for the first time in the Mission Pack in summer. And to keep the wait from being all too boring, we will keep you up-to-date with the status of the development with a regular developer’s diary.

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Okay, that’s enough flying around. Time for some action. The first mission with the space junk is quickly resolved and I blow away the rubbish outside the space station in no time. The way the debris bursts with a tremendous explosion when I hit it is fantastic. I don’t have to wait long for the first mission with potential for enemy contact.

I still have to grin at nervous, one-eyed Bolar. Right then, let’s get him home in one piece. As expected, we have company on the way. My first encounter with the Vossk in over 3 years. As before, their dull, dark grey hulls make them difficult to spot, even on the gigantic display of the iPhone, but the head-up display reliably shows them as an enemy target.

First enemy contact on the iPhone

Their spaceships are significantly better than my little Icarus in weaponry, armour, and manoeuvrability, and a frontal attack was not a good idea even in the past. I duck under the first salvo and fire my booster to get behind the enemy fighter with a wide loop. All right, now you’re going to get it. A fine salvo from my twin lasers hits the target and the Vossk fighter’s energy bar declines significantly. I’d love to finish him off, but the time limit to get Bolar to the next waypoint is getting short. A quick moment to orient myself and then set course for the yellow dot at the edge of the screen. Bolar whinges away at me, and I boost again. Time presses. After another attack by the Vossk, which I am also able to parry, I bring Bolar to the last waypoint. He’s happy as a clam that we made it in one piece, and I pocket the credits. It’s a pity I had to let the Vossk get away, but I’m sure we’ll meet again soon.

The Doctor offers a lucrative assignment

Word of my deeds appears to have got round. Doc Washington hires me as a wingman. He won’t tell me much, just that we are guaranteed to run into trouble. Sounds like fun. The money is right, so off we go. At first, the journey is quiet. We reach the first waypoint without incident. Doc’s spaceship makes a much better impression than mine; his business seems to be doing well. As soon as possible, I’ll take a look around and see what the market offers for better ships and weapons.

The dramatic music announcing the approach of enemy units pulls me out of my thoughts of a new spaceship. Vossk fighters. I ignite my booster and hurry toward them to draw their fire, so that Doc can attack the Vossk with his powerful lasers. I am able to shake off the Vossk with time-tested evasive manoeuvres and launch a counterattack. With satisfaction, I wipe out two of the Vossk, whose ships are much better than mine. Well, it all comes down to the pilot, doesn’t it?

But where is Doc? I aim for the green dot on the radar until the green marker appears in the middle of the screen. Far away, Doc is in a hot dogfight with the last Vossk. I fire the booster and hurry to help him. The Vossk doesn’t last 10 seconds under fire from both our lasers. BOOOM – and Vossk wreckages flies through space.

No mercy for GOF iPhone aliens

Christine has the first delicate mission for me. A Vossk weapons convoy has been reported. Together with Christine’s wingman, we go hunting to stop the delivery. We fly in formation for a while. I enjoy the view of the smoothly flying Terran fighters with their triple engines. Suddenly, enemy targets pop up on the radar: three large Vossk freighters with an escort of four Vossk hunters. We break formation and dive into the fight. Now I have to keep an overview. My weapons are intelligent enough that they only hit enemy objects, but with a total of seven ships constantly circling between the gigantic freighters, you have to watch out who is behind whom.

I quickly identify the pirate whose hull is already heavily damaged. His evasive manoeuvre does him no good. With a little effort, my lasers find their target. They tear apart the enemy spaceship with a tremendous explosion and a mighty fireball with a secondary ring impulse spreads through space. Quite a sight.  In the meantime, my wingmen have done good work, only one fighter can still be seen on the radar. Not for long. The remaining Vossk doesn’t stand a chance against three Terran hunters, and his life also ends in a ball of fire. The three Vossk freighters are now defenceless against us. We attack them one after the other. Their hulls are strong, but they can’t withstand the constant fire of our lasers forever, and gigantic explosions tear the enormous freighters to pieces. Satisfied, we turn for home.

To be continued…

Submerge into plenty hours of 3D gaming fun. You might expect to to do that in front of your PC or your gaming console. However, FISHLABS gives you the game to do that on your mobile phone! The 3D action game DEEP: Submarine Odyssey is so innovative it was nominated for the Sony Ericsson Content Award. The submarine adventure created by FISHLABS made it to the top 5 mobile games!

DEEP – Thrilling 3D Action on Your Mobile Phone

With Deep we took the basic premise of our highly acclaimed Galaxy on Fire several steps further to create a never before seen amount of freedom in mobile gaming. The goal was to create a mobile game that gives players the feeling that they can do whatever they want to at any time they please. Be it fishing, hunting down pirates, producing and trading goods, upgrading one’s ship or continuing the main story line. The world of Deep was designed to keep players captivated and motivated for hours and hours.

Get to the dedicated mobile game site of DEEP