Infinite Arcade, The by Tinybop
© 2016 Tinybop, Inc.
Make basic versions of four varieties of classic video games, like Space Invaders or Pong, by dragging and dropping items onto your iPad screen and pressing "go". After you create a player profile (name and avatar), you choose one of five game templates: pinball, ball & paddle, platformer, maze, and a blank screen (our favorite). You can either start with a pre-designed starter game, or drag-and-drop components from screen bottom. The game templates have been inspired by the classics. It is easy to see the influence of Mario Bros., Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Zelda, and Breakout. Materials include blocks of rocks, hot lava, water and dirt; and there are a variety of transporters, a trampoline, crystal geysers, and disco bricks. You can add enemies like zombies, evil snails, electromagnetic cats, and collectibles like glittery skulls and gold coins. It is also possible to attach effects or sounds to specific blocks, and customize the text that appears in the game. Games are autosaved on each individual device, but can't be shared for others to play. The bottom line? For $2.99, this is an excellent open-ended problem solving experience that contains some of the core design elements of basic video games, and lots of opportunities for debugging.
$2.99, iPad
Teaches: creativity, game design, art, temporal relations
CTR Rating: 96%