Cut the Rope sales reach 3 million

Cut the Rope

Indie iPhone game ‘Cut the Rope’ has sold more than three million units through the Apple App Store since being released at the beginning of October.

The relatively simple game costs just 59p and blends physics orientated gameplay as players’ feed dangling candy to a little green creature called Om Nom. The cute graphics, the simple but addictive gameplay and its low price have all helped Cut the Rope achieve the very impressive three million sales world wide in a short space of time.

Developers Zeptolab have used the landmark sales number to announce that Cut the Rope will soon be getting a free update:

“We thank all of the amazing fans who have shared the joyful fun Cut the Rope offers with friends and family to make it a phenomenal success,” said Efim Voinov, CTO of ZeptoLab.

“The 1.1 update is just the beginning; we hope to release an additional update just in time for the holidays and bring even more action-packed, Om Nom excitement to your fingertips!”

You can check out the Cut the Rope 1.1 update teaser trailer below.

Cut the Rope is a brilliant example of how a simple game developed for a smart phone, can go a long way and bring success to a small indie developer. iPhone games like Cut the Rope and Angry Birds are getting more and more popular, and have even recently been recognised as part of BAFTA.

The low price of games such as Cut the Rope also plays a part in the success, but you don’t need to be a mathematician to realise that 59p multiplied by three million means a lot of money!

Developing a game for an iPhone – or indeed any other smartphone – could provide a group of Train2Game students with a great start in the games industry. Indeed, during last months Train2Game webinar, veteran video games developer Jon Hare pointed out that a small team could build a simple game from scratch in as little as four months, and that simple games like Angry Birds sell very well. Dave Sharp added that successful iPhone games – such as Cut the Rope – can be quite basic, are very well produced, which adds to appeal.

If you’ve yet to try out Cut the Rope, you can buy it for just 59p at the iPhone App Store.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the success of Cut the Rope? Have you played it? If so why do you think it has been so successful? And do you think that developing a simple iPhone game could provide you with your first big break in the video games development industry?

You can leave your thoughts about Cut the Rope, iPhone games and breaking into the games industry here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Popcap reveal new Disco Zombie

Meet Disco Zombie

Those Plants vs. Zombies guys’ sure work fast! Just one day after Popcap revealed that the Michael Jackson estate demanded they remove the Thriller inspired Disco Zombie, they’ve revealed their new design.

Popcap have this to say about their latest addition:

“‘I can confirm that there is in fact a new ‘disco zombie’ (see image attached) and I would really appreciate if you could ‘be nice to the new guy’…the disco zombie is starting to feel like a second class zombie citizen, which is really unfair considering the length of time he spent doing his hair! I actually managed to catch up with him earlier today and, while he’s a little adverse to public speaking, he gave me the following (badly) written statement:

“Dear Alive Peeples, I am pleazed too join the big brainz at PopCap and can’t wait to meat you all. And yes, I du my own heir.”’

Disco Zombie, likes disco music.

Do I get to say I told you so?  The latest addition to the hit Plants vs. Zombies does look like he shares the same stylist as Disco Stu, even down to the dead fish in the platform shoes. The Simpsons won’t be demanding its removal now, will they?

What do you think of the funky new design Train2Game? Do you think you could turnaround a new design in such a short time?

As usual, leave your thoughts here or on the Train2Game forum.

iPhone 4G out today

With the much anticipated iPhone 4G having been released today, we’ve had the seemingly usual scene of hundreds of Apple fans queuing up in order to get their hands on a shiny new product as soon as possible.

Seeing as the iPhone 4G is at the forefront of technological minds right now,  it makes sense to point Train2Game students in the direction of a previous blog: The iPhone 4G could provide a Train2Game student with their big break.

You can read it, I’m not going anywhere…

On the Train2Game forum, students reacted very positively to the iPhone 4G blog and many Games Developers, Games Designers and Games Artist and Animators do see it as a way into the industry.

So then, which one of you is going to produce the first one then?

The iPhone 4G could provide a Train2Game student with their big break.

June 24th 2010 is a big day for mobile video games, phone applications and Apple fans in general. Why? Because on that day the iPhone 4G is released, and not only will it continue to revolutionise mobile communication, but it’ll also continue to expand the opportunity for playing quality, well developed, video games on the iPhone.

The iPhone 4G will introduce a number of enhancements over previous models, including “improved camera system and battery life, as well as an updated version of the iOS operating system, designed to provide more flexibility for developers.”

That last bit is likely to be most appealing to Train2Game students, be they a Games Designer, Games Developer or a Games Artist & Animator, as the continued advancement of the iPhone technology means it’s easier than ever to get a video game published. Apple themselves say they approve 95% of Applications within a week.

iPhone games are getting more and more popular, especially with old classics such as Final Fantasy and Monkey Island now available for the handset. Twenty years ago you would have needed a state of the art games system in your room in order to play these. Nowadays you can enjoy these almost legendary titles wherever you are, be you on the train, at the park or *ahem* in the bathroom.

The choice and quality of games available for the iPhone can only improve, as according to Apple, “4G’s gaming applications will be superior to previous models due to the addition of a three-axis gyro, which will allow for a wider array of motion control options.”

Many of the biggest gaming news websites have already taken note of the potential of iPhone games, including GamesRadar who run an ‘Iphone game of the day’ feature’ which showcases a variety of games that people can easily go onto download from the iTunes store at generally low prices.

The advantage for developers – like the Train2Game students – is  iPhone games can be developed for a relatively small amount – and bought for as little as 59p – but if the game proves popular it can really jumpstart a career in the games industry. There are a number of tales out there about iPhone game developers who have been very successful through this medium. Perhaps a Train2Game student will one day a make a name for themselves in this way.

So, who’s excited about the iPhone 4G? And who’s ready to attempt to developer a game for it?

As usual all comments are appreciated. Either leave them here or on the Train2Game Forum.