Circle Challenge

Circle Challenge
Circle Challenge Cover
Platforms iPhone
Genre Extreme Circle Drawing

Many of us grew up playing video games, some of us wanted to make video games, but only a few (very exhausted and worn out folks) ever actually develop a video game that's available to the masses. Apple has been changing all that over the last few years though with their iPhone and iPod Touch platforms: if you've got $100, a Mac, and the creativity, time, and know-how to develop your own game, you can do it. That's exactly what my friend Rory Johnson did last year, who released Circle Challenge in January 2009.

Call it an experiment in Objective C, an attempt at touchscreen controls, or simply the output one man created out of some inner desire to finally do something with his spare time, Circle Challenge was actually released to the world. It is, nonetheless, a video game. A video game in maybe the vaguest sense of the term, but at least it's not a Bejeweled clone or a fart soundboard.

Circle Challenge Game

The objective of Circle Challenge is to draw circles. It really does not get any simpler than that. You're presented with a green grid and the timer starts, begin drawing circles until time runs out. For it to count, a circle must close, and you can get an extra flourish multiplier for leaving a bit of tail hanging off the end of your line. Sometimes, the cherry button will light up and if you tap that and draw your circle around the cherry on the screen, you'll get an even bigger bonus.

After every successful circle, you are encouraged on by a mysterious robotic voice. Where is it coming from? What are its intents? And why is it being slightly off-putting and sarcastic? If you're a fan of Portal, you will see where Rory drew his inspirations.

You're probably thinking, "well, why would I ever want to play that?" It's a legitimate question, but the game is free(!), and if you don't like it, you'll have only wasted 60 seconds of your life. It can be addicting though, and it's a great game just to pass around a group of friends around a lunch table. Sixty second turns and a high score list means there can be plenty of circle drawing competitions held at any time.

Rory's already working on a brand new iPhone game, so go ahead, take the Circle Challenge, and when Bad Cube is an awesome hit and a must-own, you can say you were there, during a much simpler, rounder time.

Check out Rory's Google Chrome-like comic on his website. Then you can also say you RTFM.