Motorola, Inc. and I-play announced the winners of the MOTODEV Game Developer Challenge, a global competition that recognizes independent developers who are creating “the next big thing” in mobile gaming.
In the “Best Java Software Game” category, Paul Carruthers and his independently developed game, “Monkey Pole Climb,” received the grand prize winning title for play on the ultra-slim Motorola MotoKRZR K1 handset. In the “Best Windows Mobile Game” category, Chen Jianbo was named as the grand prize winner for his game, “Fire Hawks,” for entertainment on the powerfully functional Motorola Moto Q family of devices.
“With submissions from over 22 countries worldwide, competition in the MotoDev Game Developer Challenge was fierce. Motorola and I-play are pleased to recognize the innovative developers behind the winning applications and reward them with the ultimate prize – a global publishing contract,” said Christy Wyatt, Vice President, Software Platforms & Ecosystem, Motorola. “The Game Developer Challenge is a great example of how Motorola is supporting the global developer community and getting the best applications into the hands of Motorola mobile device users.”
“I-play is always looking for creative, cutting-edge mobile entertainment titles to offer to our consumers – and we’re thrilled to have discovered new and compelling applications for our portfolio through the MotoDev Game Developer Challenge,” said David Gosen, President, I-play.
The winning Java software game, “Monkey Pole Climb,” is characterized by its simple but addictive nature, with players attempting to guide three monkeys to the tops of three polls at the same time by controlling balloons that affect their climbing habits. Similar to plate spinning, the challenge emerges when one monkey drops back down before all three can be settled at the top. The game features 100 levels, with increasing variety of balloon types and bonuses.
The Windows Mobile game “Fire Hawks,” delivers an engaging game for productivity device users, with the vertical shooter game that features 2D/3D graphics and smooth gameplay throughout six designated missions and battles with six bosses.
The winners were announced at Moco News’ CTIA Moco Mixer on October 22. Entries were judged based on uniqueness, fun factor, design, operation and innovation in visual arts and audio. Both winners will see their winning mobile game published by mobile entertainment company and contest title sponsor I-play for mobile consumers to enjoy. The runners-up in each category will receive the opportunity to meet with the judging panel to discuss their submission and receive valuable feedback. In addition, all winners were awarded a briefcase full of Motorola’s hottest handsets and a package of I-play’s best-selling games.
MotoDev is Motorola’s global developer and ISV program. It combines developer initiatives into one seamless web site resource, giving developers simple access to virtually all things Motorola (from mobile devices to digital set-tops). The program helps foster innovation in application development and delivery by connecting developers with the resources they need most — tools, SDKs, and clearly defined go-to-market initiatives. And, with information and resources for a variety of products at their fingertips, developers can easily tap into new business opportunities and apply their talent across the full range of Motorola platforms.
I-play brings the best in mobile entertainment to an audience of over 1 bln people via a network of more than 120 carriers worldwide. I-play has been creating mobile games since 1998 and continues to spearhead the creation of mobile entertainment for the next generation.
I-play is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oberon Media, the world’s leading casual games company. Its Game Centre platform is the industry standard and has been adopted by many of the world’s largest corporations. The platform combines casual game content, merchandizing and features to fulfill each partner’s specific needs. Oberon Media’s publishing arm works with the industry’s best, award-winning game developers to produce the top-selling casual games, which can be played in more than a dozen languages on PC, web-based, mobile and console platforms.
