Fastspot Releases Jambalaya Word Game App for iPad
04.15.2010
Fastspot is proud to announce the release of Jambalaya, a fast-paced word game developed exclusively for play on the iPad. Jambalaya was developed to capitalize on the advanced multi-touch features of the iPad and is one of only about 1,000 iPad-specific applications currently available in the App Store.
Jambalaya offers a unique tabletop game experience users can only find on the iPad because the game was designed to utilize the advanced capabilities of iPad’s multi-touch display. Players can use both hands to organize and rearrange letter tiles—push them together, pull them apart, click them into two- and three-letter segments for quick combinations.
“In a world used to clicking and pointing, Jambalaya delivers you the feel of tiles on a table, and the adrenaline of classic timed word-find games like boggle,” remarked reviewer Barbara Holbrook in a recent article on Appcraver.com, which included Jambalaya as one of the “Must Have! 10 New iPad-Only Apps.”
Jambalaya is more tactile and engaging than the current slide-and-place apps with which most iPhone users are familiar. The Survival and Quick Play game modes allow the user to play against the clock, to compete for a personal best high score, or to compete with other users for the top score.
Fastspot was concerned with usability, especially when developing for a device that was not yet available for true usability testing, but impeccable design was also a top priority. Jambalaya is not only highly usable, but it is also beautifully designed. The current version comes with three comprehensive themes—Wood, Earth, and Ice. The melding of design and programming for the app can only be attributed to the truly collaborative nature of its development.
"As an award-winning interactive agency, we felt compelled to bring our design and programming skills to the innovative iPad platform,” commented Tracey Halvorsen, Creative Director and Principal for Fastspot. “It certainly didn't hurt that we decided to create a beautiful and addictive word game that we get to enjoy as much as anyone who downloads it!"
Jacqui Cheng of Ars Technica called Jambalaya “neat” and “perfectly priced” in her recent article reviewing games for the iPad and assessing the device’s potential as a gaming platform. Cheng asks, “Are there any developers who are willing to rise above the muck of phone gaming and throwaway experiences to deliver a serious game that will make you want to buy an iPad just to play?”
Fastspot is one who would like to rise to the challenge. Jambalaya version 1.0.1 has already been submitted to the App Store for review. Future plans for the application include expansion packs of additional themes or even additional vocabulary, such as slang or proper nouns not typically allowed in the rules for word games, to expand the game’s dictionary.
To learn more about Jambalaya, visit www.playjambalaya.com. Follow @playjambalaya on Twitter for breaking news and updates about future version releases.