Currently the most popular puzzle/word game in Russia, Latvia, Moldova, Kazahstan and Armenia is Doodle Hangman, a game that does exactly what the title suggests. It looks set to be a similarly popular experience in North America too.

Doodle Hangman is a multi language word game that offers over 1000 words in 6 different categories. Gameplay is – as expected – a hangman game with players picking letters in order to figure out what the word could be. It’s excellent, simple fun. The doodle part of the title is clearly obvious within the animations and there’s a charming style to the graphics of the poor unfortunate soul about to be hanged.

Doodle Hangman is a simple game but it makes for an addictive experience, much like the paper and pen game that it’s based on. The multi language support is also a great touch, potentially helping players who are trying to learn another language.

Doodle Hangman is available now for free and it’s an universal app.

FREE!

$0.99

Doodle Hangman

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-06-15 :: Category: Games

PocketGamer.biz has the full details on what people have dubbed “Doodlegate.” It’s the other side of the story that we brought you a couple days ago revolving around the trademark for the word Doodle. We now know the Lima Sky side of the story, and shows some corrections are needed in the original story.

Igor Pusenjak of Lima Sky sent their side of the story to PocketGamer earlier today. It sets the record straight on a few of the details. For one, the story is much more conveluted that we were originally aware of, and two, the request for developers to change their app titles has been cancelled.

The story really revolves around trademark law and what has to be done to protect your trademarks. I don’t want to overreach my knowledge of law, so I’ll let Igor’s statement speak to their side of the ordeal. Suffice to say it’s complex.

The request for developers to change their app titles that had Doodle in them was due to an attempt to protect their trademark on “Doodle Jump.” Here’s the part where trademark law gets complex. Another developer, Accelerato was attempting to have the “Doodle Jump” trademark cancelled because Lima Sky did not prevent other developers from using the word “Doodle” in their titles. Yeah, I don’t get it either.

Lima Sky has instructed their lawyers drop the claims with Apple against the apps with Doodle in the title. So all developers that got the notice will not need to make any changes.

The folks at Lima Sky are good people, they didn’t want to cause anyone undo hassle. In the end they were just trying to protect the copyright for “Doodle Jump”, one that no one can claim isn’t theirs. In an over-litigous society, that gets really complex.

In a fast paced blog world, our rush to report the story quickly and from the information we had, was a bad choice. We now know that and it’s not a choice we will make again.

Can we all just be friends now and start talking about the iPad 2?

Follow up posted: We posted a follow up story with details from Lima Sky on their side of the story. Read the reply before jumping to any further conclusions.

Earlier today, developers of apps with the word Doodle in their titles started receiving notices from Lima Sky through Apple that they are in violation of Lima Sky intellectual property rights. Lima Sky is most famous for releasing one of the most popular games on the iOS platform, Doodle Jump.

I am as sick of the Doodle meme in iOS games as anyone – it’s unoriginal and quite simply boring. But trying to claim that you own the Doodle term or art style seems a bit absurd. Doodle Jump itself isn’t even unique – it just got many things right. It’s an old art style applied to a game type that’s been around forever.

Doodle Jump wasn’t even the first app in the App Store with Doodle in the title. There were multiple apps in the iTunes App Store with the word Doodle in their title before Doodle Jump. Some of those include Doodle Kids, uDoodle, Pocket Doodle, and Doodle Chat. Outside of the App Store there are countless examples of games with Doodle in the name that pre-date Doodle Jump.

As of today, their have been 730 applications approved for the App Store with the word Doodle in their title. Unoriginal yes; trademark violation? I don’t see how.

It’s a rather odd move for a developer that has been so friendly with other developers in the community. This just seems like a frivolous pursuit of small developers on the App Store. And for what? Does Lima Sky want to be the next Tim Langdell? Langdell’s claim of a trademark for the word Edge ended in failure when Electronic Arts stood up to him. And in the end he looked like the most evil person in the gaming industry.

We have requested comment from Lima Sky and their lawyers, but have yet to hear back. We’re interested to find what their exact trademark claims are and what they are requesting of the developers of other Doodle titles. We’ll update this post if we hear back from them.

Update: Developers have started talking about this over at the Touch Arcade forums here. Specifically, Bryan Duke of Acceleroto, developer of Doodle Hockey has a great description of the issue and his experiences.

Update 2: We got a standard form letter back from the lawyers representing Lima Sky confirming that Lima Sky is seeking to have apps with Doodle in the title change their names as they are claiming a trademark on the word Doodle. We’ll try to contact the lawyer in charge directly to get a comment later today, after the Verizon press conference.

Update 3: I’m no lawyer. But I’ve been informed that we’re actually talking about trademark here, not copyright. Article corrected.

[photo credit: Flickr user walkn]

You are sitting in the boardroom and you forgot to bring your “notebook” so you can take “notes” during the meeting. We all know you are just going to draw houses, spirals and other miscellaneous items instead of jotting down those all important budget numbers. Why not take those doodles to the next level with some chalk or fire? Four great ways to get your doodles on is easily attainable in one of these four apps:

Sketchbook Pro:
For the more serious doodlers, or dare I say artists, Sketchbook Pro is a great way to do some serious doodles. Multi-touch, 75 brushes, six layers, blend modes barely explain the power of this app. I mean when Penny-Arcade is able to put out a comic completely drawn with this app, what more endorsement could you possible ask? A lot of power resides in this hefty app, and it just needs you to unlock it.

$1.99

SketchBook Mobile

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2009-09-17 :: Category: Entertainment

FREE!

SketchBook MobileX

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2009-09-17 :: Category: Entertainment

$4.99

SketchBook Pro for iPad

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2010-04-01 :: Category: Entertainment

Sidewalk Chalk:
You may tell people you are getting this for your kids, but we all know the big child in you misses drawing on sidewalks! With the help of Sidewalk Chalk, you do not need to push your kids out the door so you can get your chalky doodles on. Complete with different colors, an array of backgrounds, and even the ability to email drawings to people in your address book so they can print out the doodles and bring a new meaning to fridge art. You do not even have to worry about the rain washing away all that hard work.

$0.99

Sidewalk Chalk

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-03-12 :: Category: Education

iBurn 3 – Draw With Fire!:
Time to play with fire! Okay, not literally, but you can doodle with it thanks to the powers of iOS. Not only can you draw with twelve different variations of fire colors, but you can also load up pictures and lay waste to them with your fire art. Once the fire has been put down you can shake and tilt your iPhone to watch the fire dance. All the fun of playing with fire, none of the complaints from Smokey the Bear.

$0.99

iBurn

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2009-02-12 :: Category: Entertainment

Sand Garden:
At the end of a stressful day, a sand garden will go light-years to helping you wash away the stress of TPS reports and Lumberg complaining about your lack of motivation. Sand Garden not only gives you a great looking sandbox, but you can also put some rocks in it for that authentic Zen garden feel. 3D modeling and different lighting effects even help put that extra bit of polish on your garden of peace. Sometimes, you just need a sandbox to doodle in to help take the cares of the world off your shoulders.

$1.99

Sand Garden™

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2009-12-09 :: Category: Entertainment

$1.99

Sand Garden™ for the iPad

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2010-04-01 :: Category: Entertainment