Tag: Temple Run »

Imangi Studios and Bruce Lee, LLC (they own the image rights for the martial arts legend), have announced that the late film star will make an appearance in the popular endless runner Temple Run 2. Players will be able to control the creator of Jeet Kune Do as they escape from the Demon Monkey, all the while receiving encouragement via inspiring quotes when they need it most.

Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee and CEO of Bruce Lee, LLC, had this to say on her father's introduction to the game:

I’m very excited to have my father become part of the Temple Run family. It’s apropos the character will launch in 2015, which just happens to be his 75th birthday year! Not only is this a great and fun way to celebrate my father’s birthday, but I’m grateful that my father’s legacy will continue to live on for fans of all ages via our partnership with Imangi.

Temple Run 2 is available to download from the App Store now for free.

Imangi Studios has gone and teamed-up with NFLPlayers Inc, and the result is a bit more sports in one of the App Store's more popular runners.

Throughout the season, many of the NFL's top players will be added to Temple Run 2 as playable characters. These sports stars will only be available for a limited time (via in-app purchase, of course), but will remain unlocked indefinitely who anyone that purchases them. First to make their way into the Temple Run universe are Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson (pictured).

Temple Run 2 is available on the App Store for free, and you can download the new NFL players for $0.99 each.

Imangi Studios, the studio behind the hit endless-runner series Temple Run, has today announced that Temple Run and Temple Run 2 have together been download over a billion times.

Since the first game in the series was released in 2011, over 32 billion games have been played, with the games having been collectively played for over 216,018 years. In that time, over 50 trillion meters have been run, which is enough to go around the world over a million times. These numbers don't include the Brave and Oz editions of the game either, meaning the totals for the entire Temple Run franchise are actually even higher.

Keith Shepherd, co-founder of Imangi Studios and one half of the husband-and-wife team which formed the studio, said this of their milestone:

Having Temple Run reach the one billion downloads mark is a milestone we couldn’t have imagined when we first started out. We’re incredibly grateful to all the Temple Run players and our wonderful team. We look forward to continuing to grow the Temple Run franchise, as well as creating additional innovative games.

Looks like Temple Run 2 has just been updated for Easter, which means you can expect lots of brightly-colored eggs in your future.

No really, there are special Easter artifacts in the game now that turn gems into eggs, as well as some goofy bunny-themed gear to purchase for your characters. But it's not all about eggs and chocolate - the new update also adds a prize wheel that will pop-up whenever you use a Save Me, and you can now earn a free Save Me by watching a video at the end of your run. Also there was mention about iCloud support.

You can grab the updated version of Temple Run 2 off the App Store right now for free.

In honor of this week's inevitable new iPhone announcement, five of the top recommended apps are best described as 'App Classics.' Take a look:

Facebook
Temple Run
Shazam
Twitter
YouTube

Ah, the oldies but goodies! Hard to believe there was a time, not so long ago, when Facebook and Twitter weren't baked into iOS. Still, refreshes to these social networks' apps have made them must-haves for every iPhone and iPad user. And while a sequel and numerous copycats have followed in its footsteps, sometimes nothing beats the original Temple Run for pure, unadulterated endless-running goodness.

Google did a great thing and recently brought a major update to its YouTube app, breathing new life into one of its line of classic apps. And as for Shazam, does anyone else remember when this technology seemed like magic? Strange how quickly an app becomes old hat. For those wanting to know who's performing a song, however, it's still a must-own.

So all you young whippersnapper apps, take heed! You could learn a thing or two from these classics. Thanks to Powerslyde, the app that leverages your friends' app recommendations, for this week's list. What apps do you recommend? Drop us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Twitter. See you next week!

The latest Temple Run comic, issue #8, is set to arrive tomorrow! Things look to be heating up a bit as well, as you can see the lip-locking smoochyness in the image below. Also, in this issue, Scarlett and Guy have discovered a way to return everyone home safely, but having the time to do so is in question as the demon monkeys are right behind them.

So, basically, they have time to make-out but not enough time to save everyone? Hmm...makes sense! I'll have to check it out to see what happens!

Each week, we take a look at the top twenty most recommended iOS apps on Powerslyde. We want to help you find some great apps recommended by every day users like yourselves, and maybe bring to light some apps that might not show up in the top apps lists on iTunes.

Here are five of the most recommended apps this week:

Angry Birds Space
Temple Run
Etsy
Talking Tom Cat
Toshl Finance

Now, that's pretty interesting, right? Angry Birds Space continues to be super popular, perhaps even more so than the fist iteration of the outrageously successful Angry Birds phenomenon. Temple Run was a huge hit, spawning a sequel, and two Disney-branded spin offs as well, but it's the first game that's on the top recommended list here.

Talking Tom Cat is an app that has youngsters talking to an animated cat, who will then repeat the phrases in a funny voice with matching animations; makes a lot of sense it would be recommended by so many folks. The Etsy iOS app packages the crafter's retail site into an on-the-go package, super useful for those who need a hand-made gift on the fly. Toshl Finance is a useful financial app that starts out free; you only need to pay for the features you want.

What do you think? Any apps you'd recommend beyond these? Sound off in the comments below!

Powerslyde is a mobile app that helps you discover the apps your friends are using, while letting you curate your own recommendation lists.

Grab the free Powerslyde iOS app right here, and help your favorite app get up on the Powerslyde most recommended list.

Imangi founder and CEO Keith Shepherd is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He founded the self funded Imangi with his wife Natalia Luckyanova in 2008. Together they released a series of good games with modest success. Then in 2011 a little game called Temple Run was released. Temple Run and then Temple Run 2 quickly rose to amazing heights and now has well over 500 million players and has generated millions in revenue. Disney even came calling and licensed Temple Run to create Temple Run: Brave and Temple Run: Oz. A true App Store success story.

148Apps: How has the App Store changed your life?

Keith Shepherd, Founder and CEO of Imangi Studios: The biggest change for us has been going from working for someone else to running our own company and having complete creative freedom in the things we do.  That's been the most life changing element, even more so than the financial success of Temple Run.

148Apps: Imangi had good success in the App Store early on. But it was
Temple Run that really exploded. What do you think resonated with
users so much?

Keith Shepherd: I think Temple Run is so successful for a number of reasons.  Primarily it's a fun game.  It's simple enough that everyone can have fun within the first seconds of opening the game and it's deep enough that people keep coming back - there are always objectives to complete, challenges to do, and stuff to unlock for your characters.   Ultimately, I think a lot of games share these traits, but I think the reason Temple Run stood out when it launched is because it was new and novel.  At the time there were no other 3D endless runners that used the simple swipe to control your character mechanic. Now there are dozens, but at the time it was original and novel.  People loved the idea and simplicity and wanted to share the game and compete with their friends. Once we set the game free that word of mouth exploded and the game spread virally!

148Apps: What about one thing you have done that you think should have taken
off, but never did?

Keith Shepherd: It's hard to say.  We only aim to launch games that we think will succeed, but it's always hard to know what will resonate with players. I think Max Adventure is one of our hidden gems, it got a lot of great reviews but was a total flop for us commercially.  If you are into dual stick shooters, I highly recommend giving it a try.  

148Apps: In the five years since launch, the App Store has gone through considerable changes. The number of users has skyrocketed along with downloads, prices for paid apps has stabilized way lower than many expected, free to play has dominated the top grossing charts. If, knowing what you know about the App Store now, you could go back and influence your path five years ago, what would you say?

Keith Shepherd: I'd encourage us to stick to our original strategy of quick pick up and play games that are simple to learn yet difficult to master.  Games that we as a small studio could develop and launch in 3-6 months.  Our biggest flops have always been the games that strayed the farthest from that formula that involved levels and a lot of designed content.  Those types of projects always ended up taking more time that we anticipated to develop and in my mind aren't the best fit for mobile devices.  I think I would also encourage our younger-selves to look into free apps / freemium long before we actually did.  Oh, and I would have also encouraged our younger-selves to make a Scrabble like game instead of our bizarre original word puzzle Imangi as our first game. ;-)  

148Apps: What have you seen on the App Store, outside of apps you are associated with, that has surprised you most?

Keith Shepherd: The insane rise of Angry Birds and their expansion beyond apps to licensed products / physical goods.  I think at one point or another every developer has probably thought to themselves that Angry Birds is a fad and that people will get sick of it sometime soon.  I think to everyone's amazement and to Rovio's credit, it hasn't.   Angry Birds has lasted incredibly long and has established themselves as a global brand and I think they are here to stay for a good long while.   I find that incredibly inspiring that something that started as a simple game can turn into something so much bigger, and I hope that we can achieve the same level of success with Temple Run.

148Apps: Any predictions for what the App Store will be like five years from now?

Keith Shepherd: Who knows, I can barely comprehend where this industry is now, but I'm sure it will be an exciting ride! ;-)

Many thanks to Keith Shepherd for his time.

[ Photo credit: Pocketgamer.biz ]

Another new issue of the Temple Run comic is here!

Temple Run - The Chosen Ones: Part 7 released today, showing that the crew still isn't done with that snake demon thingy! Meanwhile, Guy and the team are dealing with some loony conquistador fellow, while still being unable to figure out how to get home. What a crazy time, dealing with killer monkeys and snake demons! Make sure you find out what happens next, though!

While games may not be the largest percentage of apps in the App Store (non-games lead the way overwhelmingly), they are the most popular single category, with over 151,000 active games in the App Store as of this month, according to 148Apps.biz.

One could argue, and indeed I will, that games are the most transformative type of app in the App Store, bringing a quality of play to iOS devices previously impossible to achieve. As 148Apps staffers have been heard to proclaim, there are over 1.2 billion thumbs waiting to play games on these crafty little devices.

Of course, there have been landmark games since the App Store went live in 2008, titles that create, extend, and improve on the current state of the art. Here then, are the top 20 of those games, as chosen by your App Experts at 148Apps.

Doodle Jump - This one started the jumping game craze, inspiring a host of clones and imitators along the way.
Angry Birds - Need we say more? The grumpy avians have taken over the public consciousness.
Tiny Wings - Not just another bird game, Tiny Wings showed us how one mechanic, brilliantly executed, could take an unknown designer to untold heights.

Candy Crush Saga - Good heavens we still get a lot of invites for this casual, money-printing game.
Clash of Clans - Say what you will about free to play, but this game has gotten it right.
Tiny Tower - Nimblebit hit the jackpot here with a smart combination of tower building and free to play retro gaming.

Temple Run - If anyone deserved to have a huge hit, it's the folks at Imangi Studios, who have been pushing the boundaries of quality gaming from the beginning. This one created the 3D endless runner genre at a breakneck speed!
Puzzles & Dragons - Another free to play darling, this one gets all the elements right to keep players entertained and paying.
Where's My Water? - Disney's breakout hit, with a new IP (intellectual property) and a fiendishly addictive mechanic.

Pocket God - 47 updates later, still going strong and keeping kids of all ages entertained and laughing.
Minecraft Pocket Edition - The surprise PC hit the iPhone like a ton of cube-shaped bricks, letting crafters and miners of all stripe build and explore on the go.
Words with Friends - Scrabble with people you know. What's not to like? This one started the "with friends" genre with a bang.
Draw Something - Super successful, super quick, leading Zynga to buy the developer for a landmark price.

Infinity Blade - This game set the bar high for utter gorgeousness and a fighting mechanic that still sees itself in current games on the App Store, some two and a half years later.
Canabalt - Heard of the endless runner genre? Canabalt started it all with a one-touch game that exploded onto the scene in 2009 and has remained in the collective imagination ever since.
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP - This one proves again and again that the indie spirit can be captured and distributed via mobile, with a game that may never have gotten noticed on the bigger consoles.
Galaxy on Fire 2 - This space exploration and dogfighting game set the standard for utter gorgeousness, as well as finding a way to build a space sim on a tiny mobile device.

Spaceteam - Don't forget to flush the four-stroke plucker! Wait, what? Play this game with a few of your (drinking) friends, and you'll see what multiplayer party games *should* be like.
Real Racing - Still the gold standard for racing games on a mobile platform, the original game hit the starting line in 2011, with sequels upping the ante on visuals, controls, and profitability.
Super Hexagon - If you hate yourself, play this brutally difficult yet strangely compelling arcade game and thank indie developer Terry Cavanaugh in the morning.

Expert App Reviews

Every week, the 148Apps reviewers comb through the vast numbers of new apps out there, find the good ones, and write about them in depth. The ones we love become Editor’s Choice, standing out above the many good apps and games with something just a little bit more to offer. Want to see what we've been up to this week? Take a look below for a sampling of our latest reviews. And if you want more, be sure to hit our Reviews Archive.

Magic 2014

Fantasy based card games are very much an acquired taste. Some have been drawn to the genre since grade school, while others join later in life, but one thing remains the same: Magic the Gathering is by far the most popular example of the genre. On the heels of last year’s Magic 2013, it would only make sense for Wizards of the Coast to follow up their smash hit, for a new year. Can Magic 2014 manage to meet the same bar of excellence raised by the original installment, or is this essentially a glorified re-skin? Fans of last year’s Magic installment have a very similar experience awaiting them when opening Magic 2014. Most of the game’s core interface has remained fairly unchanged, but it really was never broken to begin with, so there was no need for a fix. Newcomers and veterans alike will find more than enough card based shenanigans to keep them busy for countless rounds. --Blake Grundman

JetScanner

The App Store is loaded with many apps that scan documents, but most of them seem to take an eternity to process files. Additionally, they aren’t always accurate. I’ve scanned business cards and manuals, only to go back and enter additional information in manually. There’s a new app that promises users that they will no longer have to wait and it boasts that it can produce PDF documents from any photo at a very high speed and at the highest image enhancement quality. It’s easy to get started with JetScanner as a quick start guide helps users learn the ropes. There are two ways to create documents. Users can either tap the camera icon or tap the album icon. Once a document is created, users can make adjustments by tapping on the wizard icon to adjust the smart crop or edit additional processing options like adjusting color, making the image black and white or quickly reverting back to the original. Additionally, users can tap the information button in the upper right corner to change the paper size of the PDF. --Angela LaFollette

Cling Thing

Cling Thing starts off with some great, but little, moments. They feel fleeting. However, then another great little moment appears and another and another. Eventually, these seemingly small yet neat tricks cling together to form a superb whole. In Cling Thing, players guide wacky Madballs-esque creatures to the end of each stage by using their slimy, stretchy, sticky tendrils to move around. The action resembles World of Goo but with just one ball to manage instead of dozens. Those two games also share a similar creative drive to get the most out of their deceptively simple yet deep mechanics. Early levels are pretty straightforward where all the creatures have to do is slime-swing to the end of the stage Spider-Man style. However, later stages introduce doors that need keys, blocks that need moving, wheels that need to be spun, and underwater areas with new physics that need new approaches. --Jordan Minor

Other 148Apps Network Sites

If you are looking for the best reviews of kids' apps and/or Android apps, just head right over to GiggleApps and AndroidRundown. Here are just some of the reviews these sites served up this week:

GiggleApps

Talking ABC

Talking ABC… is a delightful alphabet app which includes charming and impressive claymation animals that will engage adults and children alike. I do love this kind of animation, so I was eager to see the claymation included within, and I can say that these bright and quirky animal creatures do not disappoint, as an estimated 770 pounds of clay was used to create the animals and letters – impressive to say the least. As one may expect, there is a main section of this app which includes 26 letters, each with its own corresponding animal seen to the left of the screen. --Amy Solomon

Pango Imaginary Car

Pango Imaginary Car is an app that allows children to create cars and other vehicles by combining various parts together. I enjoy this app. It is a concept that is not exactly unique, yet this is an app that is of very high quality and utterly appealing. The first thing one will notice when opening this app is color. A bright, sophisticated lime-green color makes up the background of the center screen where one builds his creation, dragging vehicle elements from the tabs seen left of the page. Eight tabs are included, with details that will create the body of the car, such as the front ends of a few differently shaped cars, trucks and a train as well as basic shapes that can be used to create a larger vehicle as well. --Amy Solomon

AndroidRundown

Cubed Rally Redline

Most endless runners inspired by Temple Run take the standard behind-the-back perspective. Sure, Pitfall had a more dynamic camera angle, but that’s the exception. Cubed Rally Redline steps things up and does it from an isometric perspective, similar to developer Jared Bailey’s original version of Cubed Rally Racer that Android gamers sadly don’t have. However, where the game also differs from most 3D endless runners is in the number of lanes: there’s five to deal with here. Good luck. --Carter Dotson

Bombcats Special Edition

Bombcats Special Edition is Radiangames’ entry into the casual physics-puzzler genre after an assortment of action-oriented titles and block-based puzzle games, and it stands out as a fun and addictive title. The gameplay can be best described as a hybrid between Angry Birds and iBlast Moki. The goal is to free all the bombkittens from their electric cages by launching the bombcats around the levels, eventually using their ability to “tele-splode” (so they don’t actually die) to free them from the cages. However, there’s a fuse on the bombcats, so getting them from point A to point B in a timely fashion is key! --Carter Dotson

Spelling Monster

Spelling Monster is a gift from heaven to parents with kids in the early school years. it incorporates several learning tools and exercises into the gameplay, which is wrapped in the pleasing veneer of an Android game. The main menu breaks the game into an adjustable word list and a bunch of mini games. The word list allows for the addition of just about any words, which is great for accounting for, say, vocabulary or multiple kids of different abilities using the app. The game list had five different games: Letter Pop, Missing Letter, Letter Catch, Word Traffic and Word Jumble. --Tre Lawrence