Fred revives "Popcorn" via iOS and Android versions

[Renesans]

Fred's old (1988) game "Popcorn" is available on the App Store and Google Play for iOS and and Android devices. There's also a new Windows version for modern PCs. Link for the website here.

The Windows version is free (though you can still donate if you wish) but the iOS and Android versions are ridiculously higly priced at €4.49. I'm sad because it's a really nice retro game but Fred doesn't seem to get that it's impossible to sell a small iOS/Android game for that price these days. I still bought it to support Fred though but I feel others won't.

[Zee]

I'd buy it, but I lost my job yesterday

[marcosmapf]

Those retro games are very fun for a while, until you get bored... I did on level 11.But But you gotta love the pew pew sound that the laser does, no? Best block, plus best sound? OP.

[xesf]

Just bought it on iOS as donation, but I do think the price is too high.
The game is really nice to play on iPhone but I think it may be better to play under iPad because on iPhone our finger hides the horizontal bar and sometimes can be difficult to touch well on the ball.

Anyway, nice to see Fred remaking those games, I'm here to support them.

[Darkflame]

Yeah that does seem a oddly high price. Then again, I was always amazed people paid as much as they did for Angry Birds...seeing as that was a pretty standard Box2D physics game. It was new enough for the phone user market though.

I might give it a go though, see whats changed.

[Polaris]

Ouch Zee, hope you'll still sort it out...

5€ is a price for the 3DS eshop, not android, Fred is pretty brave...


edit : Just tried it, interface letting language selection, and whole in all more instinctive, BUT there is one big change.


The ennemy seen on the right... is now gone
(at least I haven't met him)

Maybe the price is just a way for donation... still expensive... I'd buy it on the 3DS though.

[Zee]

Brick breaker?

Thanks polly.

[Carajo]

I've never played this, but it sound like a terrible game.

[Polaris]

It's a brick breaker, and it is pretty nice, there are a lot of different power ups, thing that slow/accelerate your ball, divide it by 3, make your racket glued... Give it a try I say (it is free on PC).

[Darkflame]

Its brick breaker.
Its Alleyway.
Its Breakout.
Its....well...theres a whole genre basically of these games.

--

3DS version would be nice, but I suspect the license/set-up costs for developing on the platform are a lot more then the $100 a year or so for iOS and the $0 for Android.
Would be harder for Fred to break even, let alone out....

[Frederick]

Hi,
I just dropped the price a lot, that was just for first days.

@alexfont you can play the game in landscape mode using your thumb on the score panel on the right hand side (or left if you switch it in options), so no finger over the bat. But you can also play in portrait mode, then the game board is set at the top on the screen (also options to change that) leaving room for your finger below.

[Frederick]

@polaris How can you believe this "monster" disappeared ?!

[Polaris]

I played a bit and didn't see it, I thought you made the game more politically correct

[marcosmapf]

Originally Posted by Zee

I'd buy it, but I lost my job yesterday

Oh wow... I'm so sorry for it Zee Did something bad happen?

Hope you find a new one soon girl

[Streg]

Sorry to hear that, Zee. I'm sure you'll find something else soon Good luck with it.

I'd like to support this game but right now I only have a few cents on my paypal. I couldn't even buy The Walking Deaed videogame from the market. I'll buy it as soon as I recharge it... for now all I can do is giving a g+

[K. A. T.]

I bought Android version, but controlls are terrible

[pistolazer]

Sorry to hear that Zee.

[Polaris]

Is there any save feature in this version (or any version) ?
It would greatly benefit, I have to leave the game alt-tabbed all the time...

edit :


eehhh... That's a comet of course ! What else could it be ?

[marcosmapf]

What level is that polaris? 20?

[Polaris]

Don't remember, I think between 20 and 25.


edit : Noooooo, popcorn crashed I was at level 30, now I have to go aaaaall the way from the first

[ChaosFish]

Gotta love CGA.

[Gustav Sweden]

Nice!

[Frederick]

@K.A.T Controls are terrible!!! Do you know there are several ways to handle the bat ? In Landscape mode, you don't need to drag the bat with your finger (it's too close from the bottom edge) you can use your right thumb on the score panel (or your left thumb if you switch the panel side). The more convinient way is to hold your phone in portrait mode then you got more space for your finger under the game board.
May be it's a global speed issue, tell me your frame rate (touch the four corners of the screen at the same time to display the frame rate)

[Frederick]

@Polaris: the next version will have an automatic save feature so you can restart a game from where you left. (you had a crash ?)

There is already a way to start from the level you want, but I don't know if I tell it ?

I may also add the new Google Play Leaderboard system (like Game Center for iOS).
Does someone already use it in a game ?

[Polaris]

Cool

I don't know if I can really call it a crash, I had the game minimized during 2 or 3 days, the comp being sometimes on standby (en veille). Then windows told me that it stopped working...