There’s a new Trivial Pursuit game in App World by Electronic Arts but the submission process is a little strange. The game looks to be divided between three submissions and it’s not available in the Americas or Japan. The good thing is that the game is available to everyone, regardless of region, via the BlackBerryCool/Bplay store. The game is packed with 1000 questions. It also features Pass ‘N Play with friends so you can play multiplayer. You can also customize the length of gameplay in Classic Mode, or race through fast-paced levels and finish first in Pursuit Mode.
Smarter Apps has a pretty obvious app development strategy that involves taking the top iPhone apps and porting them over to BlackBerry. It’s a strategy that probably doesn’t even bother the developers of the original app titles because many of them don’t seem to have any plans for BlackBerry anyways. Smarter Apps isn’t exactly hiding the fact that they’re copying these apps, as they choose names like Angry Farm and InstaPhoto. So what’s next for Smarter Apps? We’re going to guess that they’ll develop one of the following:
We’re just joking around and we actually really like Smarter Apps. We’re thankful somebody is bringing these cool apps to the BlackBerry platform. Their latest app, InstaPhoto, is just what you think it is. You can take pictures and apply a library of 25 preset effects, including tilt shift, custom borders, color effects, grunge textures and decorative frames. You can also share your pics with all your friends via Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr.
We’ve written about Magmic’s Texas Hold’em King Live several times because it’s probably the most advanced BlackBerry game in terms of features and monetization strategy. First, the game uses in-app purchases to allow poker players to buy more chips in order to play. Second, the game features its own in-app advertising that shows ads for other Magmic titles. Third, the app uses Pretzil integration to give users access to a plethora of avatars that can be used in-game. There are more great features such as their social integration, but we feel these three features really set them apart.
Recently, Magmic announced that it has passed over 600,000 active player accounts. This number translates into over 7,000,000 “All-Ins” and over 50,000,000 hands dealt over the last 6 months. These numbers add to the already impressive numbers for the THK franchise. Over the years, Magmic’s THK franchise has over 50 million installs across 5 major platforms. These guys were in the business of huge downloads before Angry Birds came around.
RIM has announced that it has acquired the social gaming platform ScoreLoop. The company will be joining the BlackBerry platform and bringing their expertise in creating social and collaborative gaming toolkits for mobile developers to the BlackBerry platform. If you’re not familiar with the company, check out the above video. Essentially, ScoreLoop helps developers by helping them create community and loyalty programs within their games. If you have a fun, addictive game, plug it in to ScoreLoop and enable community messaging, rewards, points and more.
So far, RIM has announced the BBM Social Platform as a way of helping developers create a messaging and app sharing community around BBM, and it looks like they’ll be using the ScoreLoop team to help complement this environment. It will probably end up looking like the iOS Game Center but with a mobile BlackBerry look and feel (using BBM).
This is an awesome acquisition for improving mobile gaming on the BlackBerry platform because it will give developers access to more APIs and tools they can use to improve their games. On the other hand, RIM could have acquired a company that was a little more than just gaming. It would be interesting to see something like ScoreLoop but for all apps, not just games.
Two exciting items of excitement to report from Bplay HQ this week. First off, they’ve got one of Magmic’s newest themes called Space: 1999. I’ve been running it on my 9700 for the last week and a half, and I absolutely love it. I’ve also tested this them on other devices including the Torch 9800, and it runs beautifully. It takes space inspired animations and comic book style art to the next level. It goes completely against your standard Zen and Today style themes, and adds an element of artsiness that seems to have become rare in the world of BlackBerry themes. We’re not all suit-dummies, you know. Fans of the past ‘Propaganda‘ theme from Magmic will definitely love this theme.
Secondly (but not less importantly), Bplay sent out an email to all of its subscribers letting them know that Glu Mobile, makers of Call of Duty: Black Ops Mobile and Family Feud Mobile, has slashed their prices on a number of their top selling titles. Some of those games include the aforementioned ones, Blur Racing, World Series Poker, and many more. This sale will last throughout the month on June.
The BlackBerryCool/Bplay branded store is happy to announce we have Millionaire City by Digital Chocolate, available exclusively in our store. You won’t find this game in Mobihand or App World so be the first to own it through us.
You’ve probably heard of or played Millionaire City on Facebook. It’s an awesome game that is simple and fun to play. The game lets you build luxurious houses, crowded commercial skyscrapers, gorgeous decorations and unique world wonders. Make smart investments, take risks, care for your properties and watch your company grow. Features of the game include:’
Earn your riches as you build your company from the ground up as the CEO.
Purchase property, build houses, and sign contracts to help your company grow.
Complete missions to earn more and get hours of entertainment.
Discover a wide range of luxurious items in the marketplace.
