iPod game

An iPod click wheel game or iPod game is a video game playable on the various versions of the Apple portable media player, the iPod. The original iPod had the game Brick (originally invented by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak) included as an easter egg hidden feature; later firmware versions added it as a menu option. Later revisions of the iPod added three more games in addition to Brick: Parachute, Solitaire, and Music Quiz. These games should not be confused with games for the iPod Touch, which require iOS and are only available on Apple's App Store on iTunes.

History

In September 2006, the iTunes Store began to offer nine additional games for purchase with the launch of iTunes 7, compatible with the fifth-generation iPod with iPod software 1.2 or later. Those games were Bejeweled, Cubis 2, Mahjong, Mini Golf, Pac-Man, Tetris, Texas Hold 'Em, Vortex, and Zuma. These games were made available for purchase from the iTunes Store for US$4.99 each. In December 2006, two more games were released by EA Mobile at the same price: Royal Solitaire and Sudoku. In February 2007, Ms. Pac-Man was released, followed in April 2007 by iQuiz. Until this time, all the available games could be purchased in a package, with no discount.

In May 2007, Apple released Lost: The Video Game by Gameloft, based on the television show. In June 2007, "SAT Prep 2008" by Kaplan was introduced as 3 separate educational games based on the subjects of writing, reading, and mathematics. In December 2007, Apple released a classic Sega game, Sonic the Hedgehog, which was originally packaged with the Sega Genesis system in the early 1990s.

With third parties like Namco, Square Enix, EA, Sega, and Hudson Soft all making games for the iPod, Apple's dedicated MP3 player took great steps towards entering the video game handheld console market. Even video game magazines like GamePro and EGM have reviewed and rated most of their games.

The games are in the form of .ipg files (iPod game), which are actually .zip archives in disguise. When unzipped, they reveal executable files along with common audio and image files, leading to the possibility of third-party games, although this never eventuated (with the exception of superficial user-made tweaks). Apple never made a software development kit (SDK) available to the public for iPod-specific development.[1] The iOS SDK covers only iOS on the iPhone and iPod Touch, not traditional iPods.

In October 2011, Apple removed all the click wheel–operated games from its store.

Games

This is a list of games that were made available for the newest iPods, excluding the iPod Touch. Each game (other than Reversi and Chinese Checkers) cost US$4.99 to buy prior to their discontinuation in 2011.

The list contains 54 games that are known to exist. The list is always kept up to date by this script.

Title Publisher Release date Game ID
Texas Hold'Em Apple Inc. 2006-09-12 33333
Zuma PopCap Games 2006-09-12 44444
Pac-Man Namco 2006-09-12 AAAAA
Tetris Electronic Arts 2006-09-12 66666
Mini Golf Electronic Arts 2006-09-12 88888
Cubis 2 Fresh Games 2006-09-12 99999
Sudoku Electronic Arts 2006-12-19 50513
Ms. Pac-Man Namco 2007-02-27 14004
SAT Prep 2008 (Math) Kaplan 2007-06-22 11052
SAT Prep 2008 (Reading) Kaplan 2007-06-22 11050
SAT Prep 2008 (Writing) Kaplan 2007-06-22 11051
The Sims Bowling Electronic Arts 2007-07-17 1500C
The Sims Pool Electronic Arts 2007-07-31 1500E
Musika (Only Released in UK) NanaOn-Sha, Ltd./Sony BMG 2007-08-07 1C300
Brain Challenge Gameloft / Apple Inc. 2007-09-05
Phase Harmonix 2007-11-06 1D000
Sonic the Hedgehog Sega 2007-12-18 18000
Peggle PopCap Games 2007-12-18 12104
Bomberman Hudson Soft 2007-12-18 20000
Block Breaker Deluxe Gameloft / Apple Inc. 2008-01-15
Pole Position Remix Namco 2008-01-21
Naval Battle Gameloft 2008-02-04
Chess & Backgammon Gameloft 2008-02-04
Yahtzee Hasbro 2008-02-11
Pirates of the Caribbean: Aegir's Fire Disney 2008-02-20
Bubble Bash Gameloft 2008-02-25
Scrabble Electronic Arts / Hasbro 2008-03-03
Bejeweled PopCap Games 2008-04-15 55555
Mahjong Electronic Arts 2008-04-22 77777
Monopoly Electronic Arts / Hasbro 2008-06-03 15040
The Sims DJ Electronic Arts 2008-06-09
Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes Square Enix 2008-07-08 24000
Uno Gameloft 2008-07
Mystery Mansion Pinball Gameloft 2008-08
Chalkboard Sports Baseball D2C 2008-08
Spore Origins Electronic Arts 2008-08-25 15010
Star Trigon Namco 2008-09
CSI: Miami Gameloft 2008-09
Tamagotchi: 'Round the World Namco 2008-11
Asphalt 4: Elite Racing Gameloft 2008-12 22020
Tiger Woods PGA Tour Electronic Arts 2008-12
Real Soccer '09 Gameloft 2008-12
Slyder Adventures Sandlot Games 2008-12
Reversi Apple Inc. 2008-12
Wonder Blocks Gameloft 2008-12
Lode Runner Hudson Soft 2008-12
Crystal Defenders Square Enix 2008-12 24002
Chinese Checkers Apple Inc. 2008-12
Trivial Pursuit Electronic Arts / Hasbro 2008-12
Cake Mania 3 Sandlot Games 2009-02
Lost Ubisoft 2007-05 1B200
Vortex Apple Inc. 2006-09-12 12345
iQuiz Apple Inc. 2007-04 11002
Royal Solitaire Electronic Arts 2006-12 50514

Default games

These are the games that originally came with an iPod.[2]

iPod version Titles Publishers
iPod 1G, 2G Brick (also called Game) Apple Inc.
iPod 3G, 4G, 5G, and 5.5G; iPod Nano 1G and 2G; iPod Mini Brick, Music Quiz, Parachute, Solitaire Apple Inc.
iPod Nano 3G; iPod Classic 6G iQuiz, Klondike, Vortex Apple Inc.
iPod Nano 4G and 5G Maze, Klondike, Vortex, Brick Apple Inc.

Criticism

iTunes had come under much criticism due to the UK price of iPod games, GB£3.99 (about US$7.40). Many people from the UK had given the games 1-star ratings, stating that Apple was "ripping off" Britain.[3]

A similar situation occurred in Australia, where the price was A$7.49, even though the Australian dollar was (at the time) worth more than the US dollar (A$7.49 = US$7.76).

Developers had criticized Apple for not creating a software development kit (SDK) for software developers to create new iPod games. This was likely to keep the digital rights management of iPod games closed. Although technically speaking this does not prevent the running of an alternative OS on the iPod such as Linux, whereby for example there are ports of Doom that will run on fifth-generation iPods. Running Linux on an iPod retains the music playing functionality of the device, while adding features such as the ability to create voice memos through the headphones.

When the iPod Classic and iPod Nano third generation were released, games which were bought formerly could not be synced to the new iPods. This made many consumers angry due to losing their investment.

It is also notable that after a download had been made for a game, it couldn't have been downloaded again unless a separate purchase was made for the same item.[4] This is different behavior than applications downloaded on the App Store, which can be downloaded multiple times. This issue was later fixed, making it possible to install any single game on any number of iPods.

Unofficial games

Some older iPod units are capable of using replacement firmware such as iPod Linux and Rockbox. These firmware projects can play many other games, including a native port of Doom; and, via a native port of the Game Boy emulator Gnuboy, many other games, including Super Mario, Tomb Raider, Mega Man, Kirby, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Street Fighter, and hundreds more.[5][6]

References
  1. "What's Inside an iPod Game?" bensinclair.com, September 14, 2006.
  2. "Fun for your iPod", November 26, 2007.
  3. iTunes store
  4. Melanson, Donald (2007-09-19). "iPod games must be repurchased for new iPods". Engadget. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  5. "Applications". iPodLinux Wiki. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  6. "What is Rockbox? Why should I use it?". Rockbox Wiki. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
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