14 DAY TRIAL // Every iPhone owner/fan out there must have at least heard of Apple's March 6 event, the iPhone Software Roadmap. Those who've also viewed Steve's inspiring keynote should remember SEGA's video demonstration of Super Monkey Ball, one of the hundreds (if not more) third party titles to hit the handset, once firmware 2.0 is out. Word on the web is that Other Ocean Interactive had partnered with SEGA of America to develop a demo version of Super Monkey Ball for the iPhone.
Other Ocean Interactive's CEO, Andrew Ayre, is said to have confirmed that his company has partnered with SEGA, while Gordon Wood, Other Ocean's technical director and senior programmer, stated:
"Apple's SDK is extremely developer-friendly and the iPhone, with its accelerometer, is the perfect platform for Super Monkey Ball," says Gordon. "The iPhone is going to be a major player in the handheld gaming market, and we're excited to be among the first to develop games for the device."
David Cobb, Sega's vice president of Product Development (the man who showcased the Super Monkey Ball game at Apple's iPhone Software Roadmap event on March 6) stated, "We knew Super Monkey Ball could be a perfect game for the iPhone, and all we needed was the right team to partner with to make it happen. Other Ocean was the obvious choice to build the demo version, with their experience giving us a clear advantage."
For those not very familiar with SEGA's popular game, the object is to guide a bubbled-monkey (of course) across a suspended series of constantly moving platforms and through a goal (again, of course).
Super Monkey Ball, however, merely scratches the surface of what Apple's iPhone can potentially offer, in terms of gaming. EA and Maxis, for instance, are bringing Spore to the handset. The "God game" will se a September release on the iPhone. EA's Travis Boatman also showed off a demo version of Spore at Apple's March 6 event.