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GDC '09: Hands on with Peggle on iPhone

Ode to joy

GDC '09: Hands on with Peggle on iPhone
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| Peggle (iPhone)

"Of all the games PopCap makes, Peggle is by far the one most asked for on iPhone," says Andrew Stein as he pulls an iPod Touch out of his pocket.

PopCap Games' VP of Mobile is keen to have his company answer those request with a full port of Peggle on iPhone, and we were certainly keen to get our hands on the game - which we did during the first day of Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Peggle transports the PC to iPhone with tweaks to the controls and nuanced additions that tailor the game for touchscreen play. New content is in short supply here though, as PopCap was keen to focus on making the game work on the device. Instead, Stein points out a number of developments made to the controls and interface.

Naturally, the game has you bouncing miniature balls to destroy coloured pegs dotted throughout the screen. You do this on iPhone by sliding your finger on the screen to set the position of your cannon. Once positioned, you fire off a ball by tapping a fire button in the upper right corner. Zooming in is done with a double tap of the screen on the spot you wish to view.

When asked about the lack of tilt controls for setting the ball's trajectory, Stein explains, "Precision aiming with the accelerometer was tricky, so we decided to go with touch controls instead. We're looking to make features like the accelerometer integral to the experience, not just throwing it in there because we can."

Adding the fire button was another contribution specific to this iPhone version. Tapping to fire off the ball resulted in a slight, unintended adjustment of the trajectory so the team opted to employ a button instead.

Thorough play testing proved both of these changes to be successful; something that Stein points out as instrumental to the game's quality. Should you dislike slide aiming, you're welcome to use a new precision wheel on the right side of the screen to adjust your shot instead.

Hot seat multiplayer also joins changes to the interface in the move to iPhone. You and a buddy will be able to pass around a handset, taking turns competing in one-off stages for the highest score. Multiplayer is simply an accompaniment to the core action of Adventure mode though - and that's what will be sucking away your time when Peggle releases to the App Store in the coming weeks.

Tracy Erickson
Tracy Erickson
Manning our editorial outpost in America, Tracy comes with years of expertise at mashing a keyboard. When he's not out painting the town red, he jets across the home of the brave, covering press events under the Pocket Gamer banner.