iGDWC 2010 Team of the Tournament

Now that the inaugural Pocket Gamer iPhone Game Developers World Championship is a very recent memory, we asked our resident statistician, Albert, to work overtime and compile some Quite Interesting data.

We also invited Albie to assemble an All Star XI, a Top Gun 11 - the Team of the Tournament, if you will - from the multitude of votes received on our servers.

Oh, and to reveal the winners of the prestigious Golden Thumb (for top goalscorer), the Golden Glove (for critics’ pick), and, in association with Pocket Gamer, the Fans’ Favourite.

Here’s Albert’s handiwork...

Lies, damned lies, and statistics

Over the course of 31 days and 64 matches, no fewer than 233 missiles found the back of some unfortunate fellows’ nets.

The enthralling app-on-app action here in Bath and London, England, therefore yielded a higher strike rate than the Spanish national soccer team and Calum Best. On Viagra. And heat. (3.64 goals per game.)

An astonishing total of 147,446 fans from the 32 competing nations passed through the respective turnstiles of the iStadia.

On average, then, 2,304 punters pledged their allegiance to the flag in each match-up and made their voices heard (rather loudly in the Yanks’ case), thereby illustrating once more the huge worldwide appeal of the iOS platform.

Golden Thumb

The recipient of the Pocket Gamer Golden Thumb should come as little surprise; it’s Doodle Jump, by Lima Sky.

Team America’s talismanic title struck a magnificent 16 goals in four outings for the eventual champions.

Honourable mentions go to Scotland’s Bloons TD (nine goals in two games), Finland’s Zen Bound (seven in two), Romania’s F.A.S.T. (seven in two), and Brazil’s Leds! (seven in two).

Golden Glove

Of all the 94 apps on show at the 2010 Game Developers World Champs only one, Secret Exit’s meditative puzzler, Zen Bound, is a PG Platinum Award winner.

Lauded on release last season, the rope-wrapping wonder can now add the prestigious Golden Glove to its already buckling mantelpiece.

Team of the Tournament

Unlike those sorry coaches over in South Africa, who persisted in the main with the overly-defensive 4-2-3-1 formation, we’ve opted to line our superstar apps up in a good old-fashioned 4-4-2 system. ‘Ave it!

Goalkeeper
Golman (Serbia)

With the safest hands this side of Seaman, Eipix and Serbia’s shot stopping supremo amassed quite the following in one of the toughest groups at the World Champs.

Right-back
Seed Of Salvation (Serbia)

Just in front, to the right, a bit more, yeah, that’ll do, stands Golman’s international teammate from Fugitive Steak. Overlooked for the Last 16 reverse to the USA, Seed’s only Salvation was a stunning Group D victory over much-fancied Galaxy on Fire 3D.

Centre-half
Flight Control (Australia)

Flying into the All Star XI at centre-back will, I’m sure, prove scant consolation for falling at the final hurdle in the needliest of needle matches against Doodle Jump. Alas, it’s all I can offer you, Firemint.

Centre-half
Fruit Ninja (Australia)

A mixed bag of a competition for Halfbrick’s slice-‘em-up, who recovered from a humiliating loss in the round robin stages to complete an historic semi-final win over Japan 4-3. Good on ya’, cobber.

Left-back
Bloons TD (Scotland)

Towering over the opposition forwards, Digital Goldfish’s defensive lynchpin had a memorable tournament, to say the least. Nine goals scored in just two matches had the Scotch dreaming once again of the ultimate prize. As in 1978, the Jocks soon woke up to find their beds wet and their flights home booked.

Central midfielder
Leds! (Brazil)

Ahhhhhhh, Brazil: Always flamboyant, always colourful. Lighting up the iStadium pitch wherever the app went, Leds! recorded the heaviest defeat of the entire group stages, beating Ireland 5-0.

Much like its footballing counterparts, though, MusiGames’s puzzle title flattered to deceive in the Second Round and the Rio App Carnival was postponed until next year.

Central midfielder
Street Fighter IV (Japan)

Hadddddouuuuuken. Capcom’s legendary brawler has wandered, somewhat aggressively, into the central midfield berth, just in front of the defence. Captain Ryu’s fireballs and goalie Ken’s dragon punches were at the hub of SF IV’s incredible 100 per cent record, their campaign culminating in a bronze medal triumph on Saturday.

Right midfielder
DrawRace (Finland)

The relatively tiny Nordic nation of Finland had thousands of reasons to be proud of itself at the 2010 Developers World Champs, not least the supplying of two attacking players in this here Dream Team.

RedLynx Racing Team’s line-drawing-driving-line motor parked up in the winner’s enclosure after its Group H tussle with Spain, but couldn’t quite find top gear in the third place match.

Left midfielder
Angry Birds (Finland)

On the other wing in this virtual exhibition side is perched Rovio Mobile’s multi-million seller, Angry Birds. Face-to-face with sworn enemy Doodle the Doodler in the biggest semi since Ron Jeremy’s 1992 masterpiece, the distinctly displeased flyers were promptly propelled out of the stadium, exiting stage right.

Striker
Chaos Rings (Japan)

Suffering an identical fate to Finland’s Angry Birds, Media.Vision’s Chaos Rings was defeated at the Final Four phase, its much-hyped front pairing failing to click on the grandest of occasions.

With impressive fan support throughout the tournament, though, Japan’s finest RPG can duly take its place alongside the Doodle in the penalty area.

Striker
Doodle Jump (USA)

The sight of Lima Sky’s #10, Doodle the Doodler, leaping high into the Bath night will linger long in the minds of all those privileged to witness the moment. Breaking goal-scoring records for fun, the freakishly-gifted four-legged frontman led the American charge to the summit of Mount iGDWC.

What more can we say about Doodle Jump? Golden Thumb recipient, Game Developers World Championship winner, star striker of the All Star XI.

Clocking up more votes than the Tories and Lib Dems combined, Lima Sky's iconic jumping title is this year's Fans' Favourite.

Congratulations, one and all.

Confused? Click here to go to the iPhone Game Developers World Championship info page.