Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Developer, iPhone, App Store
Tap Tap Revolution to be sold by Tapulous, called Tap Tap Revenge
Nate True, iPhone developer extraordinaire and friend of TUAW (but who isn't, really), has sold off his Tap Tap Revolution game to a company called Tapulous, and they're renaming it Tap Tap Revenge and are going to try selling it in the iPhone's (and iPod touch's) App Store. The game isn't much tweaked from its jailbroken incarnation, but there is a chaotic two-player mode, seen above, that could be a lot of fun. I've never played the original version, so I have no idea what's up with the shaking, but it looks like it incorporates some accelerometer fun as well.
If you're a super TTR fan, Tapulous tells us that they've got a wallpaper to download on their site right now, and that more videos will be coming out over the weekend, so stay tuned. All these games are looking terrific, but of course the one thing we haven't heard confirmed from any of them is when and if they'll be showing up on the App Store. That, it seems, is up to Apple. It doesn't matter how many games you've got ready to go -- if Apple doesn't have them set for download right away, both the devs and iPhone owners will miss a nice opportunity.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Stephen.4 said 4:38PM on 7-04-2008
The accelerometer was not used in the jailbroken version either. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
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Drew said 4:55PM on 7-04-2008
It was an alright game for free. It wasn't accurate enough though. But I doubt I'll buy it.
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mark said 5:01PM on 7-04-2008
I'd love to know how much Nate was paid for this.
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dagamer34 said 5:21PM on 7-04-2008
Games like this is why I don't complain all the time about Apple putting restrictions in the App Store. I don't want to hunt through crappy apps just to find something useful!
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mike said 10:02PM on 7-04-2008
so... when you go to the store to buy a piece of software, you look at the box and...what...imagine how good it would be to use a piece of software? read the bs marketing all over the box and suddenly feel an urge to drop $79? no, you buy it cuz you heard it was good (unless you've used the software before, in which case, moot point altogether)
its called trial software and word of mouth (and if its good enough, reviews on the web/magazines)
yes. there is a lot of stupid crappy useless software out there, most of it trial software/donationware.. do what you always did, get stuff if you hear it's good.
stfu.
Frank T. said 6:47PM on 7-04-2008
I completely appreciate and respect the tremendous amount of work and development that must have gone into this game, (and any development project for that matter). I will openly say that I have downloaded the game, as well as Nate's super finder for the iPhone. I have used both and made sure to give both "applications" the proper time that they deserve before making any judgments.
The super finder is definitely cool for novelty purposes, and if you are a heavy iPhone multi-tasker (browsing the web while talking on speaker phone, writing notes and emailing you tube links), it might come in handy. But it takes a tad bit of getting used to. If Nate needed a donation to keep development going for his apps I would help him out. But, I wouldn't personally buy the super finder as mini-applications like this should be free for the general public. There is no major innovation that goes into an app like this, merely some tweaking and (in the developers opinion) an enhancement or minor improvement to what Apple thought the best route would be.
I downloaded Tap Tap Revolution through the installer.app on a jailbroken iPhone about 6 weeks ago, and (frustratingly) played it for about 3 weeks before rapidly removing it from the iPhone. I respect the casual-gaming industry which has skyrocketed into a multi-billion dollar a year industry. I understand that people need to have casual games and other options beyond full-out games like Crash Bandicoot, Super Monkey Ball or Spore, but Tap Tap Revolution seems forever lost in conceptualization. The user experience is a big step backwards for the iPhone, and applications for the iPhone in general. While Apple has made a tremendous leap forward with releasing the iPhone SDK and the App Store, games like seem more like an old-school Atari trial at touch screens. Some games and applications are meant to be for the iPhone, Tap Tap Revolution is not.
Just because the SDK exists and the App Store exist doesn't mean you have to narrowly focus on developing for the iPhone. I'm sure with Nate's talent, creativity and ability to turn a game from an idea into an assortment of files that work together, he will be able to develop and launch wonderful additions to the iPhone/Apple community. But these two applications are definitely a miss, and a big one at that.
I hope Tapulous has some major plans to overhaul the design and functionality of Tap Tap Revolution. Because if they don't, it's only a matter of time before people discover how downright unusable these applications are.
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Tony said 7:08PM on 7-04-2008
Whatever happens there will be a fair bit of dross on the appstore.. especially at the beginning, where I bet all the new owners will happily download *anything* that looks new and shiny.
Once sites spring up recommending the best ones, telling people about the crap, etc. the a real market should form and it'll be a lot better. The dross will still be there, but there will be a real financial incentive to be the best.
Bizzle said 12:58AM on 7-05-2008
Super Finder? Tell me more... I've looked everywhere and can't find such a thing, but it sounds interesting.
Katanna said 7:42PM on 7-04-2008
That head-to-head looks like a lot of fun! Two player games have no hold in this market, and I hope that we see more of this type of thing. I might buy it just for that!
Matthew
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bart said 10:02PM on 7-04-2008
Tap Tap Revenge will be free of charge on launch. Later on, we will offer premium tracks, themes and a premium edition.
The AppStore version maintains the core gameplay from the extremely popular Jailbreak version, but we have completely reworked the menu and navigation system, updated the artwork, added two-player head-to-head mode, shakes, new tracks and numerous gameplay refinements. That's just the beginning: in the coming weeks we'll be releasing exciting additional new features.
So make sure to check it out next Friday!
Frank T. said 1:10AM on 7-05-2008
@Bizzle: Here's the link.
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/08/31/dock-gets-a-spiffy-new-update/
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Dave said 6:47PM on 7-06-2008
Tapulous is the name of the company run by the guys who make 1Password, it is their "iPhone" company.
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nkatz said 2:39AM on 7-08-2008
Sorry for the double post, folks... :(
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nkatz said 2:43AM on 7-08-2008
I downloaded Tap Tap and tried it out for about 2 weeks some time ago. It's pretty and kinda fun in its way but I can't get excited about because it just seems like a good way to speed the advancement of carpal tunnel syndrome. My fingers/wrists starting aching pretty quickly.
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Jimmy R said 8:00PM on 8-18-2008
Here is a fairly complete review of the App itself:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/makeuseof-your-iphone-tap-tap-revenge/
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