Former AAA publisher-led developer completes move to cross-platform indie with physics-based game jam
After 17 years of PC-only development Firefly Studios has released their first ever mobile title. Produced during a game jam at the developer’s London office, Wonky Tower is a physics-based puzzle platformer designed to pave the way for Firefly’s move into mobile gaming:
Ever wondered how a small tower built using wooden crates, steel girders, frying pans and the odd wild animal can support the weight of a single energetic simian? Wonky Tower provides you with the requisite building materials to help Pogo the Monkey traverse green hills, molten lava and icy tundras. Use wacky items and sandbox physics to construct a tower, ramp, bridge or platform and carry your monkey to victory. Use bananas to unlock top tier building materials, allowing you to craft the ultimate tower!
As Firefly prepares for their first Stronghold title to arrive on mobile later this year, Wonky Tower is being released as an experiment in the hotly competitive mobile gaming marketplace. With most team members taking part in Ludum Dare or working on their own games outside of work hours, it made sense to prototype and release a small project before diving headfirst into the iOS and Android market with Stronghold Kingdoms.
“Few developers have $200,000 to blow on user acquisition every month, so you either experiment or your app drops like a lead weight. To do that you need games” said Nick Tannahill, Business Development Manager at Firefly Studios. “Alternatives exist such as PR, app store optimisation and community building but there’s no silver bullet. Most of us don’t have the funds to break into mobile. We know nothing, so we’re releasing this game to learn the ropes instead of risking everything on Stronghold Kingdoms.”
Wonky Tower is out now on iOS and Android.
About Wonky Tower
Ever wondered how a small tower made out of wood, glue, marshmallows and frying pans can support the weight of a single energetic simian? Play builder Wonky Tower and find out! Pogo the Monkey must use building materials and physics to traverse mountains covered with green hills, molten lava, icy tundras and more in pursuit of bananas. As the omnipresent architect of the Wonky World this can’t be done without your help! Use wacky items to construct a tower, ramp, bridge or platform to carry your monkey to victory. Jump between crates, planks, steel girders and the odd wild animal as you guide Pogo across each level to reach the goal. Feeling lucky? Use bananas to unlock top tier building materials, allowing you to craft the ultimate tower!