How Taito conquered the iPhone

Speaking to Develop in our recently published interview the director and graphic designer of Taito’s iPhone hit Space Invaders Infinity Gene has detailed how he and his team tackled developing a fast action game for a platform that is sometimes criticised for the control options it offers.

"It was difficult coming up with a control system that would be stress-free for the player, but I don’t think that’s particularly special to the shooter genre with regards to the iPhone," admitted Reisuke Ishida. "I experimented with a number of different schemes before finally arriving at the one that appears in the final game."

Taito has recently enjoyed great success on the iPhone, thanks largely to its Space Invaders, Cooking Mama and Puzzle Bobble releases, all of which recently starred in Apples itunes Rewind Retrospective.

"It’s also a love letter to the gaming culture as a whole," said Ishida of Infinty Gene. "If it helps even one new person rediscover the fun and wonder of gaming, then I’ll be very happy indeed. The control system used is synchronized with the movement of the player’s finger, and as a result there’s no upper limit to the speed at which a player’s ship can be moved."

To read the full interview, click here.