Shorebird Hunt for the Emerald Dragonfly app for iPhone and iPad

A playful, hand-drawn, single level side-scroller game thats fun for all ages. BE. THE. BIRD. Eat the things you like and avoid the animals and objects that zap your health-- crabs, owls, even a shark! Just single tap the screen to fly.

What is Shorebird: Hunt for the Emerald Dragonfly?

With Shorebird I set out to make a very simple, intuitive, different looking casual game. When I was commuting to work on my bike I would frequently pass through a wetlands area where there were usually two or three shorebirds pecking at the mud. I just loved the look of these unique birds, and thought they would make a fun game.

In terms of genre, or style of game, I was influenced by some of the endless runners I was playing at the time so I went with the side-scrolling, single level, design. But within this single level, there are really seven goals, or benchmarks, with each passing of a dragonfly, the final being the green (or emerald) dragonfly. Also, with each of these passing dragonflies, the obstacles become more frequent and more damaging. The final “level” is packed with every possible enemy, including a bunch of sharks!

I’ve been surprised, and encouraged, by how difficult players find the game. It is so seemingly simple: single taps, one health bar, rather predictable enemies and damage. But even one wrong move at the wrong time can damage the Shorebird’s health to the point where players are suddenly fighting for their lives! A full run at the game takes over twenty minutes, so patience and pacing are keys to success.

Here are some of the features that make this game unique:

• Single tap interface anywhere on the screen. (Careful, though, because every tap also costs you some energy.)
• Single, unobtrusive, banner ad at the top of the screen. Designed to not interfere with gameplay.
• Simple scoreboard at the end of each round, including captured dragonflies.
• A hand-drawn style. All artwork drawn by yours truly!
• Music on or off option.
• Tutorial walk-through.

I hope you enjoy!

David

Developer and Owner, Gainey Studios