Bo!nk
Game, 2021
The Mission
Create a nostalgic mobile game fun for all ages
Background
Growing up, I spent countless hours on virtual machines, experimenting with old Windows versions. In particular, Windows Vista always stood out to me, especially the game InkBall. The simple yet addictive gameplay, nostalgic visuals, combined with the satisfying physics of bouncing balls and strategic hole placement, made it one of my favorite casual games. Like the rest of Vista, InkBall was ahead of its time and removed in Windows 7. When I started learning game development, I knew I wanted to recreate this nostalgic experience for mobile devices.
Design and Gameplay
As the UX designer who conceived the idea, I directed the vision of the game and created the map of several levels. We designed Bo!nk to faithfully recreate the core Inkball experience while adapting it for touch interfaces:
Touch Controls
Intuitive touch-based drawing system that lets players draw lines to guide balls into matching colored holes.
Physics Engine
Realistic ball physics using SpriteKit's physics engine for authentic bouncing and collision detection.
Progressive Difficulty
Multiple levels with increasing complexity, introducing new obstacles and mechanics as players advance.
Modern Yet Nostalgic Aesthetic
Created a new visual style respecting Windows Vista's legacy, with authentic colors, fonts, and UI elements.
We also added a twist: players have a finite amount of ink to draw lines per level. Thus, players must be frugal in their inputs.
Technical Implementation
The game was built in Unity using C#, ShaderLab, and HLSL. Our team tackled key technical challenges including:
- • Implementing smooth touch-based line drawing with real-time physics interaction
- • Creating accurate ball physics that felt authentic to the original game
- • Optimizing performance for smooth 60fps gameplay on various iOS devices
- • Designing an intuitive level progression system
- • Implementing proper game state management and save/load functionality
User Reviews
Awesome game
"This game was extremely fun to play and I has lots of fun. Yes, this is definitely one of the best mobile games I ever played in my life! I would love to see more of these games!"
App Store Journey
Publishing Bo!nk on the App Store was a significant learning experience. The process involved:
- • Learning Apple's App Store guidelines and submission requirements
- • Creating app icons, screenshots, and marketing materials
- • Writing compelling app descriptions and metadata
- • Going through the review process and addressing feedback
- • Understanding app analytics and user engagement metrics
- • Renaming the game from "Boink" to "Bo!nk." Unbeknownst to us, the original name is inappropriate in Dutch. This was one of the first pieces of feedback the App Store gave us
Results & Takeaways
Bo!nk successfully launched on the App Store and provided valuable insights into mobile game development:
Game Development
Learned the fundamentals of game design, physics simulation, and creating engaging user experiences that keep players coming back.
iOS Development
Gained deep experience with iOS development patterns.
Product Launch
Experienced the complete product lifecycle from concept to App Store publication, including marketing, user feedback, and iteration.
User-Centered Design
Learned the importance of intuitive interfaces and how to adapt desktop experiences for mobile touch interactions.
Bo!nk remains available on the App Store and represents an important milestone in my development journey. It sparked my passion for creating digital experiences and laid the foundation for my future work in technology and product development.
Try it out here!
