We first started work on the Reflexion project in the summer of 2008. We had been playing with the iPhone SDK for a while and were exploring different game interactions that would be unique to the iPhone's capabilities. Most of our previous projects were on the Sidekick platform, which had a dedicated d-pad. It was clear from the get-go that using on screen controls would be a mistake, the iPhone deserved better.

One day we came across the idea of drawing game elements directly onto the screen instead of trying to mimic traditional controls. This is a fine distinction but an important one. Yes, you can control game elements using touch, by dragging them, or touching to indicate where you want a paddle, but this is very different than directly 'drawing' onto the screen. The latter is more natural and provides far more freedom. So our first idea was to use touch to draw 'shields' of a sort. You would be a peaceful race, protecting your planet from alien invasion. Although your race was advanced, it had no offensive weapons, only powerful shields so the goal would be to draw shields to reflect the enemies' missiles back at them.

We played with this concept for a little while, it was pretty fun, but at some point we decided that we could use the same unique dynamic of drawing the shields into a rework of one of our favorite classic games, Arkanoid. After all, as a famous composer once said, the trick to writing new music that is loved is to make it both new and familiar. So we tweaked the game and introduced the standard bricks and powerups that we've all come to love in brick breakers.

With the new direction things were moving along relatively well until we got pulled into some other projects and Reflexion got mothballed. There it sat until we hired a new developer, David Whitlark, who finally had the time to give it the attention it deserved.

Once David started digging into it again, we came to have a new appreciation for how very different the gameplay was from Arkanoid. Suddenly your paddle is not restricted to being at the bottom of the screen, it can be anywhere, you can even have multiple paddles in completely different places. David discovered that you could swing the paddle around like a bat, trapping and forcing the ball through gems, inventing the 'windmill' attack. Level design itself also becomes far more interesting: you can start the ball at the top, bottom or even on a side and vary the openings where the ball can be lost.

As we neared completion we were feeling good about the game, but there was a nagging feeling that it still missed something. We were often fighting an all too delicate balance designing levels. They often felt too tricky and hard, more work than play. At this point David came up with the idea of allowing the user to trigger a slow motion mode by shaking the phone. This really brought things to the next level. Suddenly, using your slow motion power at the appropriate times made the previously frustrating levels immensely satisfying. It also added another unique way of interacting with the game, using the accelerometer in a way that wasn't gimmicky but rather natural.

Although we've made quite a few games over the years, Reflexion is probably the one we are most proud of. The gameplay is unique, yet easy to pick up and we find it both fun and challenging. Give it a try, we think you'll agree.