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Apple: Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart Best-Selling iPhone/iPod Touch App

by VGChartz Staff, posted on 14 April 2009 / 2,780 Views

Original post at Popzara Blogs :

Since launching in support of its 3G iPhone and second-generation iPod Touch last July, Apple's App Store has been met with unprecedented support and media fanfare, as the company continues its slow transformation from fruity computer company to full-fledged software provider. To help celebrate the impending one-billionth App downloaded, some impressive numbers have been making the rounds and it looks as though gaming is helping drive their converstion.

Apple is reporting that downloaded games now represent 30% of all free Apps and a whopping 70% of all paid Apps through the store since its launch last July.  Pangea's Enigmo, Bejewled 2, Moto Chaser, Flick Fishing , and of course, Tetris .

Topping the list of paid applications is Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D , published by Activision and one of the App store's first titles. With its $5.99 (US) pricetag, this helps make Crash's Apple debut one of the costliest downloads for the platform, which alongside fellow best-seller Super Monkey Ball , seems to justify the higher price-tag.

The most downloaded free App is Tapulous's Tap Revenge , another debut release and the fourth most-popular free download on the platform, after Facebook, Google Earth, and Pandora Radio applications.  Pac-Man Lite, FlipSide5's Touch Hockey: FS5, Codify AB's Labyrinth Lite Edition , and SGN iBowl were other popular choices as well.

Apple seems to have adopted the curious system of not revealing actual sales figures of their downloaded Apps, leaving many to speculate and perhaps fill in the gaps through more unconvential means.  But as the highly-anticipated 1,000,000,000 App is on its way, that's one number you can be sure they'll imprint upon the public when it happens.

Thanks to GameIndustry.biz for the biz-ness!


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16 Comments

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averyblund
averyblund (on 15 April 2009)

^^^ I'm assuming you don't do mobile development. The nightmare of dealing with carrier and making sure support hundreds of different JavaME specs is daunting to say the least. At this point the puzzle market is pretty mature. Even a good puzzler is going to have to be pretty unique to breakout. The one you pointed out looks good, but not original enough to break out from the pack. Sure the top 50 lists are pretty crappy, but successfully devs have already learned to advertise externally. Same as the do for other platforms.

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shams
shams (on 15 April 2009)

I have a link somewhere of the story of one indy developer. He released his numbers, even though he wasn't supposed to. Over the first month, he sold a whopping 110 copies of his game. It seemed to be a pretty good quality 'puzzler', and retailed for around $2US. Got excellent reviews, etc. 99% of titles on the AppStore absolutely flunk, and make no money at all. The remaining 1% make heaps of money. Its very much a positive feedback loop. My studio is going to keep away from the AppStore like the plague - for various reasons.

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magicaces
magicaces (on 15 April 2009)

Have any of you guys got an iPhone or iTouch???? Haven't played crash bandicoot but have downloaded the lite version of time crisis which is pretty cool...the iPhone/iTouch will never compete with the PSP or DS in terms of quality of gaming but for free or very cheap games, usually 2 or 3 quid they are worth a buy and sometimes surprise you...Sim City is pretty amazing on the iPhone. Numbers wise, remember this is just a phone/ipod and people are buying 100ks of games and other apps, so well done apple! TBH I love my iPhone so am a little biased but it can do so much and so easily...video, music, games, email, internet (everything but flash, which is annoying) and the range of apps on the app store is scary! Apps like facebook, google earth, im+, skype work really well and give you the easiest way to access these products on the move anytime anywhere and there free! Basically its the best phone ever...not the best games console ever and never will be.

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The Fury
The Fury (on 15 April 2009)

iPhone Apps? How many people have downloaded the 'Bill Splitter' app, like on the advert? The one that's basically a calculator with one function that even has a 'No Split' option......so basically gives you the bill you've already enter. The 'Where's my car?' one is good as well...wait, I don't mean good do i?

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Sullla
Sullla (on 15 April 2009)

I would love to see some actual download numbers from Apple; it always seems suspicious when companies don't release them. I also don't think that the DS or PSP are in any particular danger, if the most popular iPhone game costs $6.

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That Guy
That Guy (on 14 April 2009)

5.99 being one of the more EXPENSIVE games? sheesh.

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Dr.KennethNoisewater
Dr.KennethNoisewater (on 14 April 2009)

I jailbroke Crash Nitro Kart

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ChichiriMuyo
ChichiriMuyo (on 14 April 2009)

It's a $6, how much do you guys really expect?

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Gearbox
Gearbox (on 14 April 2009)

super monkey ball sold 300k in the first 10 days. pangea states if ur in the top 100 ur selling at least 1 k a week! so super monkey ball is prolly around 400kish? (sound reasonable) crash bandicoot is prolly around 600k to 700k (it could be WAY higher, but i dont think it would be any less then 550k)

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Demoki
Demoki (on 14 April 2009)

quality and quantity guaranteed with apple software i see

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sabby_e17
sabby_e17 (on 14 April 2009)

I remeber Crash Team Racing on the PS1. That game was great and ALOT better than Mario Cart.

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Munkeh111
Munkeh111 (on 14 April 2009)

I played the game at an Apple shop, having recently come from playing Burnout Paradise (maybe an unfair comparison...) but it nearly made me cry it was so bad and just not fun... but I don't really like games like Mario Cart Basically, I know it has nothing on WipEout Pulse, the PSP's premier racer, {or Ridge Racer for that matter} and I doubt it has anything on MK DS

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lapsed_gamer
lapsed_gamer (on 14 April 2009)

The game is not bad. Any chance of getting numbers?

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Aj_habfan
Aj_habfan (on 14 April 2009)

Probably as exciting as the rest of the games - tilt the screen to one side, and go through a plain track.

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wfz
wfz (on 14 April 2009)

Interesting! I haven't heard of this game before now, I wonder how good it is.

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