Overview
In 2008, while running my software company Dijital Media, I spotted an opportunity in Apple's brand-new App Store. I allocated resources from our existing product revenue to fund iPhone development, assembled a small team including a longtime collaborator from my game design studies, and we shipped Slide It in the platform's first year.
The game features an original puzzle mechanic: a 7×7 grid where entire rows and columns slide together, challenging players to match colored tiles to slots under time pressure. We focused on polish—smooth animations, intuitive touch controls, and a progressive difficulty curve across 50+ hand-crafted levels.
I produced the project, defined the game design, created the visual identity, and handled distribution. Seventeen years later, the codebase still compiles and runs on modern iOS—a testament to the engineering standards we maintained even on a tight indie budget.
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Key Features
- Original puzzle mechanic: contiguous tile sliding with color-matching strategy
- Endless gameplay with progressive difficulty curve
- Multiplier system rewarding consecutive matches
- Fluid touch controls optimized for first-generation iPhone
- Game Center integration for achievements and leaderboards
- Shipped in App Store's inaugural year