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AquaDrop 1.1 for iOS - Use Bubble Jets to Move Balls in Underwater Game

Summary:

Power App today announces AquaDrop 1.1 for iOS, an update to their Game where play takes place underwater, and players must use streams of bubbles to push balls up from the sea floor and into baskets. Featuring advanced underwater game physics, the arcade game includes left and right bubble jet controllers, which must be tapped repeatedly to carry balls upward. Players can influence the ball's horizontal movement by tilting their iOS device, trying to achieve the highest score in the least time.

Body:

Pfaeffikon, Switzerland - Power App today is pleased to introduce AquaDrop 1.1 for iOS, an update to their casual Game where play takes place underwater, and players must use streams of bubbles to push balls up from the sea floor and into baskets. Featuring advanced underwater game physics, the arcade game includes left and right bubble jet controllers, which must be tapped repeatedly to create a continuous stream that will carry balls upward. Players can influence the ball's horizontal movement by tilting their iOS device, trying to achieve the highest score in the least time. The game includes four levels of play, each with five stages: Angel Fish, Clown Fish, Dolphin, and Goldfish.

The game offers a hypnotic quality, akin to gazing at multi-colored fish inside an aquarium. Fish swim by randomly, and plants sway back and forth in the currents at the sea floor. Mini soccer balls, just heavy enough to sink to the bottom, rest on the uneven seabed and slowly move under the influence of gravity and the gentle currents. Balls are identical, but there are two different colors, red and yellow. One and/or two- thirds up the screen are one or two translucent, plastic baskets (grey, red, or yellow). The goal of the game is to get the required number of colored balls into matching colored baskets in the allotted time (50 seconds). 

The first thing players notice when operating the bubble jet controls is that touching the large circular button produces no result at all. Only after the player lifts their finger from the control does a two-second stream of tiny air bubbles shoot up from the bottom right and/or left corner(s). Balls nearby are affected by the air bubbles, forcing them upward. In addition to the strong, linear force of the stream itself (less than the width of a single ball), there are resultant hydraulic forces pushing nearby balls upward, though not as strongly. 

In fact, tilting the iPhone so that all the balls are against the bottom left of the screen, one can see each ball come under a greater influence of the bubble stream as the iPhone is tilted right. As the balls slowly move rightward, they are caught up in a steep, hydraulic stream until carried straight upward on air bubbles. The underwater physics are highly realistic, and give a true sense of how balls might move when actually underwater.

Grey baskets accept red or yellow balls. At higher stages, players are required to match the colors of balls and baskets, and baskets may be moving. Players will develop their own style of tapping and tilting the device to maneuver the balls into baskets. Future updates will include more advanced levels of play and fish/ball interaction. Version 1.1 introduces spiked, metal balls, which will shatter any basket they inadvertently enter as they are carried upward on the bubble jet. Also new in v1.1 are triangular indicators at the top of the screen that track the horizontal position of any ball that has been pushed so high it is temporarily off the screen.

Playing Levels:
*** Angel Fish
* Stage 1 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 1 grey
* Stage 2 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 2 grey
* Stage 3 - Goal: 5 yellow balls & 5 red balls; Baskets: 1 yellow, 1 red
* Stage 4 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 1 grey, moving
* Stage 5 - Goal: 5 yellow balls & 5 red balls; Baskets: 1 yellow, 1 red, moving 
*** Clown Fish
* Stage 1 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 1 grey; Hazard: 1 mace ball (flail)
* Stage 2 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 2 grey; Hazard: 1 mace ball (flail)
* Stage 3 - Goal: 5 yellow balls & 5 red balls; Baskets: 1 yellow, 1 red; Hazard: 1 mace ball
* Stage 4 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 1 grey, moving; Hazard: 1 mace ball (flail)
* Stage 5 - Goal: 5 yellow balls & 5 red balls; Baskets: 1 yellow, 1 red, moving; Hazard: 1 mace ball
*** Dolphin
* Stage 1 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 1 grey
* Stage 2 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 2 grey
* Stage 3 - Goal: 5 yellow balls & 5 red balls; Baskets: 1 yellow, 1 red
* Stage 4 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 1 grey, moving
* Stage 5 - Goal: 5 yellow balls & 5 red balls; Baskets: 1 yellow, 1 red, moving 
*** Gold Fish
* Stage 1 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 1 grey; Hazard: 1 mace ball (flail)
* Stage 2 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 2 grey; Hazard: 1 mace ball (flail)
* Stage 3 - Goal: 5 yellow balls & 5 red balls; Baskets: 1 yellow, 1 red; Hazard: 1 mace ball
* Stage 4 - Goal: 5 yellow balls; Baskets: 1 grey, moving; Hazard: 1 mace ball (flail)
* Stage 5 - Goal: 5 yellow balls & 5 red balls; Baskets: 1 yellow, 1 red, moving; Hazard: 1 mace ball

Feature Highlights:
* Underwater arcade game for casual gameplay
* Advanced underwater physics engine
* Use streams of bubbles to get balls high enough to sink into baskets
* Tilt the iOS device to control horizontal movement of the colored balls
* Use the two bubble jet controllers to create a stream that carries balls upward
* Use the left and right edges of the screen to hold balls in place under jets
* Realistic underwater sound effects (optional)
* Four levels of play, each with five stages that unlock sequentially

"Fluid mechanics is a fascinating and complicated topic, and we are very proud of the underwater physics engine in AquaDrop," stated a spokesperson from Power App. "Try your hand at controlling underwater spheres that are too heavy to float, but light enough to be carried upward on a stream of air bubbles."

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch 
* iOS 3.2 or later (iOS 4.3 tested)
* 18 MB

Pricing and Availability:
AquaDrop 1.1 is only $2.99 (USD) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category. Review copies are available upon request.

Power APP GmbH 
AquaDrop 1.1 
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