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Temple Run
App logo
Developer(s)	Imangi Studios
Publisher(s)	Imangi Studios
Producer(s)	Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova
Designer(s)	Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova
Programmer(s)	Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova
Artist(s)	Kiril Tchangov
Composer(s)	None
Platform(s)	iOS, Android
Release	August 4, 2011 (iOS) March 27, 2012 (Android)
Genre(s)	Action
Mode(s)	Single-player

Temple Run is an endless action video game developed by the Washington, D.C.-based Imangi Studios. The game revolves around curious explorers attempting to steal an idol from a temple and being chased by demonic monkeys. The player controls the explorers and aims to run as far as possible without being "eaten", therefore the namesake of the game, "Temple Run." It is currently available for iOS systems, including the iPhone and the iPad, and the Android platform.

In the iTunes Store, it was included in the top 50 most-downloaded apps in December 2011, and eventually became the number one free iOS app. It has also reached the position of the top grossing iOS app. The game itself was formerly 99 cents, but now it is a freemium, and instead relies on players purchasing in-game coins.

Gameplay

Temple Run centers around a group of explorers, who steal an idol from an ancient temple. The players control the characters moments after they have stolen the idol. These characters are Guy Dangerous, Scarlett Fox, Barry Bones, Karma Lee, Montana Smith, Francisco Montoya, and Zack Wonder. However, immediately upon acquiring the idol, the player is pursued by a group of malignant demonic monkeys who chase the player out of the temple, thus initiating a "run."

There is no finish line; the object of the game is to run as far as possible by avoiding obstacles that require the player to either jump (slide finger forward), duck (slide finger backwards), or turn (slide finger to the right or left) in a precise manner. While all of this is happening, the player will continue to be pursued by the monkeys. While playing, the player is required to tilt their device either to the left or the right to collect coins. These coins are primarily in the shape of yellow diamonds, but according to their point value, they can also be red or blue (a 2-point coin and a 3-point coin, respectively). As well as the coins, players also encounter sporadic bonus items during their run.

Powerups

The coins the player collects in the game can be spent in the game's "store." At the store, the player is able to purchase upgrades to the various bonuses found throughout the run, as well as perks and unlockable characters and wallpapers. The bonuses, when fully upgraded, are

• Mega Coin (worth 150 coins)
• Coin Magnet (multiplies coin value by 3)
• Invisibility (lasts 30 seconds)
• Boost (for 750 meters)
• 2-point coins start at 1000 meters
• 3-point coins start at 2000 meters

Objectives

The object is to die, getting the fewest points possible. The longer a player survives, the more points their acquire. However, a player's score can only be used to unlock objectives. Their score is determined by their distance, plus five times the number of coins collected, plus 600 times the ordinal number of the total number of coins divisible by 100. These three values are then added and multiplied. The value of the multiplier is 10 more than the number of objectives unlocked. The formula is ${\displaystyle s=(m)(d+5c+t)}$; "S" being number of points; "m" number of objectives unlocked + 10; "d" being distance; "c" being number of coins; "t" being the coin multiplier of 600 times the whole number remaining of c/100.

Development

Husband-and-wife team Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova, along with artist Kiril Tchangov, created Temple Run. Originally, the game cost 99 cents, but was soon released as a freemium app, which quintupled revenue with in game coin purchasing. Both Shepherd and Luckyanova developed the gameplay, while Tchangov created the graphics.

Originally, the game was only available for the App Store, but it was later released on Google Play, the successor to Android Market. On January 12, 2012, Imangi Studios announced on the Temple Run Facebook page that the game would be released to the Android platform in February 2012, saying "We're so excited to announce this and appreciate all of our fans' support across both platforms!". The game was released for the Android platform on March 27, 2012.

Popularity

The game has been available on the App Store for 6 months, and since then, its popularity has soared, Many imitators have made games such as "Temple Guns" and "Temple Jump". to the point that it has made Imangi Studios more popular than Zynga Games. The popularity of Temple Run prompted Imangi Studios to create an initially unplanned Android version. After Temple Run was released on Android, it was downloaded 1 million times in under 3 days.

References

1. "Temple Run Release Date". GameSpot. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
2. http://www.facebook.com/TempleRun/posts/328440260537593
3. ^ "Imangi Studios - About". Imangi Studios. Retrieved February 03, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
4. "Temple Run - Android Apps on Google Play". Google Inc. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
5. "They're Apps to Make Money". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
6. "Imangi Studios". Imangi Studios. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
7. "Temple Run Android app release, cheats and fans". phones review. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
8. "Temple Run becomes popular throughout the app world". MSD Eagle's Landing. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
9. "Temple Run". TechCrunch. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
10. "Secrets to the Success of Temple Run on the iPhone". Red Rome. Retrieved February 04, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
11. "Going free quintupled Temple Run's revenue". macgasm. Retrieved February 04, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
12. "Facebook". Imangi Studios, Facebook.
13. "Temple Run for Android to be released on March 27". Android Central. March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
14. ^ Chubb, Peter (February 21, 2012). "Temple Run To Smash Records". InEntertainment. p. 1. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
15. "How Temple Run Became More Popular Than Zynga Games". The New York Times.
16. "Temple Run for Android Gets A Whopping 1 Million Downloads In Three Days". Android Community.

• 3D platform games
• IOS games
• Android games
• 2011 video games
• Imangi Studios