Category Archives: Pixelated

Version 3.1 of Pixelated

Pixelated has been updated to version 3.1 in BlackBerry AppWorld for both phones, and the PlayBook. This update adds the ability to share your best scores on Facebook and Twitter on most devices running OS 7. On the PlayBook an additional option has been added to move the controls to the left side of the screen for easier left handed play. These updates also included a few other minor improvements.

About Pixelated

Pixelated is an addicting puzzle based strategy game that requires a mixture of skill and luck in order to complete. Starting with the square in the upper left corner, the object of the game is to change the colour of the squares until the entire screen is a single solid colour. This is done by repeatedly by changing the colour of the blocks in order to match that of the surrounding squares until the entire screen is a single colour. The object of the game is to clear the screen in as few moves as possible.

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BlackBerry, Pixelated

Pixelated Plus updated to Version 3.1

Pixelated Plus has been updated to version 3.1 in BlackBerry AppWorld. This update adds the ability to share your best scores on Facebook and Twitter on most devices running OS 7. For PlayBook and Nook users an additional option has been added to move the controls to the left side of the screen for easier left handed play. The updates also included a few other minor improvements.

About Pixelated Plus

Pixelated Plus is an addicting puzzle based strategy game that requires a mixture of skill and luck in order to accomplish. The object of the game is to change the colour of the squares until the entire screen is a single solid colour. Starting with the square in the upper left corner you can change the colour of the blocks in order to match that of the surrounding squares. This is done repeatedly until the entire screen is a single colour. The object of the game is to clear the screen in as few moves as possible. Under the default settings you must do so in under 22 moves in order to win.

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BlackBerry, Pixelated

A second look at the benefits of localization

A first look at the benefits of localization back in October, found little evidence that there was that much to gain from adding the feature. Regardless support for Pixelated Plus (and its free sibling Pixelated) was expanded from English only to support a total of five languages with the release of version 3.0.

In the below charts percentages are shown from October (the month before the release of version 3.0) and December (the month after the release of version 3.0). All downloads and sales on the PlayBook were excluded from these stats. All languages that are not currently supported are lumped into the ‘Other’ category. First a look at downloads of the free game Pixelated in October and December.

English and Spanish are by far the most popular languages. After adding support for more languages there is a bit of an increase in the percentage of users with Spanish as their primary language, but a bit of a decrease among speakers of Dutch, while French and Portuguese are mostly flat.

The next charts show purchases of Pixelated Plus from October and December.

This chart shows an increase of percent of purchases made by users of Spanish and French. Even more interesting is that the increase seen here is larger then the size of the increase seen in the free version of Pixelated. Sales to users speaking Dutch, however, are down (similar to what was seen in the top graph).

So perhaps there are some advantages to localization. But the results are (at best) mixed. Still it is important to remember that not users have English as their preferred language.

BlackBerry, Pixelated, Statistics

Pixelated Plus on the Nook

Pixelated Plus in now available on the Nook Color, and the Nook Tablet. This offers all of the same options as the BlackBerry version of the game does.

The app supports seven color schemes, three grid sizes, and multiple difficulty levels. The game fully supports English, Spanish, Dutch, French, and Portuguese.

About Pixelated Plus

Pixelated Plus is an addicting puzzle based strategy game that requires a mixture of skill and luck in order to accomplish. The object of the game is to change the colour of the squares until the entire screen is a single solid colour. Starting with the square in the upper left corner you can change the colour of the blocks in order to match that of the surrounding squares. This is done repeatedly until the entire screen is a single colour. The object of the game is to clear the screen in as few moves as possible. Under the default settings you must do so in under 22 moves in order to win.

Links & Information

Nook, Pixelated

Pixelated updated to version 3.0

This weekend Pixelated was updated to version 3.0 adding BBM integration and support for 5 languages. The languages supported by Pixelated now include English, Spanish, Dutch, French, and Portuguese. This update also improves the stability and efficiency of the application. Pixelated is free to download and supports every BlackBerry device released in the last three years including the PlayBook.

BBM Integration

Pixelated now integrates with BlackBerry Messenger, allowing you to publish your best scores to your BBM personal message, and posting your achievements earned to a Pixelated profile box. You also have the option of inviting your friends to download Pixelated by using the “Share via BBM” button on the About page.

About Pixelated

Pixelated is an addicting puzzle based strategy game that requires a mixture of skill and luck in order to complete. Starting with the square in the upper left corner, the object of the game is to change the colour of the squares until the entire screen is a single solid colour. This is done by repeatedly by changing the colour of the blocks in order to match that of the surrounding squares until the entire screen is a single colour. The object of the game is to clear the screen in as few moves as possible.

Links & Information

BBM, BlackBerry, Pixelated

Pixelated Plus version 3.0

Pixelated Plus has been updated to version 3.0 in BlackBerry AppWorld. This update adds BBM integration, and expands language support to English, Spanish, Dutch, French, and Portuguese. This update also improves the stability and efficiency of the application.

BBM Integration

Pixelated Plus now integrates with BlackBerry Messenger, allowing you to publish your best scores to your BBM personal message, and posting your achievements earned to a Pixelated Plus profile box. You also have the option of inviting your friends to download Pixelated Plus by using the “Share via BBM” button on the About page.

About Pixelated Plus

Pixelated Plus is an addicting puzzle based strategy game that requires a mixture of skill and luck in order to accomplish. The object of the game is to change the colour of the squares until the entire screen is a single solid colour. Starting with the square in the upper left corner you can change the colour of the blocks in order to match that of the surrounding squares. This is done repeatedly until the entire screen is a single colour. The object of the game is to clear the screen in as few moves as possible. Under the default settings you must do so in under 22 moves in order to win.

Links & Information

BBM, BlackBerry, Pixelated

Version 2.7 of Pixelated released

This past weekend Pixelated was updated to version 2.7 in BlackBerry AppWorld. Like with Pixelated Plus version 2.7 includes better navigation on the BlackBerry PlayBook, as well as support for the upcoming 9900, 9930, 9360, 9810, and 9850 BlackBerry models.

PlayBook interface

The BlackBerry PlayBook version of Pixelated Plus now has an interface that can be mostly controlled by swiping around the screen. The main menu can be swiped down from the top bezel as before, but now can also be swiped back up. Additionally these additional screens for statistics and options slide down from the top of the device, and can be swiped back up in order to return to the game. This is more consistent with general navigation throughout the PlayBook’s OS where most everything is opened and closed via swipes rather then button presses.

New Devices

Pixelated Plus now supports the soon to be released BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930, the Torch 9810, the Curve 9360, and the touchscreen only 9850. The full list of supported BlackBerry models are as follows: 8330, 8350i, 8520, 8530, 8900, 8910, 8980, 9000, 9100, 9105, 9300, 9330, 9360, 9500, 9520, 9530, 9550, 9630, 9650, 9670, 9700, 9780, 9800, 9810, 9850, 9900, 9930, and the BlackBerry PlayBook.

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BlackBerry, Pixelated, PlayBook

Pixelated Plus updated to version 2.7

Pixelated Plus has been updated to version 2.7 in BlackBerry AppWorld. This new version includes better navigation on the BlackBerry PlayBook, as well as support for the upcoming 9900, 9930, 9360, 9810, and 9850 BlackBerry models. Also there was a bug fix in regards to the saving of in progress games that was added in version 2.6 of the game.

PlayBook interface

The BlackBerry PlayBook version of Pixelated Plus now has an interface that can be mostly controlled by swiping around the screen. The main menu can be swiped down from the top bezel as before, but now can also be swiped back up. Additionally these additional screens for statistics and options slide down from the top of the device, and can be swiped back up in order to return to the game. This is more consistent with general navigation throughout the PlayBook’s OS where most everything is opened and closed via swipes rather then button presses.

New Devices

Pixelated Plus now supports the soon to be released BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930, the Torch 9810, the Curve 9360, and the touchscreen only 9850. The full list of supported BlackBerry models are as follows: 8330, 8350i, 8520, 8530, 8900, 8910, 8980, 9000, 9100, 9105, 9300, 9330, 9360, 9500, 9520, 9530, 9550, 9630, 9650, 9670, 9700, 9780, 9800, 9810, 9850, 9900, 9930, and the BlackBerry PlayBook.

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BlackBerry, Pixelated, PlayBook

2 Years of Pixelated Plus

On this date, back in 2009 the first three copies of Pixelated Plus were sold. Not only did this kick off what is still my most successful game, but also was the first step towards allowing me to take on developing BlackBerry applications as a full time job.

The first version of Pixelated Plus only supported the BlackBerry Storm, and quite honestly wasn’t all that polished. The fact that very few people saw this application until version 2.0 was released 10 months later was probably a good thing. Still this was one of the earliest games in BlackBerry AppWorld, and is the foundation for all of the success that Ebscer has today.

Pixelated is now up to version 2.6 and supports 23 different devices including the BlackBerry PlayBook. Support for more features and more devices (9300/9330) continue to be planned.

So here is a thanks to the millions of people who have made Pixelated a success, and who continue enjoying this addictive pleasure of coloured squares.

BlackBerry, Pixelated

Why Pixelated will continue to have a free version

A few weeks ago iOS developer Marco Arment wrote a very good post on why he would no longer be offering a free version of his app Instapaper. Unlike that app, however, Pixelated will continue to have a free version of the app available for download.

In many ways this is a response to that article, but that doesn’t mean that one approach is always better. As Marco said “Every app is a special case”. And what makes sense for Instapaper does not make sense for Pixelated.

Why Pixelated is different

While Instapaper saw very few users first download the free app and then upgrade there is no reason to think that anyone purchases Pixelated Plus without first trying the free version of Pixelated. The free version has consistently gotten higher on the overall charts including recently reaching number one overall spot for the PlayBook. This visibility has always been key for Pixelated and is the foundation for the success of this game.

Also having the free version of the app available results in no direct costs for me. Unlike Instapaper there is no backend component to Pixelated so using the free version of does not result in any server costs. Additionally it shares enough of a code base with Pixelated Plus that development costs are negligible.

Where Pixelated is not different

There are some downsides to having a free version of the app. For many people the free version of the game is “good enough”. Pixelated (by design) is not limited in game play so if you are the type of user that does not need to know your stats, the number of moves left, or a variable difficulty, there is not all that much reason to upgrade to Pixelated Plus.

Also as Marco also saw the reviews for the free version are slightly lower then the reviews for the paid version of the game. A good number of these reviews are simply asking for features that are in the $2.99 Pixelated Plus. The amount of money that the free version of the game brings in through advertising is relatively small.

Overall Consensus


While the free version of Pixelated brings in only a little revenue through ad views, its true purpose is to generate awareness and sales for Pixelated Plus. In that it is doing a great job to the point where the application is better off with the free version sticking around. Historically sales of Pixelated Plus have seen little change in sales when the paid version is updated, but will see a spike in sales following an update to the free version of the app.

While Pixelated is probably well known enough at this point to not as desperately need a free version, but given the fact that this game continues to sell so well almost two years after it was first released is really not a reason to knock out the parts that of the equation that made this app a success in the first place.

BlackBerry, Pixelated

Pixelated updated to version 2.6

Pixelated has now been updated to version 2.6, one day after Pixelated Plus was updated. This new version fixes the bugs the previous PlayBook version had, and now automatically saves any in-progress games for both the tablet and smartphone versions of the app.

New in version 2.6

In addition to the bug fixes, much of the user interface was also reworked on the PlayBook, making fonts easier to read, and adding direct links to take you to the website, and to email support for the app. The main change for the smartphone version of the app is that persistence of games from one session to another. You can now exit the application (or even restart your phone) and not lose any progress in your current game.

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BlackBerry, Pixelated