Daily iPad App: Phrase Game is a party game in an app
The intersection of physical games and Apple's iOS platform is interesting -- the iPad and the iPhone are very good for abstracted interfaces, just because you're touching them directly rather than using a mouse or a keyboard, so it makes sense that they'd be ideal for interacting in a game-like fashion in real space. And Phrase Game, by Removem's Matt Martel, basically does just that. It's a party game, similar to Taboo or even Pictionary, and you play it like one of those.
You need at least four people (or two teams), and the idea is that you actually pass the iPad around from player to player, each time getting a phrase that everyone else needs to guess. It's interesting -- the action in this game is all outside of the iPad itself. Other than just a suggested phrase (which comes from a series of categories, and you can buy more via in-app purchase) and the timer, the fun comes from you and your party, not the iOS device.
It's a cool idea, and if you are having a get-together this weekend, it's probably worth the free download to see if you can give it a shot. I think there's lots more that can be done here. So many video games focus on just what's happening on screen, or a virtual simulation of some kind, but there's so much fun we can have in person as well that I think there are plenty of ways iOS apps and iOS devices can simply help govern that.
