Developers World Championship: Match Report - Scotland v Holland (Last 16)

SCOTLAND Bloons TD (Digital Goldfish)

VS HOLLAND Pulse: The Game (Virtual Fairground)

History in the making, people, once more at the inaugural iPhone Game Developers World Championship.

We're deep into the Last 16 and Scotland, yes Scotland, were still with us.

The perennial butt of Costa Rican, Peruvian, and Iranian jokes, the Tartan Army of Daglish, Souness, Burley, and co. have never progressed beyond the group stages at Sepp Blatter’s quadrennial event.

Luckily for the Auld Enemy, their app developers have shown more talent, courage, and conviction at Pocket Gamer’s month-long invitational than their soccer counterparts have in 80 years of top-level competition.

Aye, the wee laddies hav’nae let naeb’dy doon.

Trying to maintain this extraordinary run by the Scots was prolific dev. Digital Goldfish and its tower defence strategist, Bloons TD. Out to prove it was no Adobe Flash in the pan, the great blue hope had adapted brilliantly from its normal worldwide web pitches and stadia to humiliate Italy 5-1 in their Group F showdown.

Though Holland finished only runners-up in their group, they had actually notched up more wins hitherto than the Scottish squad. Two, in fact.

The music rhythm title Pulse: The Game, by Dutch-progressive-ambient-electro-vocal-funky-house-funky-monkey studio Virtual Fairground, had secured one of the twin victories in round one.

Of course, these two European warriors had gone into battle before...in 1978, in fact. Would Scotland produce another Archie Gemmill moment this afternoon or could the Oranje Army silence the drone of the bagpipe-shaped vuvuzelas?

Kick Off: 3pm, 29th June

The critical view: Mindful of PG trinkets disappearing in strange circumstances recently, Pulse: The Game’s head coach took no time at all to unveil its Bronze Award once the teams had stepped out of the tunnel.

Revved up to 142 bpm by the influential gong and an impassioned backroom staff, the Dutch stormed the iStadium dancefloor. Clearly intent on staying alive in this tournament they unleashed all their best moves and got their rewards. Just three minutes in and the Bloons TD backline had been breached.

Strutting his stuff down the wing, the Netherlands’ outside right shimmied into the 18 yard box and fell under a hefty challenge from the take-no-prisoners Jock.

To a chorus of red-faced boos from behind the goal, Pulse: The Game’s on-loan striker Hiroki Esashika stepped up and coolly converted the pen.

Seemingly entranced by Holland’s fresh and original gameplay, Bloons TD had to man up...and pronto. Its wide array of (offside) traps was the only protection from wave after sound wave of attacking menace.

Compatriot Ferry Corsten had promised to supply Holland’s elite with five exclusive tracks for the half-time break, yet this seemed to detract from the side’s performance in the run up to the interval.

Taking advantage of the sonic distraction, Scotland’s 50 levels played a one-two with its 15 tracks to move behind enemy lines and equalise via a bullet from 16 yards.

Game on then at this incredible stadium...

Half time: Scotland 1 – 1 Holland The Fans’ 45: We suspected that one or two Jocks might make the train trip down to Bath for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. However, we could never have expected half of Glasgow, three quarters of Edinburgh, and a third of Aberdeen to turn up on our doorstep.

Sporting what can only be described as long skirts and ginger wigs, the Tartan Army marched to its own beat, not the techno-infused clatter emanating from Pulse: The Game's contingent.

Holland's Facebook and Twitter tie-ins were unceremoniously muscled off the ball in a dangerous area of the pitch by Bloons TD's OpenFeint achievements.

Two goals in as many minutes, (the first from a prickly header at a corner, the second a long-range shot that somehow bubble-d through the keeper's hands), inspired the now-raucous Scotch and unearthed a familiar disharmony in the opposition camp.

Indeed, the majority of the Dutch team were still arguing amongst themselves over a broken down attack, when the Scottish forward artillery hurried into the vacant space and launched the killer fourth past an unprotected keeper.

Suffice to say, the Tennants flowed freely as the blue half of
a capacity crowd celebrated their progress into uncharted territory.

Could this journey end on the 11th July? Don't stop believing.

Full time: Scotland 4 – 1 Holland Latest Group Tables - Fixtures & Voting - Squads

Confused? Click here to go to the iPhone Game Developers World Championship info page.

MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS: The iPhone Game Developers World Championship 2010 is brought to you by Pocket Gamer in association with FlickKick Football> check it out!