iGDWC 2010: The Semi Finals Review

Oh, what a night.

In years to come, Wednesday 7th July 2010 will be remembered across the app community as the Clash of The Mega Powers.

From all four corners of the globe, Angry Birds, Doodle Jump, Chaos Rings, and Fruit Ninja descended upon Bath and London's twin iStadia for two semi final shootouts of sensational suspense.

180 minutes and 12 goals later, two of these iPhone wonders of the world would be driving off in their Flick Kick-sponsored team coaches into the Heathrow sunset / terminus.

The remaining pair would bask in, savour, and just downright celebrate the biggest victories of their fledgling careers hitherto.

For those of us fortunate enough to have been present at this year’s iPhone Game Developers World Championship these past three and a half weeks, the competition’s semi finals would prove an undeniable zenith...for now.

This coming weekend, the match for third place and one other rather small affair kick off on Pocket Gamer’s hallowed turf.

Before we preview those two mouth watering gala events, let’s reflect fittingly on the Final Four encounters last Wednesday night...

Chaos Only Rings Ninjas Twice
Anticipation, expectation, the whiff of burger vans, and a number of our fuming, Finnish feathered friends were in the air come semi finals day.

The build up in the online media had reached fever pitch. Hastily-erected satellite links ensured fans and voters across the planet could tune in to the latest instalments of the hittest show on cable TV.

But who would prevail??

Over in iStadium II, Japan’s universally-praised Chaos Rings, dressed in appropriate keikogi, and Halfbrick’s Fruit Ninja listened respectfully to the national anthems, bowed, and then proceeded to knock seven bells out of each other.

Sparring, in every sense of the word, dominated the early going during which clear cut chances were few and far between.

In Escher and Musiea, Media.Vision’s RPG possessed arguably the competition’s most dangerous twin strike force. Able to read and sense each other’s movements anywhere in the attacking third, the Japanese twosome resembled an Asian Iniesta and Xavi.

Until a coveted Pocket Gamer Silver Award was unveiled ceremonially by the Nippon gaffer, the otherwise deadly duo had been successfully stymied. Galvanised by the prestigious trinket, Japan caught the Australians out twice in quick succession on the fast break.

The ute-driving, Castlemaine XXXX-swilling, shrimp-gobblers needn’t have worried, though.

After a half time dressing down filled with fruity language that would make Sir Alex Ferguson blush even redder than usual, the Australian cobbers emerged out of the tunnel to a rapturous reception.

Oz barmen in their thousands had snapped up tickets for the big match and, surprise, surprise, they weren’t shy in expressing their support. In a matter of minutes, the game had been transformed – Fruit Ninja had carved open a host of opportunities and three had been sliced into the net.

Seemingly out of the tournament in the baying face of 30,000 didgeridoos, 1,200 Jason Donovan lookalikes, and 2.3 million tinnies, Japan rallied for an equaliser, only to be pierced once more in the dying seconds by a slashing drive that burned through the goalie’s outstretched hands.

So, Australia had booked its spot in the end game.

Would old swimming foes America join them or could Finland do the whole of Europe proud one more time in the final countdown?

Doodlers Flying to the Finnish?
Doodle Jump and Angry Birds entered the iStadium arena to a thunderous ovation. Critics and supporters alike had been waiting all season for these two App Store colossi to, in the words of the late Marvin Gaye, get...it...on.

This was no love-in, mind: special guest referee Pierluigi Colleen Roonio had been drafted in to eradicate any fowl play, for tensions were inevitably high (albeit higher in Finland’s case).

After a flurry of activity not witnessed since TK Maxx’s 6am summer sale in Stoke Newington, the Yanks and the Finns eventually settled into a mere frantic rhythm.

Chucking crosses in from both wings, Rovio Mobile’s flyers were pushing strongly for the opening goal. Lima Sky’s four-legged frontman couldn’t get into his stride, a mistimed jump at a devilish corner summing up the Doodler’s contribution.

In a remarkably similar vein to the Japan v Australia semi, inspiration was sought from the sidelines towards the end of the first half.

A pair of Silver Awards, sewn carefully into the respective national teams’ flags, was hoisted high above the terraces. Serving as obvious spurs, the PG accolades triggered headed goals for both the previously-struggling Doodle and Angry Birds’ ginger menace.

The 12th man is often cited as the difference in tight, tense affairs, but on this occasion the 12,000th American fan was influencing matters in unprecedented ways.

Yanks are renowned for supporting their sporting heroes in vast numbers, and the entire population of California had seemingly converged on Bath for the second half.

Suffice to say, the Nordic warriors didn’t stand, or fly, a chance, as Doodle Jump’s fanatical army energised the players and ensured the US would square off in Sunday’s glittering Final.

62 down, two to go...
Once more, the rivalries developed at this tournament have illustrated the depth and diversity of mobile studios, indie houses, and bedroom coders the world over that continue to support the iOS platform.

With only the third place match and the grand final remaining (see full preview), please make sure you pledge your allegiance, register your vote, and tune in for the latest results from this, the Greatest iPhone App Show on Earth.

The line-up is as follows:

Flight Control (Firemint) vs (Lima Sky) Doodle Jump

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