Firemint's Rob Murray on upcoming Agent Squeek: 'We want this to be the Mario of the iPhone gaming world'

With two Apple design awards, two back-to-back Game of the Year Pocket Gamer Awards, and heaps of praise from the gaming community, Firemint CEO Rob Murray is still anxious.

Agent Squeek, the next big game from the iOS-centric developer, comes after two mammoth hits: Flight Control and Real Racing.

But success isn't to be taken for granted. There's no resting on laurels in the Firemint family, and the studio is apprehensive about reactions to its new game.

Murray, who has spoken candidly with me on several occasions, seemed the same man at GDC 2011 as he was before critical and commercial praise inundated the Australian company: excited, determined, and humble.

"We've been working hard on Agent Squeek for well over a year now," he reveals. "It's a new game, but I'm hoping people really like it."

The game has you playing a secret agent mouse called Squeek, who is charged with nabbing bits of cheese. Naturally, feline foes guard each piece and figuring out a way to sneak past them is at the heart of the game.

"We want this to be the Mario of the iPhone gaming world," Murray says. Much like Nintendo's iconic figure, Agent Squeek has mainstream appeal. While attractive to casual gamers, there's a hardcore streak to this mighty mouse.

Straightforward touch controls - draw paths using a finger - ensure the game is easy for first-time gamers. However, the levels are varied and challenging. All manner of tricks and traps promise a challenge for veteran players.

"It's about reaching the casual market along with appealing to the hardcore," Murray explains. "Casual doesn't have to be easy."

Flight Control backs up his point. While the game is easy to pick up and play, landing a hundred aircraft is no easy task. The genre-defining title has been as much a hit with hardcore gamers as with the casual crowd.

"Agent Squeek is hardcore in terms of satisfying that craving for depth," Murray says. "You can go as deep as you want, which is ideal for the device's portable nature."

Firemint's games are defined by this delicate balance of accessibility and depth.

It's something that Murray believes makes iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad games successful, and he's not in a rush to embrace other platforms. Quality is the primary priority for Murray and his team of talent developers at Firemint, which is why the studio releases so few titles each year.

"We're still iOS first - iPhone first."