Last month, the Island Run Bahamas app officially launched in the Google Play and iOS stores. The interactive game follows its main character Daniella, as she navigates the streets of Nassau, avoiding obstacles and collecting coins all while being accompanied by a Royal Bahamian potcake dog.
App creator Don Williams, released a beta test version of Island Run Bahamas shortly before Father’s Day. He described the app as a Bahamian adaptation of the ‘endless running’ game genre made popular by apps like Subway Surfers and Temple Run with strong Bahamian elements. A trained accountant and operations manager in the hospitality industry, Williams came up with the idea for Island Run Bahamas in the summer of 2015 to entertain his tech-savvy toddler, Daniella.
“My daughter loves playing games on her tablet and other electronic devices. I wanted to create a character based on her with elements representing The Bahamas,” he said. “We recently completed phase one of the app development and have made the Island Run Bahamas app available to download for free for both Apple and Android users.”
Players get a true sense of the sights and sounds of the country. Julien Believe’s Caribbean Slide rings out from smart phones and tablets as runners enter the boost level, flying over palm trees and zooming past landmarks on the back of a pink flamingo or Bahamasair plane while collecting additional gold coins. Gamers see iconic Bahamian landmarks like the House of Parliament building in Downtown, Nassau and views of the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort in the distance as they move through two running schemes.
“This period is a testing phase. We are looking for honest feedback on all elements of the game from design to ease of use. Our goal is to have 1000 downloads by the end of August and we plan to use the feedback in our second round of development,” Williams explained.
Future models of the app will include improved graphics and up to 30 running schemes, each depicting scenes from around The Bahamas. The phase two platform will also challenge players to bypass game levels by correctly answering Bahamian trivia. Williams is seeking to raise additional capital to improve the app’s functionality and ultimately wants Island Run Bahamas to be used as a branding tool for the tourism market.
“From a marketing perspective, we know that apps have the ability to connect users from anywhere in the world to products and services. I see this as an engaging and entertaining way to introduce The Bahamas’ tourism product to a targeted audience in a new way. Players who have experienced a taste of The Bahamas can hop on a boat or plane and bring that virtual reality to life by visiting our islands.”
After downloading and testing the app, gamers are asked to provide feedback by visiting www.islandrunbahamas.com, emailing islandrungame@gmail.com or sending comments and suggestions directly through Instagram and Twitter @islandrunbah and https://m.facebook.com/islandrunbah/.
This content was provided by Windward Public Relations
