Smith & Tinker, the heavily-funded Seattle company founded by gaming veteran Jordan Weisman, has released a new iOS game in partnership with Marvel Entertainment called Marvel Kapow! It marks the company’s first move into mobile gaming, following a failed effort to promote a newtoy and online game known as Nanovor.
A 3-D version of Marvel Kapow costs $3.99, while a regular version sells for $1.99. Free versions of the game also are available.
“Players can slash with Wolverine’s claws, rebound blasts with Captain America’s mighty shield, capture with Spider-Man’s web and smite with Thor’s hammer as they vanquish an onslaught of cyber-bots based on Marvel’s greatest Super Villains,” according to a company description of the game.
Founded in 2007, Smith & Tinker raised $29 million from Paul Allen’s Vulcan, DCM, Alsop Louie Ventures, Foundry Group and others, with some of those funds used to develop a new gaming device called the Nanoscope.
The idea — which came amid the rise of the iPhone — didn’t catch on with young boys. As a result, the company eliminated the Nanoscope, altered Nanovor and cut a large percentage of its staff in late 2009.
Now, Smith & Tinker is focusing its efforts on mobile games, building on the back of existing devices.
“With the explosive growth of touch-based smart devices now being adopted by men, women and even trickling down to kids, we’re presented with an unprecedented opportunity to bring our games to a very wide audience on a mobile platform”, said Smith & Tinker CEO Joe Lawandus in a press release.