Coin Touch 1.4.0

Tap the coins to collect money before the timer runs out.

Each coin has a 3-second timer.

Try to beat the high score.

Save up money to buy power-ups.

Have fun.

On Monday, my eight-year-old son asked if we could create a game and publish it in the app store for free so all his friends could play.

In our household, screen time is only allowed if it's productive. Hence, it seemed like my son considered making and play-testing a video game as a clever loophole to this rule. Since the screen time rule applies to me as well, I agreed to his idea.

I said, "Okay, but I don't do 3D programming, so let's keep it simple."

He seemed to understand because he suggested, "How about a white screen with coins that you have to touch before time runs out? Let's call it Coin Touch."

Creating the white screen took only a minute. He was impressed. With a few more minutes, we had one coin appearing randomly on the screen. After a bit more work, he could touch the coin, keep score, introduce more coins, and so on.

Here's the game he created after about a week and a half, with extensive playtesting in between.

• We realized that having just one coin on the screen was too bland, so we made it start with two coins and progressively get more challenging.
• We received feedback from him like "Dad, it's too hard. Dad, you should be able to hold down the buttons. Dad, the 'game over' message should not come during countdown as you can't hear it." We continued to refine the game based on these inputs.
• He independently recorded sound effects using the iPad camera; all the sounds were from his own imagination.
• In line with other games he plays, he wanted players to earn power-ups for free by watching videos. Consequently, we added rewards for watching ads. He even expressed interest in our app being featured in ads while players engage with other games. I explained that if we generate ad revenue, we could consider such promotions since they come at a cost. His response was amazement: "We get paid if people watch ads? So, Dad, will the money go into your account or mine?"
• Subsequently, I informed him that some of the artwork had to be redone as we didn't have ownership rights and it wasn't royalty-free. I took care of the drawing while he handled the coloring.
• Eventually, we enhanced the initial white screen with something more engaging.
• He particularly enjoys holding down the laser button and using it like a machine gun. I find it equally entertaining; you definitely have to try it!
• Although he had more ideas, I mentioned that his brother also wants a chance to create a game. Therefore, stay tuned for updates—maybe some exciting new power-ups!

Tip: The larger your device's screen size, the easier it is for multiple people to help tap the coins.

*This game is free and contains ads accessible only if you choose to watch them.

Working together was a fantastic experience. The only minor disagreement we had was deciding on using an image of a coin as the icon since I believed it would better represent the game. However, children have their fascination with treasure chests.

We trust you'll enjoy this game as much as we do; may you find it as captivating and addictive!