Sean Callahan has developed his own Apple II version of the iOS game Ballz. Dubbed “Applz“, the port was written in Visual Studio Code using the DASM assembler and Callahan’s own Retro Programmer’s Workshop (RPW) extension, which provides VSCode support for 6502 assembly language.
Applz is a variation on Breakout in which a wave of bricks advances down the screen. It’s up to the player to aim balls and ricochet them to destroy the bricks before the bricks reach the bottom of the screen. Applz supports both joystick and keyboard inputs, and inspiration for the graphics came from Bill Budge’s Raster Blaster.
The source code for the game is available in GitHub, as is a DOS 3.3 DSK image for use in Apple II emulators.
The original Ballz was the #1 game in the Apple App Store in March 2017. Wrote one reviewer:
“Ballz” is an incredibly fun, incredibly addictive game that’s perfect for passing the time. And it’s free! There’s really no reason not to try.
Dave Smith
Ballz was published by Ketchapp, who also made the mobile game Prince of Persia Escape, based on Jordan Mechner‘s classic Apple II title.
(Hat tip to Sean Callahan on Facebook via Antoine Vignau on Slack)