OpenFeint Might Be the Best IPhone App for Gamers

There's a growing buzz in the iPhone gaming community about OpenFeint. It's a social gaming network that brings XBox Live-like Achievements, Leaderboards, and chat to the iPhone and iPod Touch. The network is already supported by over 1,000 games and that number is growing every day.

Lately, OpenFeint's app has been bringing a free game each day to Apple's mobile gaming platform through its website FreeGameoftheDay.com. On some days the free game is a "lite" version of a popular title, but on other days, a fully-functional free game is available for download through the App Store.

A Social Gaming Network for the iPhone and iPod Touch

OpenFeint is developed by Aurora Feint, who also produced the iPhone MMO game, Arena Daemons. Thus it was a natural move for this company to fill in the iPhone world's social gaming void. Many console gamers love the game replayability provided by Achievements, as well as the social interaction on XBox Live and the PlayStation Network, and now iPhone gamers can join the party.

The free game deal is perfect for growing an iPhone gaming library, especially when the free game isn't a lite version of an existing title. Still, even those lite versions are great for trying out a game app before deciding to pay for it at the App Store.

OpenFeint Integrates Easily on the iPhone

The OpenFeint system integrates easily on the iPhone once the first OpenFeint-enabled app is installed on the device. The system uses the device ID to track the user and automatically recognizes them when a new app is installed.

The optional OpenFeint app makes browsing the network's forums easier along with providing an easy interface to see that day's free game. The user can also browse their library of enabled games and track their earned achievements and leaderboard rankings. This is also possible from within each enabled game.

The network also uses the iPhone's location-tracking technology to allow the user to see if any players local to them are competing for leaderboard space or even to find someone to play against.

Excellent Developer Support Helps Grow the Library

Aurora Feint provides excellent developer support to assist game makers in rigging new games or retro-fitting older titles with OpenFeint. It provides both a well-documented SDK and online forums to assist in this area.

The rapid success in growing the OpenFeint library is testament to the quality of their documentation and support. The network has quickly become the de facto standard for iPhone social gaming.

Most iPhone gamers are probably aware of OpenFeint through downloading an enabled title from the App Store. The recent introduction of the OpenFeint app and its free game of the day promotion make it a must download for any iPhone gamer.