Minesweeper Widget Editionis a new app launching in the App Store today that, as you might have guessed, brings a playable Minesweeper widget to the Today tab of Notification Center. Developed by the same guy who madeOverglide, another playable Notification Center widget, Minesweeper Widget Edition promises to offer short and quick gaming to make your wait in line at the grocery store ever so enjoyable.
The game is pretty straightforward. After adding it to Notification Center, simply bring it up and start tapping away to uncover those dangerous mines. The app itself contains the settings of the game, allowing you to play in Easy, Intermediate, or Expert mode. Even better, you may also create custom games by choosing the grid width as well as the number of mines per grid.
The game works fine but I did notice some lag while pulling down Notification Center after installing the widget, which makes me believe its stability could be improved. Alex Mather, the developer of Minesweeper Widget Edition, was quoted saying: “We really pushed the limits of what’s possible in a widget withOverglideand hit some teething problems on some devices in the first release but we’ve learned a lot from that process and with Minesweeper – Widget Edition we’re confident it will be stable for everyone to enjoy from day one.”
If the past is any indication, we’re confident Mather will be updating the app to make it more stable and fix any kind of performance issues.
According toApple’s documentation, Today widgets should be quick, simple, limited and highlight information users are interested in, a description this game does not fit. Several weeks ago, I wouldn’t have expected this game to have a long life span in the App Store, but it seems Apple has loosened up a bit and is now allowing widgets to do more, even if it goes beyond the scope of what the company had envisioned.
If quick and simple games are your cup of tea, then you will probably find Minesweeper Widget Edition a fun little title to add to your Notification Center. You candownload Minesweeper Widget Editionfor $0.99 in the App Store.
