Chime: a great game and a good cause

Charity singles are a well-established way of making money for good causes. Until now, charity games have tended to be free, Flash affairs online that raise awareness rather than cash.

Now, though, the first commercial release from charity gaming initiative One Big Game has gone live and while the modest price (400 MS points on Xbox Live – 34p) might not seem like much, 60 per cent of it goes to children’s charities including Save the Children. One Big Game is the brainchild of industry veteran Martin de Ronde but its success will depend on the quality of its games. Thankfully, if future releases are anything like ‘Chime’, the charity coffers should get ahealthy boost. Deceptively simple in design, ‘Chime’ plays like a mix of ‘Tetris’, ‘Jenga’ and a jigsaw puzzle, taxing your spatial awareness while soothing frayed nerves with a blissed-out soundtrack. It’s very good – in both senses of the word.