Bounden
A unique dancing game for two
Ratings
Age
4+
Category
Family
Languages
English
Sat Jan 08 2022
Hey friends! We updated some old code and built the game using the latest software. Should anything look weird or not function correctly, please reach out to me (Adriaan) through my website: http://adriaan.games
Bounden is an experimental dancing game that uses your smartphone's sensors to guide two players through a series of choreographed movements. By each holding one end of the phone, players must tilt and rotate the device to follow a path on a virtual sphere. Developed in collaboration with the Dutch National Ballet, Bounden features 8 unique dances, classical music, and video tutorials to help you master the art of synchronized movement. It's a game about cooperation, tangling limbs, and having fun.
Dinsun Expert Review
Our Expert Score
Bounden is one of the most innovative uses of a smartphone I have ever seen. It’s technically a game, but in practice, it’s a choreography tool. By having two people hold the same phone and follow a virtual ball along a path, the game forces your bodies into a graceful (or hilariously clumsy) dance. It turns your device into a focal point for physical connection, which is a rare and beautiful feat for an app.
The involvement of the Dutch National Ballet is evident in the elegance of the movements. Even if you have zero dance experience, the game guides you through motions that make you feel artistic. It’s a fantastic icebreaker and a brilliant example of how technology can facilitate human-to-human interaction in the real world rather than just isolating us behind screens. It’s more of an 'experience' than a traditional game, and it’s one that everyone should try at least once.
Features
8 unique dances choreographed by the Dutch National Ballet
Instructional videos with professional ballet dancers
Stunning minimalist visual design
A unique physical social experience
Tips & Walkthrough
Don't grip the phone too tightly. Use your thumbs on the corners and let the phone pivot naturally between you. Focus on the ring on the screen; when it aligns with the ball, that is when you should begin your rotation.
Gameplays
The ring on the screen represents your shared center. As it moves across the virtual globe, you must rotate and dip the phone to keep the marker centered. This physically forces you and your partner to move in a dance-like fashion.
Screenshot
Q&A
Not at all! The game is designed for all skill levels, focusing on the fun of moving together rather than technical perfection.
Ratings & Reviews
We tried, but it just didn't click
Sun May 12 2019 3k3m1n1Really cool concept, but we just couldn't get into the music. After level 1 it gets so confusing that we sort of just bs thru it until we give up. Also, the videos are impossible to follow (but interesting to watch!)
Gets too hard too fast
Sat Dec 30 2017 kate_kadooThis game has a good concept but is almost impossible after the first level. It's fun until it starts telling you you're going TOO FAST! Or TOO SLOW! No, I didn't come here to be told that "I'm not doing it right!" And that in order to do anything beyond the first and second level it requires practice and doing it over and over to progress. How is that fun? It is just frustrating. It would be improved with easier dancing and help with the tricky moves. And, what is up with all the levels being locked?! I paid for this app, let me try the other levels!
2 players needed
Fri Mar 13 2015 AverageRomanicDudeCan NOT play with 1 person. That being said it is a really innovative game for 2 people. Sure it might be $1 more than it should be for a 2 person only game but keep this in your arsenal for a good go-to impromptu date. It gets you closer to your partner better than a dinner and movie. It will keep you both laughing and learning together. It's a lot cheaper and reusable. The makers did a bad job with the preview pictures (2 girls dancing together = :/ ) but if you've read this far it's really worth while getting for its originality and innovativeness. Directions are not very clear, but think of the circle like an open mouth and the sphere's opening like another mouth; since there's 2 players there's 2 mouths making a conversation.
No Dance
Tue Feb 08 2022 FreeSoul6666No Dancing element. just rotate the phone.
Special
Mon May 26 2014 weienwNothing else like this out there. Fun to invite family and friends to play the tutorial, and see them dance about and come to feel good about their skills. Feels like the difficulty ramps up a lot after the first couple levels, but there's nothing wrong with that -- just gotta work at it a bit. :) and learn to trust your partner.
Awesome game and cool idea!
Wed Mar 11 2015 Deedeekins87I tested this game at PAX East 2014 and I've been waiting for it to come out ever since! This game has definitely been fun to play! What a cool concept for a multiplayer game using 1 phone, not to mention all of the work that had to go into it! Definitely worth it! :)
Something Different
Thu Jul 30 2015 Marbles2x2Such an interesting "game". Takes a bit to really grasp by once you and your partner have it down it's tons of fun. Just in case it's not obvious this is a strictly two player experience.
Beautiful inventive game
Thu May 29 2014 Buck WilsonTons of fun at a party! It works with airplay so you can pipe the sound through speakers so everyone can hear while you dance. It gets pretty challenging so if you want to master it you'll need some patience and a cooperative partner!
Some Youtube Videos found!
News found!
Bounden, Fingle studio closes its doors in AprilGame Oven Studios, the independent Dutch team behind body-morphing mobile games Bounden, Bam fu, Fingle and Friendstrap, will be disbanded...
Engadget Sun Mar 01 2015
Get lost (and found) in the playful world of Hidden Folks - Kill Screen - PreviouslyWhen game designer Adriaan de Jongh (of Bounden fame) stumbled upon Sylvain Tegroeg's work, he was mesmerized. Tegroeg's black-and-white...
www.killscreen.com Tue Nov 29 2016
If you love adult coloring books, you'll enjoy 'Hidden Folks'Hidden Folks is a deceptive game. It appears simplistic, featuring black-and-white line drawings of industrial plants, dense cities,...
www.yahoo.com Mon Feb 29 2016
Interactive Where's Waldo-like Hidden Folks announcedWhat happens when you take the interactivity of video games and you mix it with Where's Waldo? Hidden Folks apparently. It's made by Adriaan...
Pocket Gamer Mon Feb 29 2016
GDC 2016: Quirky indie Where's Wally-like Hidden Folks wins the Big Indie Pitch in San FranciscoAdriaan de Jongh is no stranger at Pocket Gamer's Big Indie Pitch events. His graceful dancing game Bounden took home a prize a few years...
Pocket Gamer Fri Apr 29 2016
