Forget Candy Crush, 2048, or Flappy Bird. The most infuriating mobile game that has users tirelessly tapping their fingers in frustration is a six-second video that’s turned Vine into a digital version of Vegas with slot-machine loops.
https://vine.co/v/OXErJqQd97q
If you’ve ever spent endless hours at Chuck E. Cheese, you’ll be familiar with the gameplay premise. These six-second loops ask users to employ the same strategy as the arcade classic “Cyclone.”
Instead of asking users to stop a flashing light in the right location, the vines bait users into tapping their phone screens until they land a pair of glasses on a baseball player. No tokens required, but you have to “like” the vine for a chance to play.
https://vine.co/v/OiU2QaOpWzw
In one game, you try to get Channing Tatum’s head properly aligned on his body. In another, you land a smile on Kanye’s face. For the game creators, the end game is simple: get more likes by having users click until they win.
Sexualized spinoffs have also popped up. One lures users into ponying up a like for a chance to gawk at the groins of female celebrities. RAY ROD™ calls
Brands have even hopped on the latest Vine craze, co-opting the game to boost their reach on the app by having users comment with their results. The Chelsea Football Club created a seasonal slot where users tap to reveal which player they’d be. Guinness earns likes by revealing which world record you might hold.
https://vine.co/v/OHaDMxaIWuV
Illustration by Jason Reed
