Fresh off the heals of having one of their apps named App of the Year, the next epic adventure from digital animation and storytelling company Moonbot Studios, “The Numberlys,” is now available in the App Store.
Featuring a black and white aesthetic inspired by Fritz Lang’s silent film, “Metropolis,” the interactive storybook app offers a unique cinematic experience and innovative game play to engage users in an imaginative, interactive story about the origin of the alphabet.
In a stylistic approach reminiscent of Lang’s ground-breaking, science-fiction classic, “The Numberlys” imagines a time when there was no alphabet, only numbers. It’s an interactive adventure that follows five unique friends who set out to create a world filled with letters, and require help from the user to achieve their goal. With more than 18 inventive games, the app promises to entertain, amaze and educate children of all ages.
The Numberlys App Teaser from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.
“‘The Numberlys’ translates the story of Metropolis for a kids’ audience,” said William Joyce, managing creative partner of Moonbot Studios. “The app is a science fiction adventure combined with a tongue-in-cheek story about the creation of the alphabet.”
“With our first storybook app, ‘The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,’ we combined Buster Keaton and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with favorite MGM musicals,” said Brandon Oldenburg, “The Numberlys” co-director and creative partner for Moonbot Studios. “With ‘The Numberlys,’ we decided to mix science fiction epics of the past, the Marx Brothers and a dash of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.”
Like all apps produced by Moonbot Studios, the primary focus in creating “The Numberlys” was to bring a meaningful story to life on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Drawing upon creative touchstones from the past, “The Numberlys” was inspired by iconic moments in history, including silent films, German Expressionism and the vintage comedy of the Marx Brothers. Much like the Morris Lessmore App, engaging the user in furthering the narrative formed an essential element of the product.