The Font Game for the iPhone and iPod Touch

I Love Typography (ILT) released The Font Game, a new application that tests typeface knowledge, on December 17th for the iPhone and iPod Touch. ILT founder John Boardley designed gameplay along with Kari Pätilä, who also created online support. Justin Stahl developed the game; it is his second application for the iPhone. (His first was the very useful reference tool, The Typographic Manual.)

A quick look at The Font Game:

Gameplay

The Font Game tests typeface knowledge through timed 30-question rounds. The game displays a font and the user must select the typeface from four options. The goal is to correctly identify as many fonts as possible in as little time as possible. There are three difficult levels (from the viewpoint of The Journal’s moderately skilled staff):

• Somewhat Difficult is not much of a challenge. Those who know their way around the standard fonts will be amused.
• Rather Difficult is a major step up, with the inclusion of less common display faces and italics or bolds. Process of elimination is key.
• Exceedingly Difficult is all-out madness. Everything looks alien; font names appear foreign.

Post-game review shows the correct answers. A convenient in-game feature posts scores and times directly to Twitter and an online Hall of Fame. If you were to look here, you find Nancy Wu.

Hall of Fame Times (in seconds):

Some quick math: 30 questions in 47 seconds equates to 1.6 seconds per question. Thirty questions in 35 seconds is about 1.2 seconds per question. Average human reaction time is about 0.7 seconds. This is fast – so fast that fonts must be recognized before realized and decisions made nearly subconsciously.

Nancy Wu Spills the Beans

So, how did Wu attain this legendary status?

“I was home … with a bad head cold and was taking care of my young son while getting addicted to this really fun game,” she told The Journal in December. “I now have a bunch of fonts I really want to buy.”

Nancy Wu has been involved in the communication arts for seventeen years as a designer and art director. She recently taught a typography class at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC. “While I was in design school I used to memorize my Letraset and Mecanorma type catalogs,” she explained.

How long did it take Wu to master the game?

She estimates only eight hours – with two hour-long marathon sessions – over a single weekend. “Once I was better and Monday rolled around I wasn’t playing as much.”

Wu has held her ground for four solid weeks. Only time will tell if she remains at the top of the charts.

The Journal staff would like to thank Nancy Wu for answering our questions. However, we are still baffled by her speed. A full transcription of the email interview can be viewed here.