Financial services giant Barclaycard is targeting high-value consumers with the debut of a free iPad version of its Rollercoaster Extreme game in the App Store.

The branded iPad game was developed by Fishlabs Entertainment in cooperation with Dare following the success of iPhone versions of Rollercoaster Extreme and another Barclaycard game called Waterslide Extreme. Building on the multichannel Barclaycard Rollercoaster campaign, the game sends players on a high-speed ride through the concrete canyons of the Big Apple.

“We want to make sure at Barclaycard we are at the forefront of innovation, so it is important to try out new technology,” said Hannah Deans, senior digital and new media manager at Barclaycard, London.

“It also allowed us to try the game in a different format and talk to a new audience,” she said. “The game is aimed at a younger demographic who we name ‘cosmopolitan aspirers’—they are seen to be tech-savvy urbanites.

“We are lucky enough that game appeals to all demographics, both in the UK and globally.”

Barclaycard is a global credit card and loan provider owned by Barclays plc. Barclays offers both MasterCard and Visa versions.

Barclaycard claims it is Europe’s leading issuer of credit cards with 10.4 million customers in Britain and 10.8 million outside Britain.

Barclaycard targets tablet users
Barclaycard’s Rollercoaster Extreme has surpassed 8 million downloads on the iPhone and iPod touch after eight weeks in the App Store.

The iPad version has been graphically enhanced for the tablet device.

Here is the iPad game’s home screen:

Features on the iPad version include eight detailed 3D courses through New York City, such as the Upper West Side, Downtown, Central Park and Chinatown, as well as a Bluetooth multi-player mode and Ghost Racing mode.

Players can earn special Rollercoaster Extreme badges at every difficulty level.

The multi-player functionality via Bluetooth lets you play against others for the win. The winner is the first one to roar across the finish line.

In the multi-player Ghost Racing mode, those who most skilfully use the boost and finish with the highest time bonus can even set a new world record.

In the single-player mode, players race against their own ghost.

The new multi-player features in the iPad version are also now available for the iPhone version as a free update.

Here is a screen grab of the various levels:

Barclaycard has also created a competition to promote the game, letting the best Rollercoaster Extreme players compete for a £50,000 Las Vegas playoff.

Fans can enter by posting their scores from the game to Barclaycard’s Facebook page.

Ms. Deans said the iPad game is another way Barclaycard is engaging with consumers on a global level, with global leader boards enabling people to play against one another no matter where they are in the world.

“The challenge this activity in particular addresses for Barclaycard is the need to communicate to a younger professional audience in a way that is both relevant and attractive,” Ms. Deans said.

“IPad and iPhone games allow us to make contact with consumers who prize innovation and may avoid traditional advertising—particularly financial services advertising—and allow them to experience the brand in a way that’s relevant to them,” she said.

“Following two successful advertising campaigns and the massive success of Waterslide Extreme, there is already a significant amount of interest in and recognition of the game, so we don’t have to rely too much on marketing as such, but we have made sure that all of our social media channels have communicated the new game to consumers, along with making contact to relevant gaming bloggers to ensure that they have a chance to play the game.”

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