Melbourne, Australia – Microwag today is pleased to announce the release and immediate availability of BugStar 1.0, their new mash’em game designed for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch devices. Players must use quick reflexes by tapping the screen of their device to mash the eight different bugs that have escaped the laboratory and earn the highest score.

BugStar has two different game modes: Classic and Mania. In Classic, the players get three lives and must not mash the spider. If the spider is mashed, the game is over. Mashing three green leaves that are carried on the backs of some of the bugs will earn the player an additional life. Whilst in Mania, players have 60 seconds to wreak mash destruction and earn a high score. Extra points can be earned by placing spiders in the trash can located in the lower left of the screen. However, if they mash the spider, points are deducted from their score. There is also the opportunity to earn extra time for accuracy and successful mashes.

Feature Highlights:
* Colorful and easy-to-navigate User Interface
* Fun graphics and sound effects
* Two different game modes: Classic and Mania
* 8 different bugs to mash
* 4 different weapons include newspaper, hammer, frypan, and a thong
* 3 different power-ups: Spider Shields, Bug Barriers, and Weapon Upgrades
* Multiple levels
* Ability to record and share gameplay video
* Game Center enabled
* Earn gold leaves for special upgrades
* Ability to play right or left-handed

Gold leaves can be earned or are available as an in-app purchase in the BugStar shop. Gold leaves are used to activate power-ups including Spider Shields, Bug Barriers, and Weapon Upgrades. Spider Shields will protect the player from the dangers of the Black Spider. Lasting for 10 seconds, Bug Barriers trap bugs on the screen to allow the player time to wreak the ultimate carnage. A Weapons Upgrade allows the player to use only one whack to get both the bug and the green leaf it is carrying.
Both game modes in BugStar offer players the opportunity to activate features that maximize their score. For example, each bug has a different point system for scoring. The point allotment is:

* BugStar – Quadruple points for each hit
* Bogart – Mash three times in a row for triple points
* Buzz – Get two points for hit
* Wontong – Mash twice to get two points
* Yindi – Get three points for hit
* Ozzie – Get two points for hit
* Dirty Larry – Mash three times in a row to get triple points
* Spiders – Don’t touch in Classic but put them in the trash in Mania to achieve points

BugStar is Game Center-enabled so high scores can be posted to the leaderboards. Players can also share their scores to Facebook for bonus points. BugStar offers players the option of recording a video of their gameplay. They can then post it to email, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The player’s scorecard records top scores for each game mode, the number of gold leaves available and the total number of bugs and BugStars mashed.

“Earn your weapons of mash destruction and wreak havoc on BugStar and his mates!” says Brian Simms, founder of Microwag. “BugStar was developed around three key initiatives. First, the game had to be simple to play. Second, the game had to have universal appeal. And third, a single game should be completed within 90-120 seconds. Upcoming features include an additional game mode and an Android version. We will also continue to develop additional weapons and game backgrounds. We think players will enjoy this fast and furious bug mashing game!”

Device Requirements:
* Compatible with iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch
* Requires 4.3 or later
* 40 MB

Pricing and Availability:
BugStar 1.0 is free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.

BugStar 1.0
Download from iTunes
YouTube Channel
Screenshot
App Icon
Press Kit (zip)

Based in Melbourne, Australia, Microwag is an independent software development company that was founded by Brian Simms in 2012. Copyright (C) 2014 Microwag. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.