My professional journey began in server-side development, primarily in the industrial, financial, telecommunications, and contact center sectors. I specialized in automating processes, integrating diverse platforms for real-time communication, and managing large-scale databases—long before “Big Data” was a buzzword. Over time, I shifted toward building components, services, front ends, and web applications built for these industries.
In 2015, I decided to make the leap into mobile development. I didn’t want to start from scratch—I had already built up years of technical experience. So I began a personal side project alongside my full-time job. In about three months, I had a playable game on the App Store. The goal was to experience the full app lifecycle: from concept and design to distribution, monetization, and marketing—far beyond just writing code.
At that time, iOS development was entirely new to me. I compared the main platforms—Android, Windows Phone, and iOS—based on market share, documentation, learning curve, and how friendly each one was for solo developers.
Windows Phone was already fading. BlackBerry OS and Symbian were practically obsolete. Android had a huge market, but supporting so many different devices sounded like a major hassle — something I wanted to avoid.
iOS stood out. Apple’s tools were mature, the device range was limited (easier to test), and users seemed more willing to pay for well-crafted apps. I already had a Mac and an iPhone 4. Swift was still emerging, but Objective-C felt accessible thanks to my C/C++ background. It just clicked.
With no mobile dev community around me, I turned to books. One book about iOS game development sparked the idea: instead of building another to-do list app, why not make a game? It sounded way more fun—and a better way to learn a new tech stack. It was a bit of a gamble—learning the platform while building a game—but it paid off. Today, I’m a full-time iOS Tech Lead—but back then, I was just making the most practical choice for a solo developer on limited time.
I decided to recreate a game from my childhood: Simon Says (also known as Copy Cat or Genius in some regions). I used to own a “Genius” and thought it would be perfect for the iPhone.
Before writing any code, I researched the existing apps. I downloaded several, played them all, and made detailed notes on what worked, what didn’t, and what I could improve:
With a feature wishlist in hand, I even researched the game’s patent history (just in case) before starting development, despite seeing many clones already on the App Store.
Ironically, that wasn’t enough — years later, I was contacted by Hasbro and had to rebrand the game. But more on that later.
I also had to decide on a monetization model. A great article on Ray Wenderlich’s site (now Kodeco) explained how to manage paid and free versions using different Xcode targets. I hadn’t figured out ad integration yet, but I was eager to code—so I saved that for later and adopted the dual-target approach.
In hindsight, with more experience today, I’d probably go with a single build using in-app purchases and a paywall screen. It simplifies distribution, reduces overhead, and makes it easier to maintain and update the app.
I sketched out all the screens—menus, themes, config, rankings—on paper. I looked at professional tools, but nothing beat paper for quick iteration.
Building Mimic+ wasn’t just about writing code — it was a masterclass in time management and staying motivated.
Juggling a full-time tech job, family, and daily life meant carving out time for design, development, testing, and polish was incredibly tough. Some days I had just an hour, sometimes two — always fighting to keep the momentum going.
Some of the biggest challenges weren’t what I expected:
Still, I managed to integrate Game Center leaderboards, and created a smart ad strategy for the Lite version: subtle native banners with gentle nudges to upgrade to the paid version. Google AdMob’s documentation helped a lot.
Looking back, it wasn’t just about shipping a game — it was about proving to myself that I could turn an idea into reality, even with limited time, zero experience in mobile, and a full-time job. Mimic+ was just the beginning.
While building Mimic+ and other games, I kept repeating the same boilerplate — especially for Game Center integration and Review prompts.
So in 2022, I extracted both into Swift Packages:
They’re lightweight, open source, and built to save time for other developers facing the same headaches.
In June 2021, I received what looked like a spam email from Reynolds Law, representing Hasbro:
“The developer’s unauthorized use of Hasbro, Inc.’s SIMON® trademark as all or the dominant portion of the app name, coupled with the use of imagery copying or mimicking the classic and iconic four-color SIMON memory game image…”
At first, I ignored it. A few days later, Apple reached out directly, forwarding the complaint and making it clear this was serious: if I didn’t resolve the issue, they could pull the game—or worse, terminate my developer account.
I wasn’t trying to make a fortune with the game, but I also wasn’t ready to lose the side income or my developer account.
I explained how I had done due diligence before publishing: researching patents, reviewing similar apps already on the App Store, and designing original features on top of a familiar concept. Still, the law firm stood firm. I suspect the increasing download numbers had put the app on their radar.
To buy time and reduce risk, I voluntarily pulled the app and informed both the law firm and Apple. That’s when the tone shifted. Hasbro clarified they had no issue with the game mechanics. If I changed the app’s title and icon, they’d consider the issue resolved.
So I rebranded to Mimic+ and Mimic+ Lite, replacing the circular icon with a four-square design. I also adjusted the color arrangement to further distinguish it from the original.
Fifteen days later, the law firm replied:
“Thank you for making changes to your app to address Hasbro’s concerns regarding your use of the SIMON property. Hasbro now considers the matter resolved.”
I submitted the updated version to the App Store, and it was approved shortly after — this time with a name of my own.