North West Wales

Cerrig Peryg is currently 127th in the app games download list

The first game application in the Welsh language for the Apple iPhone has been launched by a Gwynedd company.

Cerrig Peryg (Dangerous Stones) is set in space where the player has to shoot up and avoid being hit by asteroids.

With over 50m iPhones sold worldwide so far, Caernarfon-based Griffilms said it is testing the water among Welsh users.

However, it has reached number seven on the downloads list for Greece, much to the bafflement of the design team at the animation company.

Head game developer Dylan Jones said: "We have developed other products for the iPhone but not yet using Welsh as the main language.

"As a company based in Caernarfon this seems only a natural thing to do. If it is a success, we will do more."

Bafta-nominated and prize winning Griffilms have produced many short films and hours of animation for television, including the animation for S4C satire series CNEX and the short feature based on the legend of Gelert the dog.

They first entered the app world last year with the game Space Wolves and have another game in the pipeline slated for a worldwide release.

"It's an English app, but will have a Welsh name, which is top secret right now," said managing director Hywel Griffith, who set up the company in 1992.

"I'd like to think we'll launch it in Welsh, too, but we'll see what happens with Cerrig Peryg.

"That's a test to see what the interest is. It's a simple game and good to play, but we didn't put too much investment into it.

"It is an age of convergence, and apps are just another way to use our production and animation skills."

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