''Bridge Constructor'' is a series of physics-based

simulation A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Simulations require the use of models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or process, whereas the ...

puzzle A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct or fun solution of the puzzle ...

video games developed by ClockStone and published by

Headup Games Headup GmbH (also known as Headup Games) is a German video game publisher based in Düren. The company was founded in January 2009 by Dieter Schoeller, who serves as its managing director. The company is best known for publishing the '' Bridge ...

. While themes and elements change across the series, each game is based on planning out a bridge across a river or ravine using a number of parts, limited by the geometry of the space and the total cost of the parts. The goal for each scenario is to make sure that one or more vehicles driving across the bridge can reach the other side safely.

History

The first Bridge Construct game was Pontifex and later Pontifex 2, in 2001. The second ''Bridge Constructor'' game, eponymous to the series, was released for Microsoft Windows on 1 December 2011. While it was generally successful in Europe and topped the app charts there, it didn't really catch on in North America until after a

Reddit Reddit (; stylized in all lowercase as reddit) is an American social news news aggregator, aggregation, Review site#Rating site, content rating, and Internet forum, discussion website. Registered users (commonly referred to as "Redditors") subm ...

post by a player of the game within the "GamePhysics" subforum in March 2014. The post showed a

GIF The Graphics Interchange Format (GIF; or , see pronunciation) is a bitmap image format that was developed by a team at the online services provider CompuServe led by American computer scientist Steve Wilhite and released on 15 June 1987. ...

-image of a truck just making it across a bridge as it was collapsing underneath it. This created a large interest in the title, resulting it being the top paid

iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...

within 10 days of the image's posting. Headup Games took initiative to offer sales on the game and cross-promote the other titles in the series. With the boost in North America, the game saw over 27 million free and paid downloads, and a "good seven-digit figure" in paid sales by March 2014, according to Gregor Ebert of Headup Games.

Games

''Bridge Constructor'' (2011)

''Bridge Constructor Playground'' (2012)

''Bridge Constructor Medieval'' (2013)

''Bridge Constructor Stunts'' (2015)

''Bridge Constructor Portal'' (2017)

''Bridge Constructor Portal'' was announced in December 2017, for release on mobile and personal computers later that same month, and for consoles in 2018. Developed under license from

Valve A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fitting ...

, the game sets challenges in the Aperture Laboratory facilities from the '' Portal'' series, under the watchful eye of the artificial intelligence

GLaDOS GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) is a fictional artificial intelligence, artificially superintelligent computer, computer system from the video game series ''Portal (video game series), Portal''. GLaDOS later appeared in ''Th ...

. The game uses the same core gameplay of earlier titles, but with elements from the ''Portal'' series, such as the portals, turrets, and other features.

''Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead'' (2020)

''Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead'' was announced in August 2020 at Gamescom and released on 19 November 2020.

References

{{reflist 2011 video games Android (operating system) games Bridges in fiction IOS games Puzzle video games Simulation video games Video game franchises introduced in 2011 Video games developed in Austria