Locals produce mobile game app

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno-based mobile app has caught on with people looking for a fun game to play.

The object of "Way To Gold" is to line up at least four gold nuggets or "nuggies" - Connect Four style. Chander Joshi is the unlikely game designer in an industry made up mostly of much younger people. Joshi explained, "I was getting very frustrated playing Candy Crush, that there was too much randomness and I was more into a strategy type of game."

In just a year's time "Way To Gold" has gone from concept to a free mobile app available on the Android and Apple platform. Joshi said, "We get analytical data from Apple and Google and it's amazing that the breakdown of the game is across the board."

The game's catchy music was created by University High School teacher Randall Cornelison. Cornelison said, "Sort of this California gold feel to it so all the music is based on that feel of banjo and guitar especially at the beginning levels."

Joshi operates an online student tutoring service called studentnest.com so game design was a totally new concept. "Hoping that it goes viral. So far we've had over 300,000 downloads."

Cornelison added, "This game will go viral and when we get 50 million downloads throughout the world people are going to know Fresno. We're known for lots of things but maybe not necessarily the tech world so this is the beginning."

A "Way To Gold" launch party will be held Friday night at Bitwise Industries in Downtown Fresno. A gold coin will be among the prizes given out.