Service 2 — $700 USD
Your game on mobile — with its feel still intact.
We rework arcade controls into touch input that sits naturally on a phone screen, adjust the layout, and hand you a playable build that you can put in players' hands. The goal throughout is to preserve what made the original worth playing.
Start your touch adaptationWhat this delivers
A mobile build that players recognise as the game they know
When a port goes well, players don't talk about the controls or the layout. They talk about the game. That's what we're working toward — an adaptation thorough enough that the seams disappear and the experience comes through.
Touch input that works
Controls remapped thoughtfully so they respond the way players expect — not just technically functional, but comfortable.
Layout adjusted for phones
UI elements repositioned for small screens without crowding what players need to see and tap.
A playable test build
Something you can actually run on a device and share for testing — not just documentation of what should eventually work.
What makes this hard
Touch input isn't just a different button layout
Arcade controls are physical. There's resistance, a click, spatial muscle memory built around buttons in fixed positions. Fingers on glass are none of those things. The gap between the two is real, and bridging it takes more than placing on-screen buttons where the joystick used to be.
Games that skip this thinking end up with ports that technically run on mobile but feel wrong in ways players can't always articulate. They stop playing not because the game is broken, but because something about it doesn't sit right.
Getting this right means understanding what each input was doing for the player — what feedback it gave, how it shaped timing, what would be lost if it just disappeared — and then finding a touch equivalent that carries as much of that across as possible.
The precision problem
Some arcade actions require exact timing that physical buttons support easily. Touch targets need to account for this — size, position, and feedback all matter.
The layout problem
A cabinet's screen is viewed from a distance. A phone is held close. What's comfortable to read and tap changes significantly between those two contexts.
The feel problem
Without physical feedback, the game has to compensate through other means — visual responses, audio cues, timing adjustments. This needs deliberate attention.
How we work
Methodical, unhurried, focused on preserving character
We start by understanding what matters most about your game's controls before we propose how to handle them. Each decision gets thought rather than assumption.
1 Control mapping review
We examine each input and what it does — not just mechanically, but what it means to the player. From there we propose touch equivalents and discuss them with you before building.
2 Layout work for phone screens
UI is repositioned for the dimensions and interaction model of a phone. Touch targets are sized to be usable, and the play area is protected from accidental input.
3 Iterative build
We build and test as we go. If something isn't working as intended, it gets revised before it becomes part of the final build — not after.
4 Playable build delivery
You receive a test build you can run on device and share with your team. We include notes on what was adapted and why, so nothing is a black box.
Working together
You stay informed without being buried in updates
We work at a thoughtful pace. You'll hear from us at the right moments — when we have something to show, when a decision needs your input, or when we've completed a milestone. Between those points, we're heads down on the work.
Input on key decisions
For choices that affect the feel of the game — how a particular control is handled, layout priorities — we'll ask your view before proceeding.
Something to test mid-way
We'll share an interim build so you can feel how the controls are shaping up before the work is finished. Early feedback is easier to act on.
A clear handoff
The final build comes with documentation covering what was adapted and how. You own everything and can take it wherever it needs to go.
The investment
$700 USD — development work, not consultation
The Touch Adaptation Build is $700 USD. This covers the actual work of remapping controls, adjusting layout, and producing a playable build — not a document describing what someone else might do.
It's priced to reflect the care involved without being out of reach for studios working at a careful pace. If you've already done a feasibility review with us, we'll carry what we learned there directly into this work.
Payment details and timing are discussed once you reach out — we're flexible about how the engagement is structured if you'd prefer to discuss that before committing.
What's included
- Full control remapping from arcade input to touch
- UI layout adjustment for common phone screen dimensions
- Interim build for your team to test mid-engagement
- Final playable build with adaptation notes
- One round of post-delivery revision based on your feedback
$700 USD / one-time
Our approach
Built on an understanding that controls carry meaning
We've worked through enough control remapping to know what tends to go wrong — and more importantly, what tends to go right. The principles we apply are consistent, but the application is always specific to the game in front of us.
How we measure success
- Controls feel deliberate, not accidental
- Layout works without obscuring gameplay
- Timing-sensitive actions remain viable on touch
- The game reads as itself on a phone screen
Realistic expectations
- Timeline depends on game complexity — discussed upfront
- Some arcade qualities change on touch — we're honest about that
- The build is a strong foundation, not a store-ready release
- Further polish (e.g. store prep) is a separate step we can help with
Our commitment
We stay with the work until the build is genuinely useful
We can't guarantee a specific frame rate, a particular reception from players, or how the build will perform on every device out there. What we can commit to is that the adaptation decisions will be made carefully and with the game's character in mind.
If the delivered build has something that clearly didn't land as intended, tell us specifically and we'll revisit it. One revision round is included in the engagement.
You're also welcome to reach out before agreeing to anything. If you want to describe the game and hear our honest read on whether this service is the right fit, we'll give you that without any pressure.
You own everything
The build, the adaptation notes, all of it — yours. No licensing, no restrictions on what you do next.
Revision round included
One round of revisions based on your feedback after delivery. Specific, actionable feedback gets the best response.
Free pre-engagement conversation
Ask us about your specific game before you commit. No obligation on either side.
Getting started
How to begin
Get in touch
Use the contact form. Tell us about the game — what it is, what engine it uses, what makes the controls feel the way they do.
We align on scope
We'll discuss the specifics of your title, confirm what the engagement covers, and agree on timing before anything starts.
We build, you test
Work begins at a careful pace. You'll have access to an interim build partway through and the final build on completion.
Questions first? Write to us at info@summertidesandsunsets.com
Ready to bring your arcade game to mobile?
Reach out and tell us about your title. We'll have a look and get back to you with a considered first response.
Start the conversation — $700Other services
The other steps in the journey
This service handles the adaptation itself. These two cover what comes before and after.
Service 1
Port Feasibility Review
An honest assessment of how your arcade title might move to mobile — before you commit to development work. A clear, measured report to inform your decision.
Service 3
Mobile Polish Pass
A finishing pass over your ported game — performance notes, text sizing guidance, and a store-prep checklist. A calm second look before release.