What do you think of when you hear about Dallas, Texas? Triple-digit summer heat? Petroleum? A (currently lackluster) football team? What if I told you that the Dallas mobile development scene has produced world-class games and applications? Larger companies like Game Circus and Bottle Rocket have had renowned success operating out of the Dallas-Ft.Worth (DFW) Metropolitan Area. Below I will highlight some creations made by local independent developers:

A Dark Room - Amir Rajan

Often when we growth hackers tell our tales, they describe how our tactics delivered instantaneous results. Amir's story of his induction into indie game development should inspire fellow developers to not give up. Here is a video of his talk outlining how his first game, A Dark Room, eventually became the App Store's top paid app in 2014:

Take note of the organic growth strategies implemented by Amir Rajan. Authenticity allowed the story to climb above the noise that social media often becomes these days. Whereas the top charts for mobile games are usually dominated by studios with astronomical user acquisition budgets, there is still hope for indies looking for success.

Warbits - Risky Lab, LLC

Warbits is a new multiplayer strategy game for mobile devices. It was released earlier this month (April 2016) and featured as Editor's Choice and one of the "New Games We Love" on the App Store. Originally inspired by the classic GameBoy Advance bestseller Advance Wars, the Risky Lab team created a fresh take on "the war simulator for a better tomorrow". Watch the launch trailer below:

Pocket Yoga - Rainfrog, LLC (Also available on Android &Windows)

Pocket Yoga allows users to learn and practice yoga poses from their mobile device. It was featured in the Apple Watch television commercial and is currentlyshowcased by Apple as an example fitness app. By looking at their App Store rank history on App Annie, Pocket Yoga has reached the status of Top 10 Overall in 32 countries on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, and Top 10 Health & Fitness in 115 countries (57 on Apple TV).

Zamboni Challenge - Magnin & Associates (Also available onAndroid & Windows Phone)

For those that have attended a live hockey match, you may have remembered a vehicle that cleans the ice between periods. That is called an ice resurfacer, and Zamboni® is one of the well-known brands. Interestingly enough, Zamboni Challenge ranked highest in countries where hockey is a popular sport: Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Czech Republic.

The mobile application ecosystem has enabled independent developers from all over the planet to reach global markets. The next viral hit can come from anywhere. For Vietnam it was Flappy Bird, and for Dallas, Texas it was the combination of the above games and applications.

Have any popular mobile games or apps originated from your area? Leave a comment below with links and I will check them out!