Kerning, The Video Game

Kerning is graphic designer jargon for the space between two letters. To kern is to adjust this space. Kerning is usually adjusted because the default space between the letters does not look ideal by default.

Kern Title Image

Formation Alliance has just released an iPhone game based on the concept. It's a bit like a design-nerd version of Tetris. It's certainly not for everyone, but for all those graphic designers out there it's a must have. $.99 in the App Store.

Of course it's nothing like kerning in real life, however it's still an entertaining and interesting addition to the gaming and design worlds.

Kern Screenshot 1
Kern Screenshot 2

A random type-centric word with a missing letter appears at a variable point size. As the leading begins to shrink, you navigate the missing letter to the proper space and release its handle to lock it in place. The placement accuracy is measured and your score is calculated based on the size of the type, the leading height, and the perfection of placement—all measured in points. If you miss by too much and form an unnecessary ligature, one of your five ligature tokens will be lost. Lose all five ligatures and your game is finished. How many points will you Kern?


KERN iphone game demo from Jason Franzen on Vimeo.

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