Press Kit

About the game

Scanbound is a roguelike auto-chess game for iPhone and iPad where every barcode in your home hides a Hero.

Point the camera at any barcode or QR code: a book, a soda can, a box of crackers. A Hero is revealed, like finding the surprise toy in a cereal box. The code decides the Hero, its variant, its weapon, rarity and stats. The same code always reveals the same Hero, on any phone. Players can swap codes with friends and hunt for the rare ones.

That Hero leads a run. Recruit Supporting Heroes, merge copies into stronger ranks, equip Hero Mods and Team Directives, line up trait synergies and drag the team into formation on the board. Level up the bench to unlock Stations, where a benched Hero still helps: Support boosts the whole team with the Hero's trait, Relief sends the Hero in when the first teammate falls, and Mentor teaches the Main Hero one of the Hero's stats. Then the team fights on its own, round after round, against rival Tacticians until only one is left standing.

Every Hero starts veiled: in the shop it appears only as an unknown silhouette, so you can't tell who you're recruiting. Finish a run with a Main Hero and it joins your HeroDex. From then on, it's revealed in every shop offer, so you can plan trait synergies and build stronger teams. The collection grows from playing, not paying.

Features

• Barcode Heroes: Any barcode or QR code becomes a Hero, and the same code gives every player the same Hero.
• Roguelike auto-chess: Plan between rounds, adapt to the shop, then let your team fight on its own.
• 40 Heroes: Each has its own weapons, abilities, traits and variants to collect.
• Team building: Build around the Hero the barcode gave you with trait synergies, ranks, Hero Mods and Team Directives.
• Bench Stations: Level up your bench to unlock Support, Relief and Mentor Stations, so Heroes on the bench still help the team win.
• The HeroDex: Every finished run teaches you a Hero. Complete a Hero's goals to gild its entry.
• Game Center achievements: Earn them for the Heroes you find, the variants you collect and the runs you win.
• iPhone and iPad: A universal app, played in landscape, in a bright chibi 3D style.

The developer

I'm Daniel Carlson, and I've been a professional web and mobile app developer for 10 years, but I had never made a game. When I found Babylon.js and realized I could build one with the tools I already knew, I put my everything into Scanbound.

I grew up loving Monster Rancher on the original PlayStation, where any disc in your house became a monster. I combined that magic of not knowing what you will get with my love of Teamfight Tactics, and Scanbound, my solo project, was born. Every barcode in your home is a Hero.

Fair by design

• Free to play: There are no ads, premium currency or energy timers.
• Plays offline: No Scanbound account. Game Center sign-in is only for achievements.
• One optional purchase: The Supporter Pack supports the developer and unlocks Hero variants to equip. It is cosmetic only and never changes a battle, and every variant can also be found by scanning.
• No tracking: Anonymous gameplay stats are sent only if the player opts in, and never for players under 13.

Accessibility

• Reduce Motion: Scanbound follows the system setting.
• Not colour alone: Traits, ranks and states also use symbols and labels.
• Contrast: The dark interface has its contrast checked across screens.
• No camera needed: If camera access is denied, players can type a barcode's digits instead.

Credits

Designed, developed and directed by Daniel Carlson (J33NO).

• 3D art and animation: Characters, animation and environments are built on KayKit by Kay Lousberg (CC0), adapted and extended for Scanbound.
• Music: Fantasy RPG Music Vol. 2 by AlkaKrab.
• Fonts: Oxanium, Fredoka and Open Sans.