Cork pupil's app tops Mac App games list

A COMPUTER whizz-kid from Cork has become one of the world’s youngest app developers with a best-selling game based on pizza slices and salami.

Harry Moran (12), from Model Farm Road in Cork, found his way to the top of the best-selling action games list on the Mac App store yesterday.

A sixth-class student at Glasheen Boys national school in Cork, Harry looks set to cash in on his creation, PizzaBot, which is selling on the Mac App Store for 79 cents.

“Yeah, it’s incredible how it has happened. I love developing these things. It all just makes sense to me,” he said.

A fan of athletics and reading, Harry is one of a set of triplets of Elaine Dempsey and Seán Moran.

It took him less than a month to put the game together and less than a week for PizzaBot to reach the number one slot for the highest-selling action game on the Mac App store.

Harry counts Apple co-founder the late Steve Jobs among his heroes.

Apple bosses did not believe Harry when he first revealed his age.

“When I told them [Apple] that I was 12, they didn’t believe me at first, they asked for confirmation from my dad,” he said.

He admitted to spending “most” of his free time working on computer games technology, but PizzaBot’s speedy take off took him by surprise.

“It took me a little less than a month to finish it, but usually a game would take a lot longer than that,” he said.

The game began as an assignment for a network of computer clubs called CoderDojo that Harry joined after the family moved to Cork from Westport, Co Mayo, this summer.

Founder James Whelton (19) developed the network to mentor young people interested in learning how to develop online games, web and phone Apps.

“Harry is always extremely interested and keen to learn. He is open to trying new things and he thinks a bit differently,” Mr Whelton said.

The scale of Harry’s success has been overwhelming, according to his mother.

“He’s so relaxed and laid back but it’s taken all of us by storm,” Ms Dempsey said.

PizzaBot, which was approved for the Mac App Store on Tuesday, is now top of the action game and new game genres.

It is based on a slice of pizza that shoots sauce at evil pieces of salami and features 25 levels of “sauce shooting action”.

Harry said he was currently working to develop a version of the app to make for iPhones and iPods.

He also writes a blog, HM Computing, which offers technology and software advice.

“I think this is a pretty good future for me, developing these things, I love it,” he said.