New Balance?s lacrosse brand Brine is launching a second mobile game application following the success of its initial effort, Shootout.

Shootout was launched by Brine last year and has gone on to become the No. 1 lacrosse game in Apple's App Store. The follow-up game is called Hotshot and builds on Shootout?s success by intensifying the challenge and driving deeper engagements.

?With the first game, Shootout, we underestimated how much time people were going to spend playing and engaging with the game,? said Tom Denari, president of Young & Laramore, Indianapolis. ?Players worked their way through the levels very quickly, wanting more, faster.

?For Hotshot, we've developed a continuous level release calendar to roll out more levels and accommodate players who want an ongoing challenge,? he said. ?We've also developed a more aggressive difficulty curve to make the game harder to master.

?While we've upped the ante this time around, Hotshot is still a very intuitive game that anyone can play.?

Brine partnered with ad agency Young & Laramore on both mobile games.

Word of mouth
The mobile gaming strategy is designed to drive locker room word-of-mouth for Brine, keep lacrosse players and fans engaged with the brand on and off the field and connect digital and physical experiences around the game.

Shootout has been played more than six million times by 250,000 unique visitors, with the average time spent per game coming in at 14 minutes.

To play the Brine Shootout app, users flick a finger across the screen to recreate the action of a shot.

The app helps Brine introduce new products to players, build the brand?s social network and drive customer loyalty.

The Brine logo is apparent throughout the game but in a subtle way to help the brand form more meaningful connections with its target audience.

Brine?s second game, Hotshot, enables users to participate in shooting challenges across multiple platforms.

With a flick of the finger, players pursue targets to earn points and time bonuses. The game features three levels: Dorm, Locker Room and Field.

Throughout the game, new real-life Brine gear is unlocked to help players increase their scores. Hotshot also includes stat-tracking and high score ranking.

Connecting with fans
To encourage social sharing and competition, players can link their scores and rankings to Facebook and Twitter directly from the app.

The app is being promoted via a homepage takeover at http://brine.com as well as via print and outdoor ads at Brine?s lacrosse events.

Brine is also using the hash tag #brinehotshot to make it easy for players to share their game experiences with their networks.

Both Hotshot and Shootout are available to download for free from Apple's App Store and Google Play.

?From the onset, the mobile strategy has been to create experiences that connect the brand to fans and solidify Brine's position as a lacrosse gaming leader,? Mr. Denari said. ?Through these gaming experiences, we're able to put Brine products into players? hands on and off the field in a way that is relevant and entertaining.

?Hotshot incorporates multiple targets versus a single goal target,? he said. ?It was developed around a shooting gallery-style game, incorporating several environments.

?We intentionally migrated the game away from the field, so the shooting simulation isn?t just a typical game environment and to differentiate it from Shootout. We also added enhanced graphics and new illustration styles to give this game a unique look and feel.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New YorK