Five years ago, Doodle Jump appeared in the iPhone's App Store.
Players took control of a simplistic little alien creature that would jump from platform to platform destroying obstacles in its path.
Created by brothers Igor and Marko Pusenjak, the game is available for nine mobile platforms and has been downloaded over 150 million times, easily making the brothers millionaires.
Flash forward five years, the game is still is nestled comfortably in the top 50 paid apps list for the iPhone.
That's mind boggling to think about. When the Doodle Jump first launched, the app ecosystem was still in its infancy. Apple was only on its second iPhone model, the iPhone 3G. There was no Instagram. No Angry Birds. No such thing as in-app purchases.
And still, after all this time, Doodle Jump remains one of the most popular mobile games ever made.
So, what's it like being on top for so long?
"It's been an amazing ride and we have amazing fans," Igor said in an interview with Business Insider. "The App Store has changed a lot and it helped being there at the beginning. Doodle jump is a classic title on the platform."
Igor explained that the biggest lesson he's learned over the years is that you have to be quick and nimble in adapting to changes in the app marketplaces.
Doodle Jump faced considerable competition from games like Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies, but Igor shared some important advice for app developers looking to create the next big hit.
He specifically mentions Flappy Bird as an example where developers have potential to cultivate another popular game.
"Its great that it’s still possible for a single independent developer to create and self-publish a title that becomes so big," Igor said.
Igor advises developers to look the other way if they see a trend beginning to form. A winning idea should be different in a unique way. Persistence and hard work will get developers far Igor continued but ultimately they should make their games focus on the fun of gaming.
There's still tremendous potential for growth in the App Store, but Igor and his brother have seen it all.