iPhone App Turns a Night Out into a Social Game

Mashable’s Spark of Genius series is made possible by Microsoft Bizspark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark.

Name: BarCards

Quick Pitch: BarCards is an iPhone app/real-life social game that lets you go on scavenger hunts at bars.

Genius Idea: The BarCards iPhone app turns a night out with friends — or random bar patrons up for a game — into a social experiment that tests how far people will go for a free drink.

BarCards is essentially a modern-day bar game where players take turns to complete scavenger hunt-like tasks. During a turn, a player is presented with a card and a time limit (as set at the beginning of the game) that challenges him or her to find someone or something that satisfies the specified criteria.

For example, one card reads, “Get a woman to sing ‘Baby Got Back’,” and another, “Yell out ‘Marco!’ and someone must yell out ‘Polo’.”

Users can mark cards to denote whether the task was completed successfully or not. The idea is that losers buy winners drinks — but of course everything is on the honor system, and those rules will need to be enforced by thirsty friends.

The app is offered for free as a Lite version with impossible-to-avoid advertisements before each card. There’s also an ad-free paid version [iTunes link] that costs 99 cents and comes with more cards.

If you and your friends are open to embarrassing yourselves for the sake of a fun night out, then BarCards won’t disappoint.

[img credit: Will Montague]

Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark

BizSpark is a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

Tags: barcards, iphone app, spark-of-genius