Gold Strike, a game with a long history as a Flash-based web game, downloadable PC game, mobile phone game and iOS game was in the Mac App Store on launch day. CleverMedia, Inc. decided to release the game for free as a salute to the Mac platform.

Developer Gary Rosenzweig said that the game has done well over the years, but he felt he wanted to do something special for the Mac App Store launch.

"I kept thinking about prices," said Rosenzweig. "But my mind kept returning to the idea of just making it a free game. No strings attached."

In Gold Strike you dig through a mine by clicking on blocks. You get points for long sets of connected gold blocks, which can be increased with strategy. There are five game variations, including one where you can throw sticks of dynamite and another where you dig for archeological artifacts.

The game is basically the same as the one for sale in the iOS App Store for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

Rosenzweig said it was simple to port the game from the iOS version to the Mac. He is thinking about doing the same with some of CleverMedia's other iOS games. There are currently more than 20 CleverMedia games in the iOS App Store.

You can find Gold Strike in the Mac App Store by updating to Mac OS X 10.6.6 and running the Mac App Store. Then search for "Gold Strike."