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Game Dev Story creator launches Pocket Harvest on Android
Game Dev Story developer Kairosoft launched its latest creation, Pocket Harvest, on Android recently. The game costs $4.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and is in the same style as Kairosoft's other creations. The farming simulator has players planting and cultivating produce like strawberries and lettuce as well as raising animals like sheep and chickens to create wool and eggs. The game also challenges players with refining their crops so they win awards, which attracts local grocers that opt to place orders with their farms. Like other city and life simulators, players can develop attractions to bring tourists into town, building on their farm's bottom line. After developing a top-tier racing team, a game development studio, a soccer team and now a farm, we wonder what "story" Kairosoft will place us in next.
Daily iPhone App: Beastie Bay is Kairosoft's addictive take on Pokemon
There are a few words in gaming that, whenever I hear or read them, just make the hair on the back of my neck stand up in anticipation. "Blizzard." "Civilization." "Puzzle Quest." And I would say that it's time to add "Kairosoft" to that list, because the Tokyo-based developer's mobile games are some of the most addictive titles I've ever played. I've lost hours and hours to great games like Game Dev Story and Grand Prix Story, and I've been scared to even play Dungeon Village for fear of what the Kairosoft formula of perfectly paced and rewarding strategy gameplay combined with a fantasy RPG setting might do to my already busy life. Now, the company has released a new game called Beastie Bay, which takes Kairosoft's extremely addictive earn / upgrade / "earn more" cycle and pairs it with another addictive gaming theme: Collecting and upgrading beasts, a la Pokemon. Like all of Kairosoft's other titles, this game uses their older mobile engine, so the graphics and menus aren't all that impressive. But also like all of Kairosoft's other titles, the gameplay is just so spot on. As you build facilities for your pets and helpers, take them out to battle, find new pets and then build more facilities for those pets and new helpers, you too will likely get caught up in the mania of "just one more turn" that these games tend to bring on. The beast-collecting twist is a definite lift from Nintendo's powerhouse franchise, but it's done in a very Kairosoft way, designed so that you're always winning and growing rather than simply grinding away in the tall grass. The other difference here from Kairosoft's past titles is that this game is definitely free-to-play. It features ads prominently (though they can be removed with a one-time US$4.99 purchase), and there are in-app purchases for in-game currency. But I think that change will allow even more people to see what Kairosoft can do on mobile, so I think the switch to F2P will be a good thing for the company. Kairosoft's games are already extremely addictive, and I can't really recommend Beastie Bay highly enough. Someday, if the company finally embraces iOS as a native platform, they'll more or less be unstoppable.
Namco games and more on sale for iOS this weekend
We're likely to see quite a few iOS games go on sale this week and next, as the holiday season (Too soon? Sorry!) revs up into gear. Namco has led the pack off this year, with a nice long list of holiday sales on its apps. Through Monday the 19th, nearly all of Namco's games are cheaper than usual. Soulcalibur is down to US$6.99 in a universal form, the Dig Dug and Galaga remix games are just a buck each, the great Pac Man Championship Edition is just 99 cents (that's a must-buy at that price), and I Love Katamari is down to $1.99. There are a few other deals in Namco's catalog, but those are definitely the standouts. Elsewhere on the App Store, Worms 2: Armageddon is down to just 99 cents, which is an excellent deal. Kairosoft's great racing team simulator Grand Prix Story is only 99 cents as well, so be ready to lose your weekend playing that one. Finally, Puzzle Craft, which is my favorite iOS game of the year so far, is completely free this weekend. That's a must-grab for sure -- that game's mix of puzzle gameplay and very deep progression was a huge win for me this year. If you haven't picked up Puzzle Craft yet, definitely get it. Stay tuned for lots more big deals and app sales on the store this week.
TUAW's Daily App: Hot Springs Story
Game Dev Story was one of my favorite iOS games of last year. It offered a full simulation, lots of polish and some well-done game industry satire all in one tidy package. Unfortunately, a few bigger high profile titles eventually overshadowed Game Dev Story by the end of 2010. But developer Kairosoft is back on the App Store with a new app in North America called Hot Springs Story, and if you missed the fun simulation the first time around, here's your chance to take another look. As you've probably already guessed, the games angle is gone, so you won't be crafting the latest megahit title for the hottest console; instead, you'll be building up a Japanese hot springs-style spa and resort. But the cute graphics and addictive game curve are still there in Hot Springs Story. You build one small thing to make some money, then you re-invest that money as wisely as you can in order to move on to the next big thing. Before you know it, you're running a full-fledged business. The game's been out in Japan for a little while, and Kairosoft has only just released it on the US App Store with a new English translation. The game's currently on sale at $3.99; if you like the simulation-style gameplay in Game Dev Story (which itself has a free version) and can deal with building a spa instead of a game studio, give Hot Springs Story a look.
From the makers of Game Dev Story: 'The Game Dealer' retail sim
There's a good chance that some of you reading this are currently employed by game retailers, so we're going to describe Waiwai! The Game Dealer, a new game from Kairosoft (maker of Game Dev Story), without spinning any heads. In The Game Dealer, you assume the role of a game store boss who must manage employees and please customers, all the while balancing a stock portfolio of game development studios. Unlike real life game retail jobs, you'll apparently be able to offer customers food, Touch Arcade reports -- perhaps a "shoo mallrats away from free food" minigame is on the books? TGD is only available in the Japanese App Store as of right now and no official confirmation has been given of intentions to localize the game. That said, with the success of Game Dev Story and the forthcoming Game Dev Story 2 already planned, we'd be surprised if the game didn't arrive Stateside at some point. And that's when the existential crisis begins: playing a game about managing a retail game store while working at a retail game store.%Gallery-112465%
Game Dev Story on sale today for $0.99 on iPhone, $1.20 on Android
Game Dev Story, the addictive management sim by Kariosoft, is on sale today for $0.99 on iTunes and $1.20 for Android devices. The game places players in charge of their own game development studio, handling all aspects of the business and fulfilling the dream of a Golf RPG selling millions upon millions of copies. If you download the game we recommend that you set aside a few hours to enjoy it, lest it consume your every thought while you're away from it. Kairosoft is currently porting Game Dev Story 2 to mobile devices, but it is not likely to be out soon -- much like that Ninja Sports game we're working on right now.
Game Dev Story 2 coming to iPhone, eventually
Can you believe this is our first Game Dev Story post? And about the sequel, no less? Believe it. We'll try to rectify our previous oversight today by bringing you the welcome news that Game Dev Story 2 will be coming to the iOS platform ... at some point. "We will be developing a sequel," Kairosoft, the Game Dev (uh) game dev, told Touch Arcade, "but we are not planning on releasing it soon." Like the original -- a quirky, standout management sim that's currently just hanging onto a spot in the Top 200 App Store games ranking -- Game Dev Story 2 is expected to be a localized port of an ancient Japanese PC game. The first Game Dev Story actually dates back to 1996, while its sequel debuted on PC roughly a decade ago. "We are thinking of improving the game by adding elements of networking in the sequel, such as sales score rankings and sending employees to a friend's company," Kairosoft said of the planned iPhone port. "The next iPhone App will be a CMS [construction and management simulation] game like SimCity, where you touch to scroll, zoom in/out, etc." Most importantly, Kairosoft would "like to release English versions" of Game Dev Story 2 and all its numerous, adorable little titles on iOS. Bring on that "Cruise Great Trip" story! [Pictured: Game Dev Story 2 (PC); source: Kairosoft]
