Success
Marketing for a kids' game is difficult. Marketing for a kids' game that also pushes a whole mess of technology boundaries is phenomenally difficult. But despite all of the discussion on the various technological challenges associated with the GoPets DS game, seeing this review on Amazon has been the most satisfying yet:
A Kid's Review
This is a very fun game to play. You start out by getting interviewed to adopt a dog or cat (later on you can get a horse). You decide what color you want it to be, the design (spots, stripes), and its name. You can dress your pet and clean it (by putting it in the tub and using the stylus to make bubbles by rubbing). There are mini games in a different part of the island, and you need to unlock one, I haven't yet. On wifi you can meet other peoples pets and make friends and chat. It is perfectly safe because you use pictures for words and only certain words have pictures for them. It gets a tiny bit boring when you just keep playing the same mini games, but you get a lot of motivation to get the biggest house and the most friends.
I would say "get the game!" but also, you might want to save your allowance so you can get 2 games in case you aren't the type for this game.
I love it. (And that s/he gave us four stars.)
I may be writing a few articles for Gamasutra on the development of the game and the difficulties inherent in developing for this particular demographic -- and then watching the game get pummeled by game reviewers who already have enough of a hard time defending their masculinity -- but y'know what, a review like that is enough for me.
In other game type news, Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing (also here on Amazon but without the snazzy cover image), with many illustrious contributors and my chapter on writing game pitches, should be out next month.
A Kid's Review
This is a very fun game to play. You start out by getting interviewed to adopt a dog or cat (later on you can get a horse). You decide what color you want it to be, the design (spots, stripes), and its name. You can dress your pet and clean it (by putting it in the tub and using the stylus to make bubbles by rubbing). There are mini games in a different part of the island, and you need to unlock one, I haven't yet. On wifi you can meet other peoples pets and make friends and chat. It is perfectly safe because you use pictures for words and only certain words have pictures for them. It gets a tiny bit boring when you just keep playing the same mini games, but you get a lot of motivation to get the biggest house and the most friends.
I would say "get the game!" but also, you might want to save your allowance so you can get 2 games in case you aren't the type for this game.
I love it. (And that s/he gave us four stars.)
I may be writing a few articles for Gamasutra on the development of the game and the difficulties inherent in developing for this particular demographic -- and then watching the game get pummeled by game reviewers who already have enough of a hard time defending their masculinity -- but y'know what, a review like that is enough for me.
In other game type news, Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing (also here on Amazon but without the snazzy cover image), with many illustrious contributors and my chapter on writing game pitches, should be out next month.