Game Dev Story+
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Game Dev Story+
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Game Dev Story+ is a simulation for Apple Arcade. The fact that it's a business simulation may make it difficult to hold a younger child's attention span (with plenty of reading required). There's no inappropriate content, but some may not like the lack of racial diversity and the possible reinforcement of stereotypes (such as players having a female secretary) and exploitation (such as hiring attractive "booth babes" at a convention).
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What’s It About?
The simple but challenging premise behind GAME DEV STORY+ is to manage your own video game studio and try to create successful games. This is very similar to the $0.99 Game Dev Story, which originally debuted in 2010 for iOS and Android devices, and then was brought to other platforms, including Nintendo Switch (and a sequel for Windows PC). As you might expect in a business simulation, you're the president of a company and are responsible for hiring and training people, starting new projects, maybe creating your own console, and much more. Much of your time will be spent balancing your budget with growth, and deciding on the trade-offs for each decision. For example, if you don't have a lot of cash in the bank, you may choose to advertise for new recruits by word of mouth instead of taking out an ad in a magazine or website. But then you may not get the best results, as you're casting with a smaller net. Similarly, you may be able to afford only a less popular genre, but you'll likely sell fewer games. Can't hire a sound engineer? A game critic may take issue with the lousy music and sound effects of your game. You get the idea. You'll see annual sales and profits, invest in research, level up staff (to improve their stats in categories like programming, graphics, and writing), and more.
Is It Any Good?
This is a smart simulation that's easy to pick up and play yet challenging to master. Game Dev Story+ offers a cute and kitschy graphical (and musical) style, a simple interface, and an appealing business genre -- video game development -- to keep players engaged every step of the way. Plus, it's a fascinating look at an industry that so many people are passionate about. It pulls the curtain back for the hundreds of millions of game players to see all that goes into building a successful game studio, the economics of making and marketing a game, and using profits to further invest in people and technology. After all the quality assurance (QA) testing and bug zapping, Game Dev Story+ makes it a really big deal when your game is ready to ship. It's climactic, and a little nerve-wracking, to see how the fruits of your labor will be received. Game reviews are graded on Fun, Creativity, Graphics, and Sound, and usually (but not always), the higher the numbers in those categories, the more likely you'll find critical success and see your sales grow. It's also fun and interesting to manage all your staff members, deciding who to train or level up, and when to hire more or fire to save money on costs. As your staff gets more experience, you can unlock new game options in an effort to keep things fresh.
But those efforts do fall a little short when it comes to introducing new variables over time. The gameplay may feel a little stale after a few hours of play, though the dangling carrot is seeing if you can reach new critical and commercial heights with each subsequent release. Overall, Game Dev Story+ is a wonderfully crafted company simulation that could inspire budding gamers to want not just to enter this multibillion-dollar industry as a game designer, but also to delve into the business side of video games.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about making a business simulation appealing to a younger demographic, especially if it's tied to video game design. Is this what could make this kind of gameplay appealing to players?
Does diversity matter in video games? Should people of color be concerned about the lack of representation in Game Dev Story+, or is it not that big of a deal? Is it insulting that there are even nonhuman characters, like Teddy Bears and Monkeys, but no Black people working at this company?
Game Details
- Platform: Apple Arcade
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Kairosoft
- Release date: July 1, 2021
- Genre: Simulation
- Topics: STEM
- ESRB rating: NR for No Descriptions
- Last updated: December 14, 2021
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