I feel it’s protected to say that Good day Kitty Island Journey () is on the very least one of many extra surprising cellular hits of the 12 months. I don’t suppose anybody anticipated a lot out of it, not to mention an enormous exploratory journey recreation with puzzles, facet quests, and platforming challenges. However right here we’re, and the sport is nice. It simply bought a really spiffy new replace for the Halloween season, actually. After having fun with this Apple Arcade recreation a lot, I wanted to speak to a few of the folks behind the sport over at Sunblink. Fortunately, such a possibility was obtainable. What sorts of video games impressed it? Which character would they most love as a visitor on the island? What are their favourite pizza toppings? All these solutions and extra could be discovered on this interview.
TouchArcade (TA): Thanks for answering our questions right this moment! Are you able to introduce yourselves and clarify your position within the growth of Good day Kitty Island Journey?
Chelsea Howe, Chief Product Officer (CH): I helped carry a longer-term lens to the sport, so we may plan the place we wish Good day Kitty Island Journey to be in months and years. I additionally did odd jobs like deciding what number of Coconuts spawn every day and writing customer dialogue.
Tom Blind, Sport Director (TB): I designed and prototyped the preliminary idea, and oversaw the event all through manufacturing. I’ll have additionally contributed some code right here and there.
TA: Per TouchArcade custom, I need to ask: what are your favourite pizza toppings?
CH: Margherita! Particularly if there are huge recent crunchy basil leaves.
TA: What got here first, the thought of the sport or the thought of constructing one thing with the Sanrio characters?
TB: The chance to work with Sanrio got here first, however the concept of a mix between cozy and journey was one thing we had talked about beforehand and immediately got here to thoughts as the right match for the model. Making use of typical cozy simulation gameplay to Good day Kitty was an apparent factor to do, however we needed so as to add a layer of depth (actually, within the case of diving), that hasn’t been accomplished in these kinds of video games earlier than.
TA: The Sanrio model is after all completely large globally. How did it really feel to be working with these beloved characters?
CH: Our entire workforce fell in love with the characters as we realized their little quirky particulars. Do you know Good day Kitty will not be really a cat, however a bit woman? Do you know Hangyodon fell in love along with his pet fish when it briefly become a lady? The visible designs are pleasant, however studying the little nuggets of lore actually hooked us, and we strove to incorporate related nods for the followers all through the sport (together with the final word character you discover within the recreation!)
TA: Good day Kitty Island Journey has lots occurring with its gameplay. I anticipated, at most, one thing just like Animal Crossing however bought a lot extra. Are you able to speak about a few of the inspirations for it and the way it got here to be the sport it’s?
TB: Early on, one recreation we performed lots and took inspiration from was A Brief Hike. It actually demonstrated how exploration might be enjoyable with out the necessity for fight or different types of motion. We thought we may take that concept and broaden on it by creating an enormous world to have adventures in, in addition to make into a brand new dwelling
Since friendship and present giving are essential themes for Sanrio, we needed to make these key components of development within the recreation. We took some inspiration from video games like Stardew Valley on this regard. By participating with the totally different characters you not solely be taught extra about them and turn into higher associates, but in addition unlock new quests to go on collectively.
It was a continuing battle all through growth to make sure we correctly balanced these totally different features right into a cohesive expertise. We didn’t need it to really feel like two totally different video games glued collectively. I really feel like we succeeded fairly properly on this regard. Exploring, adventuring, hanging out with associates, and customizing the resort all feed into one another in order that gamers by no means really feel like they’re simply doing the identical factor time and again.
TA: Which of the characters within the recreation was probably the most enjoyable to work with and why?
CH: My private favourite is Cinnamoroll, however when it got here to telling tales in recreation, probably the most enjoyable had been Badtz-maru and Kuromi. Badtz-maru has an edginess to him: he’s at all times making an attempt to get forward and can make up wild explanations for issues. Kuromi is the resident conspiracy theorist; she’s the primary one to imagine there’s one thing huge occurring at Friendship Island, and her love for all issues spooky made our Halloween occasion a delight to write down.
TA: Lots of people loved the Snakes on a Airplane reference within the opening. How a lot freedom did you need to make these sorts of self-aware or referential gags?
CH: One of many good elements concerning the Sanrio characters is that they enchantment to an enormous viewers – they’re really cross-generational. It was essential for us to have the ability to attain out to these totally different age teams and be certain that gamers felt seen and heard as early as doable within the recreation. Sanrio had final approval on your complete script, and we really labored with a few of the writers from Supercute Adventures, so it felt like that cross-generational objective was actually shared.
TA: What facet of the sport are you most pleased with and why?
CH: So many individuals play this recreation and say one thing like “I didn’t count on it to be this GOOD”. The truth that we’ve made far-and-away the very best Good day Kitty and Buddies recreation is an enormous accomplishment, however I additionally suppose it speaks to the great high quality we had been capable of pack into this cellular title. There’s a lot greater than people count on, and seeing them fall in love with it simply makes the entire studio delighted.
TA: Should you may have entry to characters from another recreation to go to the island, who would you decide and why?
CH: Authorized nightmares apart? Wander from Shadow of the Colossus. Partially as a result of I (very selfishly) need to see a colossus in our artwork model, and partially as a result of Wander deserves a while with associates, and what higher associates than Good day Kitty and her crew?
TA: Thanks once more to your time! If in case you have any message you’d like to offer our readers, take into account this your free area to take action.
CH: Should you’re in any respect in open world adventures or cozy life sims, we hope you’ll check out Good day Kitty Island Journey!
And that’s a wrap! Because of Chelsea and Tom at Sunblink for answering my sometimes-ridiculous questions, and to Sydney at fortyseven communications for facilitating the interview. Should you haven’t checked out Good day Kitty Island Journey on Apple Arcade but, you actually ought to. It’s the sort of feel-good enjoyable you don’t see too usually, particularly on cellular the place vivid colours and type phrases normally include a gem-sack shakedown. Thanks for studying!
