In last few days, some blogs and media stated that Hiyoko and TouchTen are the in Top Free Apps in the iTunes the USA. Although it seems not yet followed by the successful of the paid version, but it is a good achievement. Previously, TouchTen also got an honor when the Google Executive Chairman mentioned Hachiko at GEPI 2011. Hachiko is also in the USA iTunes list. In my perception, Hachiko and Hiyoko has similar gameplay. Another fact is that Hiyoko is not in the chart of 20 Top Free Apps at App Store Indonesia. Is it the typical game commonly played in the USA?
Hachiko and Hiyoko has many similarities. Those game both are funny—bird and dog. They both have the same purpose that is to move the main character to the destination place. Extra rewards provided are similar to Angry Birds, to get three stars for the best score. However, the level of difficulties is little bit different and I feel that Hiyoko is harder than Hachiko.
Although personally I am little bit “disappointed” with the similarities of those games, I feel that this is the strategy to not change the winning formula. This formula is used by both TouchTen game is also similar to Stack The Stuff developed by Nightspade. It is easy to guess that Stack The Stuff is also included in the elite chart like New & Noteworthy in the USA.
May be it is the favorite thing of the USA iOS, the best market in iOS platform. It makes Angry Birds can survive and developed into several version. Personally, I consider that kind of game as not only wasting time game because the player should think hard to conquer the challenges. There are many physics laws can be applied to the game. It is not easy to finish it with three stars in every stage.
However, I hope that local game developers will always be innovative to develop other form of game. Don’t stuck on this kind of game just because this is the favorite game to play. I believe that when the talent of Indonesian developer has been considered by the world, the developers should push the users to try any other form of games. TouchTen has developed soccer version as variation. Is it possible to over something new to smartphone users? Will the developer take control on game form or the users will take it over?
I will wait the chance to play varied game form from local developer on iOS or Android platform and hope they will be on the Top Apps. Actually, the obstacles are less than it used to be since both iOS and Android platform has better hardware specification. What we need to do is to explore it. Many local game developers pay more attention on Symbian and Blackberry platform because the number of Indonesian users is bigger on those both platforms. However, seeing the global potential of iOS and Android, there are more developer work on various games in these platform.
