Welcome to Tap that App, I�m Jason Parker and this is
the show where we cover the hottest apps in the mobile
space.
There are several high-end games at the iTunes App
Store with recognizable names, flashy graphics,
innovative touch-screen controls, and subsequently
high price tags.
But a couple of games from developer Kairosoft have
been huge successes without the glitz and glamour
of the big-name titles.
In fact the graphics look
like these games are from the early 90s, but that
doesn't stop them from being very well-thought out and
incredibly addictive.
Kairosoft's first hit was Game Developer's Story.
This game lets you act as the boss of your own game
development company, where you'll develop games,
introduce them to the market, buy advertising, and try
to make a profit.
You'll need to hire the best and
brightest, train them to improve their skills, and
hope that you'll get the perfect combination to make a
hit game.
As you play, you'll be able to buy licenses to new
game consoles from made-up companies to see how your
games do on new hardware.
Your employees develop
skills and level up, and you can hire young guns you
find by getting your receptionist to put out job ads.
Though this may sound more like work than gaming, Game
Developer's Story is surprisingly addictive.
We're
willing to bet that before long you'll be waiting on
the edge of your seat to see if your game wins the
in-game annual conference called GameDex.
Frankly, a
business simulator has never been this fun.
Game Developer's Story goes for 99 cents at the app
store and is a load of fun for just about anyone.
Kairosoft's second game just came out recently and
offers a similar setup to Game Developer's Story,
but this time you run a Japanese Spa.
It's called
Hot Springs Story, and your challenge is to build a
successful business around making a popular relaxing
getaway for hard-working people.
Hot Springs Story lets you build out your spa with
comfy rooms, restaurants, and shops to keep your
guests happy.
You'll also be able to buy hot tubs,
massage chairs, and other features to keep them coming
back for more rest and relaxation time.
Just like Game Developer's Story, you'll need to
commit some of your profits to advertising, but you'll
also need to invest in businesses around town to make
sure you have plenty of guests coming in.
More guests
mean more money, and before long you'll be expanding
your business into a mega spa.
Also like Game Developer's Story, you can compete in
yearly competitions against other spas to see how you
rank.
The higher your rank, the more people will show
up at your doors.
It should be clear that the two
games have a lot of similarities, but there is enough
variation here to make them both very entertaining.
Hot Springs Story is a new title that goes for $3.99
in the iTunes App Store.
You might be asking, do I really want to spend my time
playing business simulators?
Well, I'm here to tell
you we've put these two games through their paces, and
we can honestly say you should tap both of these apps
right away.
That�s it for this week's show, but if you have any
suggestions, send them to Tap That App at cnet.com.
I'm Jason Parker and we'll see you next time.
