Cut the Rope 2 launching in two weeks — and it debuts exclusively on iOS

SAN FRANCISCO — It’s time to brush up on your rope physics.

Misha Lyalin, the CEO of Russian mobile developer ZeptoLab, announced the Dec. 19 release date of Cut the Rope 2 at a press event Thursday night.

The sequel to the best-selling physics-based puzzle game will debut exclusively on iOS devices, at a limited time discounted price of 99 cents. This new adventure has franchise mascot Om Nom embarking on a journey to restore his collection of candies, which has been stolen by a mischievous gang of spiders. Lyalin described the game as hard but still definitely accessible to children, particularly through a story with many animated cutscenes and an interactive Om Nom on the main menu.

Cut the Rope 2 takes place over five themed worlds, each home to a new creature that can aid or hinder Om Nom. Forest stages house Roto, an orange critter that can carry objects up and down the screen. Junkyard stages feature Blue, a blob made up of self-multiplying copies. And the Sandy Dam hosts Lick, who can make secondary bridges with its long tongue. The final two creatures are Boo, a purple creature in Underground stages that can knock back Om Nom when they collide; and Toss, a spring-headed creature in the City Park stages.

Surpassing over 400 million downloads earlier this year, the Cut the Rope franchise (which includes the original game and both a time-traveling and recurring holiday spin-off) remains one of mobile gaming’s biggest hits. Lyalin also admitted to the studio’s surprise over the success of a series of animated shorts starring Om Nom, which has since turned into a successful merchandise line of stuffed toys and branded consumer products.