American McGee’s Spicy Horse Games has launched a new free-to-play mobile game dubbed Critter Academy on Android.
The game represents another attempt to find the sweet spot in the $30 billion mobile game market. Spicy Horse Games, run by an American and based in Shanghai, is also trying to find the crossover title that appeals both to Western and Eastern gamers.
The title is a monster training and fighting game, with art that appeals more to younger players. The player is enrolled in an academy and learns how to collect, train, and fight critters.
McGee said in an email, “There are single player battles, player vs. player battles, global tournaments, guilds, and a huge range of daily events and missions. With hundreds of Critters to collect, train, and fight, there’s a thousands of hours of fun packed in the release.”
He added, “We think the art style for the Critters is pretty unique. It’s a ‘cute meets creepy’ blend of Western mythology and characters and Asian anime art. Unlike other games in the genre, it also has a deceptively deep narrative.”
Above: Gameplay scene from Critter Academy.
McGee moved to China 11 years ago. He founded Spicy Horse Games nine years ago with a focus on PC and console titles, making games such as American McGee’s Grimm and Alice: Madness Returns. But five years ago, Spicy transitioned to free-to-play mobile games with an emphasis on 3D art and server-based multiplayer technology. The company has released seven mobile titles to date, with Critter Academy being the latest. Vickers Venture Partners has invested in Spicy Horse.
“Over the years we’ve made a lot of mistakes and learned a ton about free-to-play multiplayer mobile games – the mechanics, audience, and what works,” said McGee. “With Spicy Horse being in Shanghai, our designers take a lot of inspiration from successful Chinese mobile games — a market where free-to-play design thinking is leading (and dominating) the rest of the world. Our mission is to combine Western storytelling and artwork with mechanics that blend what works here in China and the rest of the world.”
The title has microtransactions. But McGee said they are tuned in a way to avoid “pay walls and game-stopping energy limits.” He said that players engaged in the single player campaigns will never encounter a moment where the game is halted due to those things.
“This kinder-gentler approach to F2P is largely inspired by the way Chinese F2P mobile games have evolved in recent years,” McGee said.
Spicy Horse’s other mobile games include BigHead Bash, Crazy Fairies, Akaneiro: Demon Hunters, The Gate, Chains of Darkness, and Heroes of Night. The studio has 35 developers, and the U.S. team includes four people.
Above: Critter Academy