It seems Nintendo’s previously announced deal with DeNA is only one small part of the gaming giant’s new mobile strategy.
In advance of today’s Nintendo Direct, NOA distributed a press release authored by President and COO Reggie Fils-Aimé, containing some very big news about Nintendo’s first mobile game. Shockingly, this game is NOT part of the company’s arrangement with DeNA, but instead, part of a new partnership with mobile games powerhouse King, developer of the incredibly popular, incredibly addictive, and incredibly in-app purchase-laden Saga series (including Candy Crush Saga, Bubble Witch Saga, Pet Rescue Saga, and more). In the press release, Fils-Aimé explained:
“We know our fans are hungry to see Nintendo’s first foray into the mobile games space. And no beloved Nintendo character is hungrier than everyone’s favorite green dinosaur, Yoshi! As such, our choice for the first Nintendo mobile game was clear–the classic puzzle game Yoshi’s Cookie! We just needed the right partner. And while we have lots of exciting products in development with DeNA, nobody knows the mobile puzzle game space quite like King. Hence the birth of a new partnership, and the upcoming Yoshi’s Cookie Saga on iOS and Android!”
A screen from the original Yoshi’s Cookie on SNES
For those unfamiliar with the original title, Yoshi’s Cookie is a tile-matching puzzle game. However, unlike Bejeweled or Tetris Attack, players do not swap two tiles at a time, instead rotating entire lines of tiles, and are not tasked with match three or more like tiles, but instead filling entire rows or columns with like tiles. Also, the tiles look like cookies (natch). The game appeared on both the SNES and original GameBoy.
Fils-Aimé went on to describe how the game itself is a perfect fit for touch controls. He also explained how in-app purchases will work:
“Not only will players be able to buy extra lives if they fail to clear each level in the set amount of moves, but purchasable power ups will grant extra moves, randomize entire rows or columns, and allow players to swap two tiles like they do in Candy Crush Saga. Needless to say, players will have ample opportunities in the game to spend real money to help them along their journey to keep Yoshi fed and happy!”
No official release date was announced, but the press release did note that we shouldn’t be surprised to see gamers glues to their cellphones playing Yoshi’s Cookie Saga during E3 of this year. The statement also made clear that Nintendo’s partnership with King will not stop with this one title, and that other combinations of Nintendo’s IP with King’s special brand of mobile game will be announced in the coming months.
So what do you think? Are you excited about this new development? What other Nintendo puzzle games would you like to see receive the King treatment?
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