Kairosoft is a developer of Tokyo-based sim
They are so different in style that they’re almost a genre in their own right: it’s hard to articulate why they work so well. Its most famous title is Game Dev Story, which, believe it or not, first appeared in 1997 on Windows and became a global hit 13 years later when it was ported to mobile devices.
In-Game Dev Story, you manage a development studio:
Hire staff, allocate resources, mix and match genres, and try to make a hit. It’s a game that’s simple in its elements – Kairosoft’s games could almost be called idle games at times – but it completely captivates you with its witty scenario, unpredictability, and charming pixel art. You are very invested in your little people, their work, and how best to make them happy and productive: because this increases your chances of success! The Game Dev Story is as optimized as a Sim can be, and perhaps because of that, its cycle is fast, rewarding, and repeatable. At least until the endgame, when you have a mega-studio that can’t stop releasing Elden Rings.
This basically means for all of them. Let’s not hide it: Kairosoft makes the same game over and over again. He knows the formula is a winner, and Game Dev Story has been the template for many other sims about different things: as we’ll all find out when five of them hit Steam later this month. Five Kairosoft games hit the store with an unspecified March release date: Game Dev Story, Hot Springs Story, Station Manager, Dungeon Village, and Dream House Days DX.
Play one and you will more or less play all. But you’ll be playing it for a lot longer than you might expect: these games are irresistible in their own way.
