By Kris M. Crismundo
MANILA, Feb. 1 (PNA) — Commuters and motorists in Metro Manila have been figuring out how to escape the heavy traffic situation in its major roads, particularly the notorious EDSA; or thinking how they can escape the MRT or LRT rush.
Some would say, “Kung pwede ko lang takbuhin ang EDSA (If I can only run through EDSA)” just to get rid of the heavy traffic.
Well, the country’s pioneer game development studio, Anino Games Inc. is now allowing the local market to literally run through Metro Manila’s highways with its newest developed mobile game Manila Rush.
Manila Rush is the first Filipino-made mobile game catering to the domestic market as its location pictures Metro Manila.
Mobile application users must help the character named ‘Miguel’ to run through the highways of Metro Manila as he races against the clock to get to work on time.
The mobile app’s design depicts an EDSA-look-a-like three-lane highway; with Metro Rail Transit (MRT), iconic buildings like a local hotel chain (which Manila Rush named as Solo Hotel), waiting sheds, footbridges, and public works in the middle of the highway (very similar to Department of Public Works and Highways’ and Maynilad’s road works).
The game’s obstacles include private vehicles, buses (with iconic colors similar to buses travelling along EDSA), taxis, and swerving jeepneys.
Anino Games chief executive officer Niel Dagondon told Philippines News Agency in an interview that Manila Rush is also the first mobile game published by a Filipino game development company.
Prior to Manila Rush, Anino Games had published a successful role-playing game (RPG) “Anito: Defend a Land Enraged” a decade ago.
He said that this is a milestone not only for Anino Games but for the local game development industry also as it now takes action to cater games for the local market.
The country’s game developers have been creating mobile games for foreign companies or publishers; or simply as outsourced work.
Anino Games alone created mobile games such as Deal or No Deal: Vegas Gold; Despicable Me: Minion Mania; Flipper Deluxe; Shutter Island; Littlest Pet Shop; Dream Day Wedding iPhone; and Grave Mania among others.
Dagondon mentioned that creating Manila Rush for the Filipino market is a test on how the domestic mobile app users will patronize a Philippine-based game.
He is also hopeful that the local market will patronize Manila Rush as the mobile game depicts traffic-humors and major highway-humors, relating more to the commuters and motorists in Metro Manila.
Moreover, one of the newest features for mobile app Manila Rush has is purchasing additional coins through prepaid or postpaid load with its partnership with Globe Telecommunications.
Meanwhile, Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) board member Andro Baluyut noted that it is beneficial for the local game development industry to penetrate the domestic market if it really wants to compete in developing games.
The Manila Rush is also a stepping stone for the local game development industry as it envisions ‘success breeds success’ story through creating the first Filipino virtual game in the next five years.
As of now, the country’s game development industry has limited capability as technologies and local talents is not as advance as other multinational game developers.
Manila Rush can be downloaded at http://taps.io/manilarush-ios-p for iTunes App Store and at http://taps.io/manilarush-android-p for Google Play Store. (PNA)