Hokko Life
A social simulation game compared to Animal Crossing.
Hokko Life is a social simulation video game released in 2022. It was created by the Swedish developer Wonderscope and published by Team17. The game launched on Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on September 27, 2022.
Its gameplay is often likened to that of Animal Crossing. Players can customize the appearance of items within the game.
Development started in 2017 at Wonderscope Games. Early prototypes were compared to Transport Tycoon by the developer, but the project later shifted toward a social simulation style similar to the Animal Crossing series. The game was built using the Unity engine. In 2020, Team17 was announced as the publisher.
Hokko Life entered early access on Steam on June 2, 2021. At the start of early access, Kotaku Australia reported that the game was too buggy to play, though by the full launch, PC Gamer only noted graphical problems with the user interface. A version for Amazon Luna was released during early access on January 6, 2022. The full version arrived on Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Amazon Luna on September 27, 2022.
Reception was "mixed or average" according to Metacritic. PC Gamer noted the game could run on lower-end hardware but criticized the graphical quality at low settings and the user interface issues. TouchArcade praised the creative options but pointed out poor performance on the Nintendo Switch.
- developer
- Wonderscope (Swedish studio)
- publisher
- Team17
- release_date
- 27 September 2022
- platforms
- Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Amazon Luna
- genre
- Social simulation
- engine
- Unity
Lore & Background
Work on Hokko Life began in 2017 by Wonderscope Games. Early versions were compared to Transport Tycoon by the developer, but the game later shifted to resemble a social simulation game like the Animal Crossing series as development progressed. Unity was used as the game engine. In 2020, it was announced that Team17 would publish the game. On 2 June 2021, Hokko Life was published as an early access title on Steam. At the start of early access, Kotaku Australia claimed the game was too buggy to be playable, though by launch PC Gamer only noted graphical issues with the UI. While in early access, a version for Amazon Luna was released on January 6, 2022. The full version released for Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Amazon Luna on September 27, 2022.
Reader's Guide
Hokko Life received 'mixed or average' reviews according to Metacritic. PC Gamer noted that the game could run on lower end hardware, while critiquing graphical quality on lower settings and UI issues. TouchArcade praised the creativity options, while noting poor performance on Switch hardware. The game's significance lies in its attempt to offer a social simulation experience in the vein of Animal Crossing, with a focus on item customization. Its legacy is modest, serving as a notable indie alternative within the genre, though technical issues at launch and mixed critical reception limited its broader impact. The early access period allowed the developer to address some bugs, but performance concerns on certain platforms persisted.
Did You Know?
- Hokko Life was developed by Swedish studio Wonderscope and published by Team17.
- Early versions of the game were compared to Transport Tycoon by the developer before shifting to a social simulation style.
- Kotaku Australia claimed the game was too buggy to be playable at the start of early access.
- A version for Amazon Luna was released on January 6, 2022, while the game was still in early access.
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