exclusive interveiw with rasta monkey developer-nitako:(questions come from a toucharcade forum not from me)*
1.how many more levels does it have from the computer version?
Well, It has the four original levels that you played on the web version, even though we did change a lot of things since the feel of the iPhone gameplay is very very different from a PC keyboard, and the physics engine also works a little differently on the iPhone. We also added some new game elements into these levels to make them more fun. We really tried to introduce new game elements to each level all over the game.
2.Will it be just a port or a completely redesigned iDevice version?
Well, the game was actually originally developed for the iPhone. The only reason we released a PC version is we needed something to submit for the Unity3d developer’s awards (in which we were awarded special recognition for best 2d and action game), and for getting feedback from users about the game. We used this feedback to make the game the best game we could, and we wish to continue use the amazing feedback we are getting (especially from the from Touch Arcade forum members) to make the game even better!
3.how are you going to deal with the competition and/or make Rasta monkey stand out?
That’s a very tough question. The quality of games on the iPhone is getting better and better, and we are very excited to be part of this amazing game console. We believe in putting all our passion in creating games that are truly innovative and in a way, since we actually come from animation film making (you can see some of our early work on our youtube channel) we think that games should be treated as an art form and not only as a commercial replication of past successes. We want to go the extra mile, and give people a really fun and unique experience that will make our games stand out. We got really good feedback on Rasta Monkey and we really think that with your support it could make an iPhone hit.
4.this is being compared to rolando and sway how will it be better?
I bought and played with both Rolando and Sway, which I think are really great games that deserve all the publicity they got. I personally think that even though you could find some genre similarities (especially the cutesy feel☺) both of these games are really different from one another and definitely different from Rasta Monkey. The core of any game is its gameplay, and since all of these three games have very different gameplay and controls, They are unique. I think Rasta monkey is more about timing and precision than the other two, since Rolando’s power is more in it’s puzzle aspects, and sway gameplay is more about dexterity. I personally think you should get them all☺
5.how will his other apps be affected by this release? how many purchases would he consider a "success"?
Well, we don’t have any other apps☺ This is our first iPhone Game. Producing a game is a lengthy process in which you put a lot of time and passion. We are not in it for the money and our desire is to make enough to cover the production costs and move on to creating more great titles for you to have fun with. We got a really positive wind blowing here and we really believe it could make it to the top 100. That would be a major success in our opinion.
6.will you be adding levels thru updates?
Yes☺ but please remember that $1.99 is an intro price, so please get it now if you wanna get it in this price, don’t worry about the updates.
7.How much is Rasta Monkey going to be, and why should I buy Rasta Monkey instead of just spending the equivalent amount of money at Taco Bell? I mean, that's some pretty stiff competition there, the cheesy double beef burrito is delicious... The screenshots look good, but better than a gordita...?
lol, I like Taco Bell, why not combine both pleasures? Maybe in future levels of Rasta Monkey, he should be eating a burrito on the top of them trees☺
Anyways, Rasta Monkey is sold for an intro price of $1.99, which we believe to be a steal compared to the quality of this game (forum users predicted it should cost about $5). We invested a lot of sweat in making this game what we believe to be the best iphone platformer out there, and you can also play a demo on our site if you wanna get the basic feel for it. http://www.nitako.com/
*= these questions were thought of before the games release. will add a second part of interveiw about post release questions later.