Product Teardown: The Simpsons Tapped Out

For this particular framework, I will focus on the Simpsons Tapped Out iOS Game. I've been playing this game for about a year and a half and really understand what the game is about. Essentially, Homer Simpson blows up Springfield in the early cinematic and needs to rebuild the town we know and love from the TV Show. Let's get started with the breakdown using the Mobile Game Audit Framework.

A. Targeting

Game Type

This game has a set of challenges and interactions that are targeted for casual gamers — ones that prefer to be social.

Skills and Core Layers

The Simpsons introduces us to multi-dimensional layers within the game from building homes to buying new characters to completing side quests. This game teaches players to multitask many decisions at a time, but for a longer duration.

Target Audience

Using Flurry Analytics and their Top 200 iOS Games, we see that Simpsons falls in line with a (75% male to 25% female) audience in their 25–30's. I would expect the game to be heavily male focused since it is more of a strategy/build your base game.

B. Gameplay

Activity Statement

The objective of the game is to build your own Springfield and play as your favorite Simpsons characters.

Core Loop

For this particular section, I want to dwell deeper in the Hook Canvas which describes the steps necessary in achieving a habit. Let's take a closer look at the model:

1. Trigger: The trigger will be gamers itching to explore a familiar universe with friends. The feeling of nostalgia will be the internal motive to play the Simpsons game.
2. Action: The gamer will take action by opening the game from his/her phone and being able to start immediately. There is no login needed.
3. Variable Reward: This is where we get to a chain of events that happen randomly in the game. The gamer feels inclined to keep doing character missions and unlock new treasures.
4. Investment: The gamer can choose to level up his or her character in the game which is our investment. Or once a mission is complete will get either donuts or money in the game.

Compulsion Loop

Simply doing missions, getting money/donuts, and buying stuff are some things I really enjoy doing. It makes me feel like I am building a big world, which is the whole purpose of a strategy game.

Difficulty Progression

Within The Simpsons, they do a fantastic job in keeping the game fresh. For example, when Christmas comes, the entire game is oriented around Christmas themes. Linear progression occurs with the Simpsons because the game gets difficult as you level up.

C. Retention

Storyline

The storyline in the Simpsons is great because it piggybacks off the original T.V show which had a huge fan base. This is similar to Pokemon Go. The actual game story is simple enough, but makes me want to explore how all the characters are connected.

Hedonic Adaptation

This is the human tendency to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness. In this game, I feel a sense of happiness when I open the game and see all the loots hanging over the houses of missions I completed.

Goal-oriented Gameplay

The game makes sure you complete different mini-missions based on your level. In order to unlock certain missions for characters, you must be a certain level. This creates linear gameplay to help the character level up.

Progression

With The Simpsons game, you easily see progression bars on the main UI (Levels and Experience). The ways to grow your empire is to build so you have more income. Another way is to spend donuts on structures to build your city faster.

D. Virality

The main point to address here is that the more a player shares this game with others the greater the likelihood of bringing new players into this world. Virality helps with the brand and here are a few techniques The Simpsons game does really well:

• Friend World: You can help neighbouring worlds with XP and money.
• Friend Prizes: You have the ability to get new structures and bonuses which helps the player focus on helping friends.
• Invite Friends: The Simpsons integrates with your EA Account so you can connect with your pre-existing friends. You can also connect on Facebook as well.

E. Monetization/Revenue/Economy

Since this is a free-to-play game, item purchasing is the main revenue source with soft currency and hard currency. In The Simpsons, soft currency is earned by completing tasks, hard currency can be obtained by spending real money.

Key Items

• Game Resources: The main resource in the game is Money and XP. XP helps you get donuts and level ups.
• Customization of Items: You have the ability to buy and customize the roads and buildings within Springfield.
• Comfort Items: You have the ability to get unique characters and items that are unnecessary to the main game.
• Collectible Items: They have no contribution to the main game, but make the experience authentic.

Conclusion

The Simpsons Game is fun to play and has key design elements to make you play a very long time:

1. It provides immediate satisfaction. There is no obstacle in purchasing the game, you just install the game and you start the missions.
2. EA has designed the game to be played for a very long time. The aim is to convert the non-paying users into paid players.
3. They design for new audiences being primarily young male mobile users.
4. Easy to follow onboarding. They help the player get started and get the player accustomed to the habit loop.
5. Open Loop. This creates an innate desire to complete tasks, but the tasks are never-ending and never close the loop.