Cookie Run: Kingdom
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| Cookie Run: Kingdom | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Devsisters |
| Publisher(s) | Devsisters |
| Producer(s) | Ji-hoon Lee |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | January 19, 2021
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| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
Cookie Run: Kingdom is an action role-playing gacha game by Devsisters and the sixth game in the Cookie Run series. It was announced on November 28, 2020 and released worldwide on January 19, 2021 on Android and iOS. On July 12, 2023, it was released on Google Play Games on PC.
The game features a huge cast of new and returning Cookies throughout the series. Cookie Run: Kingdom has an overarching narrative of the Cookies setting out on an expedition to find the Ancient Heroes and other allies in their journey.
Gameplay
[edit]Cookie Run: Kingdom is a free to play role-playing & city-building battle simulator. The game is mainly played by building the player's Cookie Kingdom and collecting Cookies using the game's gacha to fight in various game modes.
In the Kingdom, players place production buildings to produce items. These items could be then used for either upgrading buildings or various gameplay elements, or can be traded in various facilities for rewards. Players are free to decorate their kingdoms with a huge catalog of decorative items, which can be acquired with the game's currency or with real money. New facilities and land expansion are unlocked by upgrading the Cookie Castle.
The game modes include PvP and Guild systems, various PvE challenges, seasonal game modes that add strategy to the team-building mechanics, and Special Episodes that feature stories that tie into major side characters. The main story mode, World Exploration, includes two worlds, Crispia and Beast-Yeast. Crispia includes 2 extra difficulties, Dark and Master, that provide rewards for late-game upgrades.
The game features over 120+ Cookies obtained in the gacha, with high-tier rarities (Legendary, Dragon, Ancient, Beast) serving to denote their place in the world. In addition, non-playable Guest Cookies can be placed in the Kingdom.
Plot
[edit]
In a world populated with anthropomorphized Cookies and desserts (created by Witches using dough and Life Powder), the five Ancient Cookies created their own kingdoms and were given Soul Jams, which granted them immense powers and immortality. One day, White Lily Cookie wanted to know about the origin and creation of Cookies, so she tried to contact the Witches to seek an answer. Upon learning the horrible truth that Cookies were meant to be eaten, she fell into the "Ultimate Dough" and was re-baked as Dark Enchantress Cookie, who planned to use Cake Monsters to create a new world order. The Ancient Heroes fought against Dark Enchantress Cookie, but got stripped off their Soul Jams. In a desperate attempt, Pure Vanilla Cookie seals her away, shattering the Soul Jams in the process. The Ancient Cookies later go into hiding, leaving their kingdoms in disarray.
A long time after the Dark Flour War, GingerBrave was baked by a witch and escaped. He was later found by Wizard Cookie and Strawberry Cookie in the ruins of a former kingdom. Sugar Gnomes, being the remaining residents of this long-forgotten kingdom, ask them to help rebuild it. The trio later meet Chili Pepper Cookie and Custard Cookie III, and set on a long chase after the Cake Hound, who fled with the kingdom's crown.
As the group journey across the various regions of Earthbread, the crown quickly becomes irrelevant as they proceed to find the Ancient Cookies instead, to seek their help in defeating Dark Enchantress Cookie, who broke out from the seal. In addition, other characters seek out the elemental guardians and the legendary dragons for their aid in the future war.
With all but one of the Ancient Heroes yet to be found, Pure Vanilla Cookie heads to Beast-Yeast alongside GingerBrave, Strawberry Cookie and Wizard Cookie to explore the continent of Beast-Yeast. The group discovers the Faerie Kingdom, where they discover White Lily Cookie in a dormant state, who seemingly escaped from the re-baking. They also discover that the Soul Jams were previously held by five primordial heroes before the Ancient Heroes, known as the Five Beasts, who became corrupted by its power and were sealed away by the Witches, deep within Beast-Yeast. The Soul Jams were then passed on to the Ancient Heroes, filtered from corruption.
However, one of the Beast Cookies' spirits, Shadow Milk Cookie, breaks free from the seal, bringing chaos to the world. After dealing with turmoil and loss, White Lily Cookie manages to seal him back, but the premonition of Beast Cookies returning worries the Ancient Heroes.
Characters
[edit]As of October 12, 2024, there are a total of 140 playable Cookies in the game. Each Cookie can be categorized by their rarity, position, and type. Each Cookie is split into ten rarities - Common, Rare, Special, Epic, Super Epic, Legendary, Dragon, Beast, Ancient, Awakened, and Guest. Special Cookies can only be obtained through limited events or the Gacha Pavilion of Promise. Guest Cookies are NPCs that can be placed in the kingdom.
MyCookie, a customizable non-playable Cookie, is controllable and can only be used in Cuckoo Town Square, the game's player hub.
The game has had several collaborations that feature limited characters: In September 2021, Sonic Cookie and Tails Cookie were added as part of Sonic the Hedgehog's 30th anniversary. 2022 saw 2 collaborations with dedicated updates: Festival of Dreams and Wishes introduced Disney Cookies as Guests and ran between July to September 2022, and Braver Together, which added the members of BTS as playable Cookies, ran between October and November 2022
Reception
[edit]The game had gained massive popularity in the wake of Genshin Impact's anniversary rewards controversy and the similar free-to-play gacha model featured in both of the games.[1]
Cookie Run: Kingdom is ranked 31st in the Free Role-Playing Game category in Thailand.[2] In terms of free games, Japan ranked 1st on the Apple App Store and Google Play[3] and 3rd in the Free Role-Playing game category in the United States.[4] It was also ranked 1st in South Korea, 2nd in Taiwan, 3rd in Thailand, and 5th in Hong Kong in the Free Game on Apple App Store category in January 2021.[5] In South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, the game's revenue is ranked 1st on the Apple App Store, and in Hong Kong and Singapore, it is ranked 3rd in January 2021.[3] Cookie Run: Kingdom had 10 million downloads in the first two months after its release[3][6] and has been downloaded over 150 million times as of June 2021.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Ana Diaz (June 28, 2023). "Cookie Run: Kingdom's sudden popularity, explained". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023.
- ^ Sensor Tower (October 31, 2021). "Category Rankings of Cookie Run: Kingdom - Kingdom Builder & Battle RPG in Thailand". Archived from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Devsisters USA (April 30, 2021). "DEVSISTERS' HISTORY". Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Sensor Tower (October 31, 2021). "Category Rankings of Cookie Run: Kingdom - Kingdom Builder & Battle RPG in US". Archived from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ Chateaw (January 25, 2021). "Cookie Run Kingdom : Episode 1 Land Of Little Big Dreams Gameplay". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
- ^ Sensor Tower (October 31, 2021). "Overview of Cookie Run: Kingdom - Kingdom Builder & Battle RPG". Archived from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.