Tokimeki Memorial Is a Hit With Japanese Schoolgirls
Game developers are starting to recognize the fact that girl gamers are becoming an increasingly significant market, leading to a number of gender-specific releases. In Japan, pre-teen and adolescent girls recently had a chance to try out the PSP game Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side: Second Kiss after waiting with baited breath for months.
InTokimeki Memorial, girls play the main character who is a student of Habataki High School. The aim is to develop a character so charming as to get one of the boys to fall in love with her. Players have a choice of 200 outfits and numerous accessories to wear on dates. These can be purchased in-game with virtual currency earned with a part-time job. There are ten male characters to pursue and four female characters who may help and advise the player – or become her rival.
In a related story, hordes of love-struck Japanese girls descended upon Tokyo’s Akihabara Station where publisher Konami sponsored a special preview of the dating sim game, not scheduled for release until August 3. Ten gaming stations were set up, and girls were allowed only ten minutes before being “pried kicking and screaming” from the controller. Girls awaiting their turn were given Tokimeki Memorial tests. Those who scored 80% or higher were given a game poster.
Apparently, three different tests had to be distributed to prevent cheating.
Via Konami
Game developers are starting to recognize the fact that girl gamers are becoming an increasingly significant market, leading to a number of gender-specific releases. In Japan, pre-teen and adolescent girls recently had a chance to try out the PSP game Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side: Second Kiss after waiting with baited breath for months.
InTokimeki Memorial, girls play the main character who is a student of Habataki High School. The aim is to develop a character so charming as to get one of the boys to fall in love with her. Players have a choice of 200 outfits and numerous accessories to wear on dates. These can be purchased in-game with virtual currency earned with a part-time job. There are ten male characters to pursue and four female characters who may help and advise the player – or become her rival.
In a related story, hordes of love-struck Japanese girls descended upon Tokyo’s Akihabara Station where publisher Konami sponsored a special preview of the dating sim game, not scheduled for release until August 3. Ten gaming stations were set up, and girls were allowed only ten minutes before being “pried kicking and screaming” from the controller. Girls awaiting their turn were given Tokimeki Memorial tests. Those who scored 80% or higher were given a game poster.
Apparently, three different tests had to be distributed to prevent cheating.
Via Konami