The newly released mobile game “Mole’s World” has topped the free download chart on the App Store in China for a week since its release on June 1, beating Tencent games “Honor of Kings” and “Peacekeeper Elite.”

Created by Chinese video game developer Taomee Entertainment, “Mole’s World” is a simulation game in which players can build manors, play mini-games, collect treasures, interact with others and unlock new stories by completing daily tasks. The mobile game is a derivative of the PC version originally released in 2008.

The PC version, “Mole Manor,” was targeted towards children aged 7-14. Inspired by the popular American multiplayer game “Club Penguin,” “Mole Manor” was dedicated to creating interactive online communities for children and quickly gained popularity in a market remained largely untapped by forerunners.

By the end of 2009, it had garnered over 50 million registered users and 30 million active accounts. However, the game ceased all updates in 2014 following a fallout of the creating team.

The mobile version is said to be developed by the same team that created the PC version. Apart from specific alterations to plots and scenes, the mobile game has also incorporated a 3D view.

The “Mole’s World” mobile game reaped a user growth of 6 million within the first eight hours of its release, with 250,000 daily downloads.

The mobile version has also been met with disappointed comments. “The graphics are shoddy. There are very limited interactive elements,” a user commented. “It’s a bit like ‘Animal Crossing,’ but less fun.”

Other reactions include criticism of its substandard socializing functions, long processing time, unnecessary guidance and a dissociation of currencies within the game. The appeal seems even smaller for new players.

(SD-Agencies)