Sprung
UBI Soft



Kiwi Rating: 2 out of 5 Kiwis







Dating simulation games are not new in the gaming industry. This sect of the Adventure genre lacks in number, popularity, and gameplay. Did these factors affect Sprung?

Sprung is a dating simulation game that came out in 2004, a month prior to the Nintendo DS’s North American release. Sprung takes an innovative step to the dating simulation genre by giving the player a choice to play as either a man (Brett) or a woman (Becky) rather than a preset character, like in other dating simulations. The game takes place at a Ski Lodge, where the objective is to flirt your way through conversations with the NPCs (Non-Playable Characters). Given multiple choices, players can choose their conversation points. A consequence follows soon after their decision, affecting the game’s outcome.





Sprung manages to reach dating simulation potential. However, it does not seem to use much of the DS capabilities. The whole game comes in with the lot of scenarios and innovatively makes use of the Dual Screen by presenting both the NPC, as well the chosen character by the player. Regardless, the game lacks in gameplay, considering players only get to choose choices and see what goes next. There really isn’t much more to it than that. The music was decent, supporting the game well. IGN states that, “the music's meant to get lost among the "action," and though there's not much action to be had in this game, the soundtrack accompanies it well.” The graphics are impressive and the animation seems to flow smoothly as they transition to different emotions from happy and sad to angry.

Reception on this game was generally mixed but it did get a lot of low ratings. Critics turned the game down coldly (as cold as the Ski Lodge of this game). Players found the game humorous and easy to play, yet also addressed the lack of gameplay.

Overall, the game receives 2 out of 5 Kiwis. The game easily gets dull and makes it lose appeal. Sprung could have taken the game a step further than what it already was.