MatchyGotchy happened as a result of Matchy Star. While working with Matchy Star, we wanted to give these cute characters a life of their own. This is where the idea of interacting with them as virtual pets came into the Matchyverse.
Matchy Star is the original character, and he explores the Alpha System where he meets all the other stars on the way. Originally called gems, as part of a match 3 design, eventually they all became characters instead and we call them Stars now thanks to MatchyGotchy.
The stars were given a purpose in space, they want to grow to become rocket surgeons. It comes from that quirky mix of ‘rocket science’ and ‘brain surgery’, commonly used as a light hearted and fun take joke to suggest high intelligence or higher qualifications. Each of their own have their specific jobs though, and also their own personalities.
Just like any virtual pet experience, they have their own growth and different phases of it.
Smol Egg
We decided to make the Stars hatch as a fond reference to tamagotchies from back then. There is no care to the egg, as we initially intended to make MatchyGotchy a short and intuitive experience to introduce the characters. In MatchyGotchy, it’s just a transitional phase that requires no care taking – we are revisiting this concept for MatchyGotchy Z!
Tiny Baby.
Stars are born without any outfit, or any skills. They are smart cookies though, so they are drawn to build ships in order to become a rocket surgeon – they slowly pick up on productivity as they grow up. At first, it’s a learning curve, just about the same it is for the player learning how to take care of their stars.
Awkward Teenager.
The are halfway into full productivity and job purpose. Once they level up, they don’t only grow in size but also acquire part of their main outfit. It knd of looks a tad off, which is the reason why it fits so well the idea of being a teenager in those awkward years while growing up. At this stage they require a bit less of undivided attention but they get distracted and sick much easier.
Rocket Surgeon.
They finally reach their normal size, full clothing, and a range of productivity which they do not while babies. As they continue to work, they peak in speed at their job – they get better and now you can use your stars to build up ships to get to Xanadu. They become a bit more independent and work their very best.
Just like any tamagotchi-like experience, they need food and care to grow. They can also get sick, they sleep – and in MatchyGotchy, they can also die with bad care. We originally designed six actions, food and snacks, a traditional left/right game, cleaning, health and selfies. Cycling through these as needed will allow your Star to be fully productive and grow as they should to become Rocket Surgeons. Including selfies, they are part of the entertainment factor Stars need.
There are a total of seven Stars, and each star has a particular task as a rocket surgeon. Let’s meet the Rocket Surgeons:
MATCHY STAR AS AN ALL-DIMENSIONAL MASTER SHIPWRIGHT
Matchy Star is an engineer extraordinaire. Ready to use mathematics and a trusty graphing calculator to explore the cosmos, Matchy is happy, upbeat, and full of unbridled contagious enthusiasm. Matchy’s positive nature inspires other stars to achieve nerdy heights.
SPACEY GALAXY AS DAUNTLESS ELEGANT DIPLOMAT
Spacey Galaxy once managed to negotiate a truce in the Klatu Nebula by strategically sneezing at exactly the right moment. Never shying away from the personal touch, Spacey once took a galactic ruler’s space dog to the groomers all in the name of peace.
SPEEDY SPUTNIK AS INTERSTELLAR SHIPMENT MANAGER
Speedy Sputnik knows the routes though space to get anywhere fast. Speedy managed to change the speed of light for a few hours just to make sure a delivery got to its destination on time. Always out for a promotion, this Sputnik dreams of doing deliveries for Matchy Mart.
DOCTOR UFO SPACE PHYSICIAN MD
Doctor UFO attended space medical school at the prestigious Space University of Medicine and Shoe Cobbling. Don’t let the good doctor’s derpy demeanor fool you, this UFO is capable of diagnosing a multitude of diseases by sense of smell alone!
PIRATE PLANET AS A MIGHTY BOOTY HUNTER
Pirate Planet is so grumpy that just scowling can intimidate enemies into surrendering their valuables without the need to say a word. Pirate Planet is a noble pirate, only stealing things the rapscallion really wants but doesn’t have and can’t afford.
LOONY LANDER AS QUAINT ALIEN BOTANIST
Loony Lander realized an internal talent for botany by managing to plant a spare microchip which grew into a tree that had tiny little computers on it. The computers were too small to use but they taste great!
GURU MOON AS ASTROLOGICAL FORECAST SPECIALIST
Always one for supernatural coincidences and fortune telling shenanigans, Guru Moon became a Guru by successfully predicting how long the halftime show at the Space Bowl would be every year 5 years in a row down to the second.
Have you played MatchyGotchy yet? You should! It’s fun, it’s cute and it’s also entirely free. If you enjoyed the game, you can support us by leaving a positive review :)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/772700/MatchyGotchy/
