Today, Hand Circus announced their new iOS game, Seabeard. Those who have been playing on iOS for a few years may remember Hand Circus for Rolando, one of the first big hits in iOS gaming (heavily inspired by LocoRoco). Seabeard will be published by Backflip Studios – another popular name in the scene (Ninjump, Paper Toss).
There aren’t many details on Seabeard yet, but it looks intriguing from a visual standpoint and it’s nice to see Hand Circus back with new material for iOS after ngmoco (the old publisher of Rolando) switched to a freemium model, which led to the cancelation of Rolando 3.
Seabeard’s first trailer (embedded above) shows a mix of Animal Crossing-style elements (build villages, manage population, go fishing) but also gives off a Wind Waker vibe with a focus on ocean exploration and boat mini games (not the first time Wind Waker has inspired an iOS game). In terms of character style, Seabeard is a continuation of Hand Circus’ PS3 game, Okabu.
From Hand Circus’ description:
Revive your trading empire - Set sail to discover lucrative trading routes and source rare and valuable items. Rebuild the legendary trading capital, Accordia and hire the finest market traders.
Conquer the seas - Set sail to encounter the challenges of the ocean, from feeding whales and rescuing shipwrecked passengers to battling with menacing sea monsters.
Further details on Seabeard’s gameplay aren’t available at this point, but Hand Circus is going to demo Seabeard at the GDC in San Francisco next week. From the trailer, it appears that the game will be Universal with iPhone and iPad support; it’s also not clear whether the game will be a paid download or if there will be freemium mechanics with In-App Purchases. According to Hand Circus, Seabeard is “coming soon” to the App Store.
