[Interview] What is 'Merge Kungya Island'?

Netmarble will release Merge Genre Game 'Merge Kungya Island' on the 15th. Merm is somewhat unfamiliar in Korea. The concept of combining more than three objects looks similar to a three-match puzzle like Candy Crush Saga and Ani Pang. Merge is to increase the purpose, and to get rid of the three-match puzzles. One of the known games is '2048'.

'Merge Kungya Island' is a casual Merge game using Netmarble IP 'Kungya'. Combining three or more of the same resources at low levels can have higher levels of resources. It is characterized by the constant 'murder' fun. Users can decorate their own islands with their resources.

Netmarble trimmed the 'Kungya' IP with 'Merge Kungya Island'. 'Kungya' is more popular and surprisingly old Netmarble IP than you think. Kungya has been together since the start of Netmarble. Like the first Kungya game 'Vegetable Vegetables', 'Merge Kungya Island' continues the eco-friendly worldview. The game begins with the sudden pollution of Kungya Island, which was living peacefully. The user must be the spirit king and help Kungya to purify the contaminated island.

When I introduced the game, I wondered, 'If it's Netmarble Kungya game... Kungya awakens?' Kungya did not wake up or transcend. It was a fun game to watch out of the existing collection RPG grammar.

Merge genre in Korea is somewhat unfamiliar.

Hangan Sol Team Leader = Merge itself is a very basic rule. The game that fosters resources using the continued growth is 'Merge Kungya Island'. We combined SNG (social network game) into Merge rules. There is a very large map made of tiles and starts with a very small space of this map. The user pioneers the island through Merge Play.

If you imagine Money play, the pyramid form comes to mind. The most common and basic resources are finally one resource. If so, isn't play limited?

Chae Hangsol = Designed to make that Merge play infinitely. The pyramid stage is correct when you approach it simply. However, 'Merge Kungya Island' grows not only as a species, but also as a pyramid. If you make a final form, this is the beginning of creating a new resource. There is such a new level of Parimide. It is virtually indefinitely collected with species and transverse play.

Kim Hyung-jin, manager = You can continue to decorate the island through the growth resources. In the process, a new kungya comes out, and the kungya grows again. Existing Merge Games felt that the play was core because it was a way that lacked the space and only growth in it. 'Merge Kungya Island' chose to lower the complex way of existing Merge games, expand and decorate the island. Users who have seen other Merge games will feel much easier and simpler if they play our game.

Collecting cute kungya is also an important factor. I hope that users will not be stressed for a long time and will be a game that can be played without any thought.

Even though it was developed casually, will the users run to the final content?

Kim Hyung-jin = Netmarble tried to escape such a way. Looking back on the process of developing 'Merge Kungya Island', I wanted to escape the Korean mobile MMORPG feature. I wanted to get out of the goal of taking first place by spending the fastest and efficient money.

The goal of 'Merge Kungya Island' is to expand the land, but it is itself to decorate the island to suit your taste. The more you expand the land, the more space you can decorate. I think it's a sensibility to give users how to decorate the space. Are you satisfied when your space is pretty?

So the play line of this game just made the users do what they wanted. If you want to expand the land quickly, you can do so and if you want to collect cute kungya. We have prepared a variety of play methods for various user tastes.

'Merge Kungya Island' is not a game that requires better results than others. The user just needs to collect my Kungya and enjoy the fun of decorating the island. Compared to others, who is the island more beautiful?

If you think about it, you can't imagine that the rice ball kungya is awakening or transcending or taking 100,000 combat power.

Kim Hyung-jin = Kungya has no awakening, but has a personality. If you keep growing rice balls, you can see you walking around the spaceship. Currently, Kungya MBTI is holding a small event that finds Kungya, which fits my personality.

Hanghansol = Kungya has a different personality, so each movement is different. For example, if you fall into the sea, you swim to the coast and return to the ground.

Can you just miss Kungya in the sea for no reason?

There is a sole =. Just pick up Kungya and throw it into the sea. Then Kungya swims out to go out of the water. In addition to this, I kept Kungya and made it healing. It's cute first.

There are so many Kungya, so each has a lot of interactions. It's fun to watch what these guys are doing. The motion to collect is different. You can only watch Kungya without touching anything. For example, there is a motion that Kungya is close to the contaminated land. It is also cute too. You can save those kungya using the in-game photographs and share it with your friends.

Kim Hyung-jin = Sweet potato kungya will be pushed down if you leave it still. There is a remnant that sees that.

I wonder why I chose Kungya IP.

Chae Han-sol = Kungya itself was already made 20 years ago. At that time, the worldview was not solid. There was a setting that Kungya came from natural objects such as vegetables and vegetables, but there was no explanation why it came and why living in vegetable villages with humans. In the process of resetting Kungya IP, the worldview was made almost from the beginning. The character and story of each kungya were meticulous. Even the eyebrows and eyes.

The completed worldview led to the destruction of nature because of human beings and the loss of Kungya's life. Kungya, who settled in a new place, is a worldview that purifies the polluted Earth, prepares them for their living, and ultimately saves humans.

In 'Merge Kungya Island', the user becomes the last survivor of mankind and becomes the king of spirit. Clean the island through Merge Play. Maybe it's the most eco-friendly game. (Laughter)

The game is good, but the charm of 'Kungya' is considerable.

Kim Hyung-jin = I'm looking forward to it in the future. Even now, if you look at the Internet community, scenes of Kungya animation wander around to meme. When the face of rice balls kungya turns red, he is teased with kimchi fried rice, or onion kungya, who eats the crispy, is salty.

Kungya animation is being presented through YouTube. If you look at the animation, I look forward to enjoying the game more fun.

There is an adventure mode in the game. Is it a strategy battle of a general collectable RPG? It's an eco-friendly game, so you're fighting with garbage.

Hanghan = Tile-based puzzle game. Adventure mode does not cause battle, but Kungya is a concept in which adventures are purified on other islands. The user must gradually purify the contaminated area through the play. If you cleanse the island, you will be rewarded. Awakening Kungya or 6-star Kungya do not need.

There is no concept of failure on the stage. Of course, there is no restriction on the turn. There are puzzle elements based on tile layouts or gimmicks using time, but they do not fail if they go over time. You can solve it if you think slowly and play in the way you want. I hope you will enjoy it slowly without any casual stress.

In addition to the adventure mode, additional content is hidden. In the case of the expedition, if you send the kungya on the boat, the kungya will bring pretty resources. It can be reduced like a kind of theme park while expanding the island and relocating the beautiful resources collected.

Kim Hyung-jin = Personally, I played the action game before joining the 'Merge Kungya Island' team. When I joined the game, I felt honestly, 'Why do you do this?' I'm used to the action RPG grammar. 'Should I put the final boss?' Or 'Shouldn't you present the ultimate goal to the user?'

As I completed the game, I realized the charm of casual money. If you play Merge without stress, and decorate the place you want to decorate, small fun gathered to complete a different fun.

The most concerned was 'Let's get out of battle and competition' and 'let's work not only in Korea but also in global.' It is expected that 'Merge Kungya Island' will be a long-loved game regardless of all ages.

The concept of 'companion game' comes to mind. It looks like a game that goes together rather than raising Kungya.

Kim Hyung-jin = I want to go like that. Rather than 'I will make the highest level kungya', I just want to collect Kungya that users love and decorate their own islands. I hope it will be a game that is casual and a game you want to play.

How did the business model caught?

Kim Hyung-jin = I was very worried about the billing model. Once you have to make a long profit, the early sales boosting, like the action RPG, is not suitable for this game.