Cookie Run: Kingdom is a delightful mobile game that took me by surprise. I am very picky about games on the phone, and this one met my standards.

Cookie Run: Kingdom is difficult to fit into a genre. It is a weird mash-up of Farmville, Infinite Runner, and Gachapon with RPG elements. Normally, I would stray away from including so many different genres into one game, but it works.

However, the game is not for everyone. It is addicting, and if you have a low tolerance for games that are made to be addicting then stray away. Despite this, I think it is a great game to play for 15-30 minutes when I just want to play something simple.

All of the different features are very competent, but nothing that reinvents the genre. It is a Gacha game which probably brings me into the biggest factor in the review.

The Elephant in the Room

Gachapon games are a style of mobile game that has a loot box mechanic that players interact with to obtain characters. However, I would say that Cookie Run: Kingdom is very generous with resources, and I have had a lot of fun without spending any money.

Despite this, money will need to be paid to compete in PVP at the top level. I would say this comes with the territory. I do not play games at top competitive levels, so it is irrelevant to me.

It feels weird to promote such a potentially predatory monetization tactic in a game. This was going to be a factor in the review. How can I recommend a game when I know someone could become addicted, and fall into the money hole?

A complicated experience

I have had a very enjoyable experience playing the game. However, I am very aware that the game is made to get money out of you. Everything you can do from building to playing the RPG can involve paying money.

Despite this, I have used the opportunities for monetization to take a break. This isn’t a game that is built to be played for 6 hours straight. However, if you have deep enough pockets then you could.

Conclusion

It is a fun game, and I will probably keep on playing it after I have made this review. It is far better than the worst mobile game I have played this year and might slip in my tops of the year.

6.3

Probably the best Gacha game I have played, but it can be difficult to recommend.