If there's one game type that is egregiously missing from the ever-growing trove of the App Store, it's the Animal Crossing-like life sim. Even with vaguely similar entries like available on iOS, nothing quite scratches our itch for a colorful, cartoony world where you can spend all day fishing or decorating your den--until now. Castaway Paradise by Stolen Couch Games intends to fill that gap and then some, offering a living, breathing world that is inspired by Animal Crossing but expands upon it in ways that will keep players busy, challenged, and right at home.

Castaway Paradise takes place on a collection of islands that gradually open up as the game progresses. Players will assume the role of their personally designed avatar, who washes up on shore and decides to make the most of their shipwrecked situation. While you'll start with only a small, donated tent to house your few belongings--basically the clothes and seaweed on your back--it's easy to begin making money and become a productive member of island society. Similar to Animal Crossing, fishing and bug-catching are lucrative means to expand your coffers, but the bucks don't stop there. "Animal Crossing is the obvious inspiration indeed," Eric Diepeveen, co-founder and game designer at Stolen Couch Games told Gamezebo. "We're diverging from that game by making the gameplay deeper and more task-oriented. We like Animal Crossing, but we're not huge fans per se. My personal problem with the game is the lack of tasks. That's why I designed Castaway Paradise more like a social game.

"In Castaway Paradise you'll always have three tasks to do. They are optional, but the rewards are worth it. You get new items, money, and XP. When you level up, you get new equipment and unlock even more items to buy. There is a lovely flow to the game, always something to do and unlock." These quests are handed out by the townsanimals and range in requirements, from catching specific types of fish to building a lighthouse on the beach. Since the game takes place in real time, some quests will come with time limits, but an unwanted task can be resigned to make room for another one at any time.