Source: Happy Dog Games Facebook

The burgeoning digital animation and software development industry sector in Costa Rica has produced a new mobile video game, and this time it is based on an animated television series also created in our country. The game features Ivick Von Salza, an animated child lumberjack who is the star of the eponymous TV show. According to an article by journalist Monserrath Vargas of national newspaper La Nacion, the series was produced in Costa Rica in 2010, but was always intended for international markets.

The game, which can be purchased as an app for the iPhone and iPad, follows the catapult or slingshot mechanics that players of the popular Angry Birds will immediately be familiar with. The game has received a couple of favorable reviews thus far, and the synopsis on iTunes describes it as:

“[…] an addictive video game that you won’t be able to stop playing. Due to an unfortunate event, Ivick and his pig pet Malta must work together to collect all the pieces of the Hachador (the wood cutting machine), which are located all around town.Based on the TV show “Ivick Von Salza – the Little Lumberjack”, produced by Rocket Cartoons.”

Ivick Von Salza is unfortunately not familiar to children in Costa Rica as the show currently plays on networks abroad, including: Disney Channel Japan, BBC Kids Canada, RTP Portugal, YLE Finland, and Lekan VOD China. The show is described by Rocket Cartoons as follows:

“Ivick, his lumberjack Dad (Vigoras) and precious, pink pet pig (Malta) live at the top of a wonderful snowy mountain. With their strange mountain neighbors -including snow crocodiles, yetis, bears and lots more – Ivick and his Dad are guaranteed a life full of funny, surprising and ridiculous adventures. Join Ivick camping, skating, snowboarding and sometimes even lumber-jacking in his mountain top world!”

The developers of the game are Tico siblings Guiselle y José Manuel Silva. Their software development firm, Happy Dog Games, has a previously released mobile gaming app on iTunes: Johnny Unlucky, a game ideal for fans of spelling and word games.

In the past, The Costa Rica Star has reported on the development of other video games in Costa Rica, such as Tweet Land and Micromon. A future article will focus on Pota-Toss, a work in progress that could rival Angry Birds.