SaruTobi, the Game That Tips Players in Bitcoin, Is Now On Android

SaruTobi, the mobile game that spreads Bitcoin use by tipping its players, has at last released a version for Android – with added cross-game features.

Also read: Blockchain Launches Thunder Network Prototype

SaruTobi Arrives on Android

The game has been popular on iOS since it first appeared in December 2014. Having started with donations and cloud mining payouts, developer Mandelduck now uses advertising revenues it generates from the game to pay back players.

So far it has paid out over $16,000 USD.

Speaking to Bitcoin.com, Mandelduck founder Christian Moss said he was pleased with the reception SaruTobi had received, but that its fanbase is also limited to the relatively small Bitcoin community. Moss:

In the mobile app space SaruTobi doesnt really compare – a popular mobile game such as Clash of Clans is bigger than the Bitcoin space. So I’m more excited in seeing Bitcoin/blockchain games hit the mainstream, maybe it can take Bitcoin with it.

Gaming, and in-game currencies/tokens are often touted as great vehicles to spread Bitcoin and digital currency use. These currencies have the added bonus of being able to move outside the game and get spent in the real world.

Links to Counterparty, Spells of Genesis

SaruTobi (which means “monkey fly” in Japanese) uses Counterparty tokens as in-game items, and connects to the IndieSquare Counterparty Wallet. This allows users to receive bitcoin tips and even share items from different games.

To show how this works, SaruTobi is cross-promoting with the also-popular Spells of Genesis (SoG) game, using some SoG blockchain cards as powerups that can be stored in the IndieSquare wallet and used in both games.

SoG is a mobile fantasy game that combines elements of gameplay from arcade games and trading card games. Its Bitcoin/blockchain-based theme and characters reminiscent of Bitcoin industry personalities have made it popular in the cryptocurrency community.

At present, Spells of Genesis cards are only available in the Android edition of SaruTobi, but Mandelduck is working to incorporate their use into the iOS version as well.

Background

The Counterparty platform (among other things) allows anyone to create their own tokens for games, apps, events, causes, or any other purpose. All tokens are registered on the Bitcoin blockchain and their values are backed by that of Bitcoin.

Mandelduck also produces the iOS “geocaching” app Takara, in which users ‘drop’ small amounts of bitcoin in specific locations for others to pick up if they visit that location. It has seen users travel physically to coffee shops, houses, bridges and even islands to collect the dropped “treasure.”

SaruTobi is available now on the Google Play store.

Are you into mobile gaming? Do you think Mandelduck and others are doing a good job at promoting fun Bitcoin use?

Images courtesy of SaruTobi, Counterparty, Spells of Genesis