They’re all named and you deal with them over the course of several years. To its credit, Pocket Academy really fleshes out who these kids are. I think it helps that there’s always something you could be doing in the process or, at least, building towards. Weighing these two options, as dull as they sound, is entertaining. Without interaction, you don’t get points for research or tests. But the other decision is a fundamental one, too. The goal is to be the best school in the world, so the students actually matter. Also, schools as a whole are rated and a lot of funding, as well as those ratings, depends on end-of-semester test scores. The higher the IQ, the likelier they are to pass the challenge. This is the push and pull: do you spend these points in order to get more areas for interaction In order to attract more kids, you need to compete in challenges based on those core subjects. As they roam and participate in other facilities, they’ll earn additional points that you can then, in turn, spend in classrooms to boost their core attributes or apply to research. As they sit in classrooms, they’ll automatically receive points in these areas. Science, math, English, Spanish, and history are the subjects each student can learn. It’s pretty redeeming building something in your own image. Satisfactorily, you are put in charge of what statistics receive boosts upon leveling up, which lets you mold a curriculum that feels… well, you.
Teachers, on the other hand, need to be hired and then leveled up. Students come in once a year or through transfer if your school is attractive enough. Ample classrooms and activities are a necessity to do this, as well as teachers. The end product is a well-learned student body, and you get several years to turn kids’ mush into iron.
Like Game Dev Story understood, to some extent, the development process and let you lead it, Pocket Academy allows you to do the same with a school. Even buildings and research subjects have terrible descriptions that can lead to hair-pulling strategic misfires. The only solid way to find out what works well with something else is via experimentation, which is a costly and horribly slow, pace-chewing endeavor. Pocket Academy isn’t good at telling you what is “good” versus “bad.” It hides a lot of bonuses and mechanics from viewing. This is where the one real rub rears its head You’re in charge of building classrooms, researching new facilities like restrooms, libraries, and nurses’ offices.
On the top end, this game puts you in the shoes of an administrator planning out the next greatest thing in education. The game takes place over the course of 11 years (with each year taking about 30 minutes to an hour to clear), so you have plenty of time to get things down right. But once I found my rhythm, the money started to roll in and I didn’t have any problem seeing my school grow.
It takes a while to generate revenue, as my school was dirt poor and struggling to make money at first. This is cool for those who like management games but don’t have the time to get truly involved in much deeper, more detailed games of a similar nature.
It’s not super engrossing, and you can get the full experience in probably a weekend’s time. found myself enjoying the light fare that is Pocket Academy since it has just the right amount of depth and accessibility that make it a quality management simulator. Hell, if you’re a few years in, it’s pretty easy to just let the game play itself while you grab a bite to eat. It changes with your school’s rank and when the school is given a new title, and that can take a while to achieve.This is one of those games where if you want to listen to a podcast while playing, that’s perfectly fine as you’re likely to not going to miss out on much. The music is fine, but can be grating after a while. The graphics are colorful and the 2D sprite-based look is pleasing to the eye. Presentation wise, Pocket Academy has a bright, cheerful aesthetic. By having the kids study and pass tests, you can also have them take exams that will help the school raise its tuition, thus putting more money in the school’s bank account. While doing all of that, you also have to make money. It sounds like a lot to juggle, but it’s actually simple enough to get into and the game does a good job of walking you through everything. The things you need to have a successful school include scoring high marks for national testing, making sure grade 3 students pass their final exams to get a good job, sending clubs out for competitions, and making sure kids attend school and get motivated. But as the years pass the school grows from one small class to managing three separate grade classes.