Ten Count Game: Puzzle x Story Game for iOS and Android

Rejoice! New Year, new Ten Count game! It’s a puzzle and story game for iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android. I’ve already downloaded it and played a while with it, and it’s super cute. Although I must admit it’s going to be difficult for those who don’t know Japanese, this is a great opportunity to learn the language while having fun. The artwork is amazing and sweet. Although I enjoy a lot the stylish screens, I’m hooked on the Manju versions of the characters. So, what’s this game about exactly?

You get to follow Ten Count’s story, and you get two extra characters (so far, this is what I understood). As you proceed in the game, you get to play puzzle challenges that will give you skills and expertise. And then, while you follow the story, you get items to personalize your characters.

You can download the game for free, but there’re also in-App purchases that range from $0.99 (5 diamonds) to $79.99 (680 diamonds). I haven’t purchased any diamonds yet. To be fair, I’ve only been playing the game for a day, but so far it seems that you can follow it quite well without the need of purchasing diamonds. But, since I’m a slow player due to the language, I guess that that plays in my favor. Who knows? (I’ll tell you in the future when I’ve played more hours with it).

When you start the game, you’ll need to be patient for a while. It took the App some minutes to load the story at the beginning. You don’t need to choose anything, just read what’s going on and enjoy the images. After a tutorial, you’ll end up with prizes in a gatcha, and then you’ll be able to play the Manju puzzle. I love puzzle games, so I’m thrilled to play with Kurose and Mizutani as tiny Manjus. It’s a pretty easy puzzle game, at least at the beginning. The challenges are just fine (but since I was taking screenshots of the game to write a post about it, I only got three stars from three!)

When you tap on the menu icon, you get more options. Dare to explore a bit! I wouldn’t go too fast just in case you want to enjoy one of the artworks that appear on the screen. Takarai’s stylish men are seriously handsome.

You’ll notice that apart from the stylish characters, you get also chibi versions of them, and Manjus. Cute Mizutani will help you know all about the App and how it works (in fact he appears with a notebook!) Kurose, however, will point you in the right direction. I wanted to have Kurose as the main character, but I ended up with a doc… It’s a new character for the game. He also appears in Ten Count Another Days.

The gatcha is actually pretty funny because you have to rub a cute sleeping Mizutani to get your presents. You get a character, but also clothing for it. Since I’m at the lowest of levels, I don’t have much to show. But, the cuteness overload of the game is enough for me. I hope I can get better and end up with the character I like.

You will get all types of explanations, including your character. Anyway, you can collect the figures too, so at some point, I’ll change them. Or so I hope (unless I’m a total failure playing the game.)

You get a city map where you can see your progress. Obviously, mine is ridiculous since I’m still training. But, everything looks cute so far, and I’m having loads of fun with it. It’s also an excellent Japanese practice. I’m used to reading the manga, but playing games like this make the experience more interactive.

My favorite part is playing with the Manjus. Perhaps it’s because they’re so cute, I can’t get enough of them! I’m not sure if you can skip the story and just play the puzzle. I might explore more the game and see if it’s possible or not. For the time being, I’ll just enjoy the ride as it is.

Overall, this game is an excellent way to either practice Japanese or learn it. It’s quite straightforward and enjoyable. The artwork is stylish and cute, and the Manju puzzle is just the best part of it. (And yes, that was a super biased opinion because I just love cute puzzles with round figures that feature super cute characters.)

Wait! You haven’t read the manga yet!? Ten Count [The Book Depository] [Waterstones] is one of the best BL manga out there at the moment. It’s a masterpiece of love, drama, and stress (because you’ll be rooting for Kurose and Mizutani and asking “what are you doing now!?” like in every volume, but it’s so sweet! Promise.) So, while we wait for the anime, why not enjoy the game and the manga?

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Note: This post contains affiliate links. I only share things that I love.

Copyright: Images on this post (C) Ten Count (C) Rihito Takarai (C) Arithmetic (C) React