The first project from JP Games, a new studio founded by Final Fantasy 15 director Hajime Tabata in 2019, is The Pegasus Dream Tour, a free Paralympics RPG coming to iOS and Android June 24.
The Pegasus Dream Tour is the first official Paralympics game, and it's described as an "avatar RPG" on its newly minted Google Play page. Its central avatars are called Mine, and you can make one in your likeness using the selfies on your phone. Mine are all athletes competing in a Paralympics-style sporting event at Pegasus City, with competitors in different events sporting prosthetic arms and legs, as well as wheelchairs, depending on their physical needs. There's a variety of sports to learn, including boccia, wheelchair basketball, and football 5-a-side.
"Mine can now forge new relationships with other avatars by freely roaming around the city and participating in various competitions," JP Games says, "all the while parlaying back what is happening to the player from the virtual city … The game aims to let people enjoy the Paralympics in an innovative way by allowing them to gather inside Pegasus City with friends during the current situation when visiting the actual sporting venues is physically difficult."
The Pegasus Dream Tour was originally announced in 2019 shortly after JP Games was formed. It was unveiled in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and Olympics, which were pushed back by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the game evolved to suit the "current situation" highlighted by JP Games. With most people unable to attend public events, even outdoor ones, The Pegasus Dream tour became a digital, playable alternative celebrating Paralympics.
"With this video game, we want to contribute to the future growth of the Paralympic Games, not just as a sporting event, but as entertainment as well, with contents that we hope will have lasting value in the future," Tabata said in 2019.
JP Games says that "part of the profits generated by in-game items" will be donated to the Agitos Foundation, which support sports activities and aid for athletes with disabilities.
These are the best sports games you can play right now.
