Dr. Panda

Dr. Panda
Industry Video Games
Founded 2011
Founder Thijs Bosma,[1] Yan Lin[2]
Headquarters Hong Kong, China
Area served
 160 countries
Key people
 Thijs Bosma (CEO & Founder)
Lin Yan (COO & Co-founder)
Tom Buyckx (Chief Marketing Officer)
Products Games
Toys
Number of employees
 50
Website www.drpanda.com

Dr. Panda (formerly TribePlay)[3] is an independent Chinese kids video game developer focused on creating educational applications for kids on smartphones and tablets, and based in Chengdu.[4] The company's series of Dr. Panda games includes more than 25 apps that focus on role-playing experiences that are accessible to young kids,[5] such as grocery shopping, cooking and airline travel. The games are available on platforms including iOS, Android and Windows Phone.[6] The applications have been installed over 50 million times worldwide.[7][8] In 2015, Apple Inc. named Dr. Panda's Restaurant 2 as its "Free App of the Week".[9] and again, with Dr. Panda Ice Cream Truck in 2016.[10]

History

2011-2012: Beginnings and mainstream success.

Dr. Panda (previously TribePlay) was founded in 2011 by Thijs Bosma[11] and began development for the future Dr. Panda franchise in early 2012.[12] By March 2012, Dr. Panda launched their first game, Dr. Panda Teach Me! on the App Store.[13] Since then the company has released 29 more titles that have surpassed 50 million downloads in over 100 countries.[14][15] making them the third largest developer of paid kids apps worldwide on iOS—and largest independent developer.[16]

2013-Present: Rebranding and expansion.

Dr. Panda expanded into 3D graphics with the release of Dr. Panda Home in 2013. It was featured as one of The Guardian's Best 20 Android Apps of the Week in 2013[17] and was awarded with an "Editor's Choice Award" by Children's Technology Review.[18]

In 2015, TribePlay rebranded to Dr. Panda to better reflect the personality and popularity of the game franchise.[19]

In early 2016, the company launched the Dr. Panda Plush Toy along with official Dr. Panda T-shirts that are available to buy from the US Amazon store.[20][21][22]

According to the company's official website, Dr. Panda games combines role play, open-ended play and expressive characters.[23] Each game explores a different aspect of everyday life from cooking and traffic, to gardening and art.[24]

Dr. Panda's Restaurant 2

Dr. Panda's Restaurant 2 is an interactive cooking-based game for children aged 6–8. It follows the main character Dr. Panda as he tries to run his beach-side restaurant as efficiently as possible, satisfying various customers that visit during the day. The customers in the game are animals ranging from hippos and elephants to polar bears, and each customer orders a dish of their liking when they arrive.[25] The game aims to educate children on the concept of preparing food, and familiarizes them with basic ingredients and the steps involved in preparing dishes like pastas and pizzas.[26]

Hoopa City

Hoopa City, developed by Dr. Panda, is a city-building game for children aged 5–8.[27] The user joins the character, Hoopa, a construction-loving hippo who teaches the player to build on a scrollable meadow-like, gridded globe. At the top of the screen is a choice of seven building elements, including brick, water, electricity, roads, nature, money and a heart. To discover the more than 70 buildings, kids will need to combine the elements in different ways.[28]

Hoopa City has been compared to SimCity, but for preschoolers.[29][30] Hoopa City has been awarded the "Honors Award" at the 2014 National Parenting Publications Awards.[31] Tech with Kids named Hoopa City as their "Best Pick App" in 2014.[32] It was also featured in "10 top kids apps of 2014" by USA Today.

Honors and awards

Dr. Panda regularly tops the store charts, and has ranked as the #1 kids game in the App Store in over 50 countries.[33] As of 2016, Dr. Panda has gone on to win awards from National Parenting Publications (NAPPA), Children's Technology Review and Parent's Choice.[34][35][36] [37][38][39][40]

In 2015, Dr. Panda was featured as the Developer of the Month (October) by Good App Guide.[41] In the 2016 Loved by Parents Awards, Dr. Panda in Space was nominated and awarded the Platinum Award for "Best Family App" and Gold for "Best Children's App".[42]

List of all Dr. Panda Games

Release Date Title Platform(s)
iOS Android Windows Phone
September 2017 Dr. Panda Mall Yes Yes No
June 2017 Dr. Panda Train Yes Yes No
March 2017 Dr. Panda Town Yes Yes No
January 2017 Dr. Panda Café Yes Yes No
November 2016 Hoopa City 2 Yes Yes No
September 2016 Dr. Panda Bath Time Yes Yes No
July 2016 Dr. Panda Farm Yes Yes No
May 2016 Dr. Panda Racers Yes Yes No
April 2016 Dr. Panda School Yes Yes Yes
January 2016 Dr. Panda Candy Factory Yes Yes No
November 2015 Dr. Panda Firefighters Yes Yes No
September 2015 Dr. Panda Carnival Yes Yes No
June 2015 Dr. Panda Space Yes Yes No
March 2015 Dr. Panda Ice Cream Truck Yes Yes No
February 2015 Dr. Panda Restaurant Asia Yes Yes No
January 2015 Dr. Panda Swimming Pool Yes Yes No
December 2014 Dr. Panda Bus Driver Christmas Yes Yes No
November 2014 Dr. Panda Mailman Yes Yes No
August 2014 Dr. Panda & Toto's Treehouse Yes Yes No
June 2014 Hoopa City Yes Yes No
May 2014 Dr. Panda Toy Cars Yes Yes No
February 2014 Dr. Panda Restaurant 2 Yes Yes No
December 2013 Dr. Panda Bus Driver Yes Yes No
November 2013 Dr. Panda Home Yes Yes No
August 2013 Dr. Panda Airport Yes Yes Yes
July 2013 Dr. Panda Art Class Yes Yes No
June 2013 Dr. Panda Garage (Discontinued) Yes Yes No
April 2013 Dr. Panda Beauty Salon Yes Yes No
March 2013 Dr. Panda Supermarket Yes Yes Yes
December 2012 Dr. Panda Veggie Garden Yes Yes Yes
November 2012 Dr. Panda Daycare Yes Yes Yes
September 2012 Dr. Panda Restaurant Yes Yes Yes
June 2012 Dr. Panda Hospital Yes Yes Yes
June 2012 Dr. Panda Handyman Yes Yes No
March 2012 Dr. Panda's Teach Me! (Discontinued) Yes Yes No

References

  1. ↑ "Dr. Panda on designing apps with cross-border appeal". Kidscreen. May 7, 2015.
  2. ↑ "TribePlay/Dr. Panda Profile". techinasia.com. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  3. ↑ "TribePlay Rebrands as Dr. Panda in Honor of Children's Game Franchise". adweek.com.
  4. ↑ "Dr. Panda passes 40 million installs, showing that kids in China and the West play the same way". Venture Beat.
  5. ↑ "China-based TribePlay raises $750,000 to produce monthly Dr. Panda kids' games". thenextweb.com.
  6. ↑ "TribePlay - Games". Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  7. ↑ "Dr. Panda Bath Time". Best Apps for Kids.
  8. ↑ "Dr. Panda releases 'Dr. Panda Bath Time' on September 8, 2016". Blasting News.
  9. ↑ "Apple Inc. Free App Of The Week: Children's Game "Dr. Panda's Restaurant 2"". BisnessEtc.
  10. ↑ "Dr. Panda's Ice Cream Truck is this week's free App Store game". Phone Arena.
  11. ↑ "TribePlay Rebrands as Dr. Panda in Honor of Children;s Game Franchise". Social Times.
  12. ↑ http://drpanda.com/word-thijs-bosma-drpanda-founder-ceo/
  13. ↑ "Dr.Panda Teach Me! Trailer". YouTube.
  14. ↑ "Dr. Panda Bath Time". Best Apps for Kids.
  15. ↑ "Dr. Panda releases 'Dr. Panda Bath Time' on September 8, 2016". Blasting News.
  16. ↑ "TribePlay Changes Name to Dr. Panda as its Children's Educational Games Surpass 40 Million Installs". Gamasutra.
  17. ↑ "20 best Android apps and games this week". The Guardian.
  18. ↑ http://reviews.childrenstech.com/ctr/review.php?id=17358
  19. ↑ "TribePlay Rebrands as Dr. Panda in Honor of Children;s Game Franchise". Social Times.
  20. ↑ http://drpanda.com/dr-panda-plush-toy/
  21. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Panda-Plush-Toy/dp/B010SIECE8/
  22. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B12QBBC/ref=s9_dcacsd_bhz_bw_c_x_2
  23. ↑ https://venturebeat.com/2015/03/17/dr-panda-passes-40-million-installs-showing-that-kids-in-china-and-the-west-play-the-same-way/
  24. ↑ https://thenextweb.com/asia/2012/12/04/china-based-tribeplay-raises-750000-to-produce-monthly-dr-panda-kids-games/
  25. ↑ "Apple Inc. Free App Of The Week: Children's Game "Dr. Panda's Restaurant 2"". BisnessEtc.
  26. ↑ "Apple Inc. Free App Of The Week: Children's Game "Dr. Panda's Restaurant 2"". BisnessEtc.
  27. ↑ "Two terrific town-building apps for LEGO lovers". JConline.
  28. ↑ "Two terrific town-building apps for LEGO lovers". USA Today.
  29. ↑ "Creating your own City with the brand new Dr. Panda game for kids". Top Best Apps for Kids.
  30. ↑ http://childrenstech.com/blog/archives/15063
  31. ↑ "Hoopa City by TribePlay Limited". National Parenting Product Awards.
  32. ↑ "10 top kids apps of 2014". USA Today.
  33. ↑ "Dr. Panda on designing apps with cross-border appeal". Kidscreen.
  34. ↑ "Dr. Panda's Restaurant 2 by TribePlay Limited". National Parenting Product Awards.
  35. ↑ http://www.nappaawards.com/single-post/2014/10/15/Hoopa-City-by-TribePlay-Limited
  36. ↑ http://reviews.childrenstech.com/ctr/review.php?id=16702
  37. ↑ http://reviews.childrenstech.com/ctr/review.php?id=17358
  38. ↑ http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=31242&StepNum=1&award=aw
  39. ↑ http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=32420&StepNum=1&award=aw
  40. ↑ http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=33566&StepNum=1&award=aw
  41. ↑ "Good Apps by Dr. Panda". Fundamentally Children.
  42. ↑ "Lovedbyparents Award Winners 2016". Loved by Parents.
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