Coral Island (video game)

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Coral Island
Developer(s)	Stairway Games
Publisher(s)	Humble Games
Engine	Unreal Engine 4[1][2]
Platform(s)	PlayStation 5 Windows Xbox Series X/S
Release	November 14, 2023
Genre(s)	Farm life sim
Mode(s)	Single-player

Coral Island is a 2023 farm life sim developed by Stairway Games and published by Humble Games. Its gameplay takes place on a tropical island and contains features similar to other farm sims such as Stardew Valley. The game was a huge success on Kickstarter, reaching its initial goal within 36 hours. The game entered early access in October 2022 before fully releasing November the next year.

Players control a character who has become disenchanted with city life. After moving to a small farming community on a tropical island, they are given an overrun farm to work. Besides fixing up the farm and planting crops, players can explore a nearby mine, where they can find rare resources guarded by monsters; talk to and romance the non-player characters; donate rare items to a local museum;^[3] and clean up a toxic oil spill in the ocean, which is functionally similar to exploring the mine and includes ocean shops and NPCs. Players can also recycle trash to gain resources, such as scrap.^[4]

At the beginning of the game, Players customize their character and farm, with further customization options for both becoming available later through gameplay. Some apparel, accessories, and options are only available to players who backed the game via Kickstarter,^[5] Many media outlets praised Coral Island for containing a wide range of inclusive customization options, such as skin colors, body types, pronouns, and LGBTQ relationships and expression.^[6][7]

Farming is one of the core skills that enables players to cultivate crops throughout all seasons on their farm. The gameplay allows players to harvest and sell their crops, with the potential for increased profits through various methods. Players can enhance their earnings by processing crops into artisan products, cooking them in the kitchen, or gifting them to non-playable characters (NPCs) in the town.^[8]

Players can earn their income by raising and caring for livestock, however, a coop or barn needs to be built before adopting animals in the farm. All animals can be left outside their dwelling during the day and will retreat inside as night falls.^[9]

Fishing is a game feature in Coral Island where players can use a fishing pole to catch fish from water. The fish you catch can be used for cooking, given as gifts to other characters, donated to the museum, or sold for money.^[10]

Catching is one of the player activities in Coral Island. Players can catch insects and ocean crickets in all areas of Starlet town with bug nets. The collected insects can be documented or donated to the museum. This catching mechanic was added to Coral Island after successfully reaching the stretch goals on the Kickstarter campaign.

Foraging is an essential mechanic for gathering resources. Players can collect various items from the environment, including plants, seeds, mushrooms, shells, and more. Different areas of the island yield specific items, such as the forest for mushrooms and the beach for shells. Additionally, trees can be shaken to drop items like seeds or saplings. The player can also gather higher-quality items based on their foraging skill level, with more valuable items increasing as they progress.

• Experience: The player's actions that depend on and increase their foraging mastery level are detailed below. Foraging ocean scavenges will only give diving experience. Destroying trees using bombs will also provide points. Note that these are referring to trees growth state and not referring to fruit plants or fruit trees. Gathering any coconut will not provide foraging points.

• Levels: Reaching a new level in foraging mastery grants the player new crafting recipes when they go to sleep to end their day.

• Skills: Every other foraging mastery level gained allows the player to unlock one skill. The player will be able to unlock up to five skills by leveling up

• Proficiency: The higher the player's foraging level is, the less energy it costs to use axe. Using consumables that grant a gathering proficiency buff can temporarily further reduce the stamina cost.

Diving is part of the gameplay in which the player can go diving in the underwater to clear up trash and collect items by using scythe.

Mining is a game mechanic in Coral Island that grants players the ability to break rocks and find gemstones and minerals both on players’ farms or in the mine by using pickaxe. Additionally, players can fight monsters in order to pass to another level in the mine while doing mining activities. Collected gemstones can also be donated to the museum or sold for money.

Combat system introduces an element of challenge during exploration. Players encounter a variety of creatures in the island's caves and specific areas, which requires the use of different weapons, each with distinct attributes to suit various combat strategies. Combat involves managing timing and movement, as players evade enemy attacks and counter with precise strikes.

Experience: The player can increase their combat mastery level by killing monsters in the mines which give different points per kill depending on the monster.

Levels: Reaching a new level in combat mastery grants the player new crafting recipes when they go to sleep to end their day.

Skills: Every other level of combat mastery gained allows the player to unlock one skill. The player will be able to unlock up to five skills in total. The last skill can be unlocked by purchasing a combat elixir.

Cooking is one of the game mechanics in Coral island that can be unlocked after players have been playing the game at a certain point. With cooking ability available, players are able to cook a variety of consumable menu items by using existing recipes and ingredients. Moreover, these edibles can be consumed by players, sold, or gifted to other characters in Starlet town.^[11]

• Cooking mechanics - A certain dish can be cooked after players gather these 3 elements at the same time: recipes, ingredients, and utensils for that specific menu.^[11] Recipes can be obtained from various sources such as, Skill proficiency level reach, Character heart event, Learning, etc. However, if players haven't learned a recipe,  a dish can be prepared without it by assembling the right ingredients and using correct utensils, then that recipe will be learned after the dish is finished. On the contrary, if the players combine incorrect ingredients or utensils, it will result in a failed dish.
• Ingredients - Players can obtain cooking ingredients from many sources such as farming, scavenging, fishing, and character heart events. The quality of ingredients also results in the quality of the consumables and selling prices.

Crafting is a game feature that allows players to craft items according to crafting recipes. The crafting products can be used as items in other game mechanics for example, seeds and fertilizer for farming, artisan equipment to produce artisan products, Home decoration, Consumables to improve certain skills, etc.

Enchanting mechanic allows players to upgrade their tools and equipment with special abilities, enhancing their functionality. To unlock enchanting, you must progress through the game, helping a giant named Grog, who will lead you to the Village of Giants, where a shrine can be used for enchanting. The enchantments available provide various benefits, such as:

Mighty Hit: Increases the chance to destroy debris in a single hit.

No Water Drain: Prevents draining water from the watering can.

No Energy Drain: Offers a chance to not use energy when using tools.

Swift Swing: Reduces tool use speed.

Rare Drop: Increases the chances of finding rare resources.

Extra Drop: Boosts the likelihood of receiving additional items.

Hit Drop: Adds the chance of dropping items when striking with tools

• Points and costs

There are two modes of enchantment: adding or upgrading. The cost for adding enchantment is always 100. Adding has the chance to obtain the same enchantment which will automatically upgrade the particular enchantment. Adding can always be performed. Upgrading on the other hand is more targeted to specific enchantment, and the cost will grow up along the level of the enchantment. Upgrading can't be performed if there is no other enchantment that can be upgraded.

Each of the four altars requires six offerings, which can be made in any sequence. Four to six distinct products are needed for each offering. Offerings can be made at the Crop Altar if the player has completed the Mythical Dream quest. 45 Heritage points will be awarded for each offering.

Townies, giants, and merfolk can all become friends with the player. The more the player learns about them, the more stories and conversations they will uncover. Over time, friendships do not deteriorate. At the moment, the player can gradually raise their heart level while conversing with some strangers, though this has no noticeable effects. A heart gauge that builds up over time as the player communicates with and gives gifts to a character represents the player's friendship points, or heart points, with that character.

The maximum heart level for dateable characters is level 8, while the maximum heart level for normal characters is level 10. To unlock the maximum level of 10, a character must be dated by gifting them a Locket. It is possible to date more than one character.

In addition, the maximum heart level increases to 15 after a dateable character gets married, and only one spouse is allowed at a time.

Every location on Coral Island map

1. Town Square: The main hub of the island where you can interact with villagers, visit shops, and attend festivals. The town square is where you'll find most of the town's key buildings.

2. Your Farm: Located on the outskirts of town, your farm is where you grow crops, raise animals, and manage your agricultural business. It's the place to expand your land and personalize your farm to suit your needs.

3. The Beach: The beach is a peaceful location where you can scavenge for shells and coral, fish, and even clean up trash to restore the environment. It's also the place to access diving spots and the dock for other activities.

4. The Forest: A wooded area where you can gather resources like wood, plants, mushrooms, and other materials. The forest is also home to some wildlife and is great for foraging.

5. The Caves: These underground areas are rich with ores and minerals, perfect for mining. You'll also encounter various monsters, and exploring the deeper levels will reward you with rarer resources and tougher challenges.

6. Coral Reef: Located underwater, the coral reef is a beautiful and resource-filled area. Here, you can dive to collect seaweed, coral, pearls, and other marine treasures. You can also clean up the reef to restore its health, which unlocks more resources.

7. Museum: A place to donate and view various items you find on the island, like artifacts, fish, and bugs. Completing collections will unlock rewards and improve the town's cultural atmosphere.

8. Blacksmith: Located in town, the blacksmith is where you can upgrade your tools and weapons using ores and other materials you've collected. This is essential for improving your efficiency in farming, mining, and combat.

9. Community Center: A location where you can work on fulfilling community tasks by donating items to various projects. Completing tasks here helps improve the town and unlock new features.

10. The Mines: Different from the caves, the mines are a challenging area where you can dig for rare minerals. The deeper you go, the more dangerous the enemies, but the rewards are also greater.

11. Fishing Spots: Located around the island, fishing spots are scattered on the beaches, rivers, and lakes. You can catch a variety of fish, which can be sold, used for cooking, or donated to the museum.

12. The Hot Springs: A relaxing spot on the island where you can unwind and restore your energy. It's also a location where certain villagers might meet, and you can enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

13. The Market: A seasonal location where you can buy and sell various items, from crops to unique goods. It changes depending on the time of year and offers special deals.

The Community Center has a calendar that shows what happens on Coral Island during the 28-day seasons. The player character's birthday cannot be set in the game, although these occasions include townies' birthdays and festivals.

The year is divided into four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. In addition to allowing for the planting of various crops, each season also modifies the available fish and the landscape. As the seasons change, townies will automatically alter their attire.

The developer, Stairway Games, is in Indonesia,^[12] which inspired the setting.^[3] Its 3D art style is influenced by Disney animation.^[2] Coral Island had one of the most successful video game crowd-funding campaigns of 2021.^[13] After it entered early access in October 2022, Humble Games released Coral Island for Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on November 14, 2023.^[14] Shortly after its release, an imposter account on social media targeted fans with NFT scams. Coral Island does not feature any NFT content.^[15]

Following the closure of Humble Games in July 2024, Stairway Games was unable to update the console versions of the game. The game's launch for the Nintendo Switch was also put into doubt.^[16]

Kickstarter campaign

Coral Island was partially funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign that ran from February 1 to March 3, 2021, raising $1,639,368 from 36,374 backers. The campaign surpassed its initial funding goal of $70,000 within 36 hours and unlocked additional content through stretch goals. While pledges can no longer be made, altered, or canceled via Kickstarter, backers can still edit their pledges for add-ons through BackerKit.^[17] Stairway Games is also working on a pre-order option for those who missed the Kickstarter.

Due to 'restructuring,' Humble Games has laid off employees, which is having an immediate negative impact on some of its published games, including Coral Island. The game is currently available on Xbox, PlayStation 5, and Steam, and had been scheduled for a Switch port through Kickstarter, but the reorganization has cast doubt on that. Citing a publishing agreement and NDA, the developer, Stairway Games, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of updates for the Switch version. Since Humble Games manages console updates and hotfixes, Stairway is unclear on how to proceed. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the port, Stairway is now offering backers a Steam key. Many fans have expressed sympathy for the situation.^[18]

Coral Island is often compared to Stardew Valley and has been called one of the best Stardew Valley clones by multiple gaming publications.^{[3][12][19][20]} The game was notably funded through a highly successful Kickstarter campaign, raising over $1.6 million from more than 36,000 backers. The campaign achieved its initial goal within 36 hours, underscoring the considerable anticipation for a novel approach to the farming simulation genre. ^[13]

The visual design of Coral Island has drawn frequent comparisons to the animation style popularized by Disney. The game's character models are characterized by expressive, colorful, and polished designs, contributing to a whimsical, approachable atmosphere. This aesthetic choice plays a critical role in establishing the game's tone, positioning it as both family-friendly and visually engaging.^[21] The art style also reminds of the game Disney Dreamlight Valley, said Gayming magazine.^[6]

The project places significant emphasis on eco-conscious themes, such as environmental sustainability and the preservation of coral reefs, resonating with contemporary concerns around ecological issues.^[22] One notable feature is the sea diving mechanic, which allows players to clean the ocean of debris and revitalize coral reefs, contributing to marine conservation efforts.^[23] While diving, players can also visit the Merfolk Underwater Village, home to the mermaids.

Coral Island  received positive feedback for the LGBT options and representation for the player character and game mechanics. Gayming Magazine commended the LGBT friendly atmosphere and inclusivity that is shown throughout the game via character customization, non-player characters' disability and range of sizes and color.

Salomé Grouard writing for South China Morning Post wrote that some countries in Southeast Asia still have punishment legalization for homosexuality issues such as Singapore, Malaysia, and some parts of Indonesia or counties that don't provide equal treatment for LGBT rights. Coral island is a tool for people in the community to fully express themselves and improve the perspective and well-being of the community^[24]

Moreover, Coral Island represents Southeast Asian culture mixing western with the game setting and culture. For example, the game offers a unique cooking system that highlights traditional Indonesian recipes. Players can prepare dishes such as Sayur lodeh, Spring rolls, Klepon, and traditional herbal drinks like Jamu (herbal medicine).^[25] The architecture is also inspired, for example, by the Balinese Hindu temples. The animals and plants in the game are also based on local Southeast Asia plant fauna and flora and animal species.^[26]

Stairways Games has been translating Coral Island into multiple languages according to Kickstarter stretch goals and surveys on social media platforms. ^[27][28]

Current languages available at Full Release

• English
• Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia)
• German (Deutsch)
• Spanish - Spain (Español)
• French (Français)
• Portuguese - Brazil (Português do Brasil)
• Russian (русский)
• Thai (ไทย)
• Simplified Chinese (中文(简体))
• Japanese (日本語)
• Korean (한국어)
• Dutch (Nederlands)
• Italian (Italiano)

Rock Paper Shotgun said the early access release was a little buggy in October 2022 but was overall mature. They recommended it to players looking for a game similar to Stardew that has quicker rewards and less grinding.^[4] GamesRadar said that although the gameplay was similar to other farm sims, especially Stardew Valley, Coral Island implemented it well and added their own unique twists.^[3] Reviewing the game in May 2023, TechRadar said they were "thoroughly excited" by its roadmap and said Coral Island proved to them that there was room for more farm sims.^[12]

On release, Coral Island received positive reviews on Metacritic.^[29] Siliconera said that, although not innovative, it builds upon its influences and add quality of life improvements. Although they called it essential for farm sim fans, they suggested that people hold off for bug fixes on the PlayStation 5 version.^[30] TouchArcade said it "feels unfinished in parts" and may have left early access too soon. However, they said it has "a fantastic base to build on" and is a "joy to play" on the Steam Deck despite some technical issues.^[31] GameSpot included it in a list of hidden gems released in 2023 and called it "a breath of fresh air" for the genre for its tropical setting, large and diverse cast, large map, and compelling story.^[32] At the 2023 Steam Awards, Coral Island was nominated for the Sit Back And Relax award.^[33]

Coral Island, a popular farming simulation game developed by Stairway Games and published by Humble Games, has made significant strides in terms of sales and popularity. Since its early access release on October 11, 2022, the game has generated approximately $21.46 million in gross revenue, with an estimated net revenue of about $6.33 million

In its first month alone, Coral Island sold nearly 100,000 copies, bringing in almost $2 million As of August 2024, total ownership reached around 400,000 players, showcasing the game's strong following, The game has been well-received, holding a positive rating on Steam, where about 70% of its players are English speakers, followed by notable percentages of German and Chinese players

Coral Island received recognition from the gaming community for its fresh take on the farming sim genre. It was nominated for the "Sit Back and Relax" category at the 2023 Steam Awards, reflecting its appeal as a cozy, immersive game

Additionally, it was a 2024 entrant in the Independent Games Festival, highlighting its status as a notable indie title

With its tropical setting and unique environmental themes, Coral Island was celebrated as a hidden gem by GameSpot, which emphasized its relaxing gameplay, visually engaging environment, and commitment to sustainability. This has helped it stand out among other farming simulators and further solidified its reputation among fans and critics alike.

Additional content and soundtrack

The Coral Island soundtrack, highly regarded for its soothing farm-life ambiance, features over 140 tracks. These pieces capture the essence of each season, providing music for specific areas and events. Seasonal tunes vary from gentle day and night tracks to music for each festival, like the New Year and Harvest Festival. Mining and diving have their adventurous themes, and various in-game locations, such as the Beach Shack, General Store, and Blacksmith, feature unique tracks that enhance immersion.

The game's additional downloadable content (DLC) includes this full soundtrack, available on platforms like Steam for those interested in experiencing the music outside of gameplay. The soundtrack highlights the commitment of Coral Island to create an atmospheric and culturally resonant experience within its simulation setting

• My Time at Sandrock, another farm sim that was released shortly before this

• Official website