★ “Flat out brilliant.” – IndieCade 2012 judges
★ “A perfect pick.” – Games™ magazine
★ “Remarkably slick…with a playful spirit and sharp wit.” – The Observer
★ “An absurdist skin stretched over a surprisingly deep management sim that hits that dark magic sweet spot of addictive gameplay.” – Turnstyle News
★ “An outstanding experiment in hybridizing genres (…) a truly clever experimental game (4.5/5 stars)” – Indie Game Reviewer
★ “The cartoon style is eye-catching, and the gameplay is of the ‘suck you in and say goodbye to productivity’ variety. Boot up at your own risk.”- Huffington Post
★ “Playniac has developed quite the interesting management sim. Mechanics evolve as the game progresses and features abound.” – IndieGame Mag
★ “Brilliantly, the title combines two challenges: budgeting and behaviour management.” – Guardian Gamesblog
★ “Aesthetically and functionally, it’s a well-presented game, with a sinister undertone behind the humour and apparent cuteness.” – Rock Paper Shotgun
★ “Will (your squirrel’s) success go to their heads?” – IndieN
★ “Taking the managerial genre to new heights.” – SegmentNext
★ Showcased at Develop Indie Showcase, IndieCade 2012, IndieCade East 2013, GameCity 7, Game Connection 2013 and BAFTA.
★ “Sufficiently whimsical.” – Steve Russell, creator of Spacewar!.
★ Featured on Sky TV’s PLAYR show, G4TV, The Game Station, Indie Statik, Indie Game Reviewer and Ashton Kutcher’s Thrash Lab.
Think you’ve got what it takes to manage a team of squirrels and get them to the top? International Racing Squirrels, made with Channel 4, was at www.racingsquirrels.com and on Kongregate. The iPad version was available on the App Store. The game is no longer available.
The game is a race management sim where you run an errant gang of misbehaving squirrels, who act a bit like glamorous soccer stars. It is set in the dark underworld of the international squirrel racing scene. Bribery, debt, hotel room trashing, gambling and secondary careers in reality TV or the pop charts are rife.
In the up-tree urban training facility you purchase squirrel homes, build up your team from a selection of bizarre characters and train them up using running machines, lift weights, receive massage and practice the ancient martial art of Squdo. When your team’s ready, it’s off to the racetracks in their private jet. From jungles to futuristic cities and streets to deserts, the squirrels face a barrage of opponents who get harder as the game progresses. You watch the race progress from above with live-generated race commentary and, as team manager, dive in with mini-game boosts and power-ups when it’s time to overtake.
International Racing Squirrels mentioned in in UK Parliament
Selected comments from the game's community on Kongregate: “One of the best management games around.” “Great game, these management games always get me addicted.” “Production values yes (sic) are top notch.” “Not a single flaw in the graphics, menus, or UI flow.” “I love this game!”
★★★ INDIECADE 2012 FINALIST ★★★
★★★ SHORT-LISTED FOR INDIECADE 2012 IMPACT AWARD ★★★
★★★ GAME CONNECTION AMERICA 2013 SELECTED PROJECTS FINALIST ★★★
★★★ INDIECADE EAST 2013 FEATURED GAME ★★★
★★★ DEVELOP INDIE SHOWCASE 2012 FINALIST ★★★
★★★ SERIOUS PLAY AWARDS 2012 WINNER ★★★