Warner Bros. Discovery wanted to build on the success of the Impractical Jokers franchise, a hidden-camera series that follows three lifelong friends as they compete to publicly embarrass each other with a series of outrageous dares and pranks.
With this goal in mind, Dragon Army concepted, designed, and developed The Impractical Jokers Take NYC — an immersive, fun-filled mobile game inspired by some of the series’ most famous (and infamous) pranks, dares, and punishments. By leveraging Bartle’s Player Types, detailed audience research, and the TV show itself, we created an entertaining experience that offers engagement opportunities for every audience segment and player type.
The Impractical Jokers Take NYC immerses players in a colorful, distinct, cohesive world. In the game, players audition to become a member of the Impractical Joker squad by tackling a series of Challenges and Punishments. As players progress through the game, they complete World Missions to unlock 5 unique zones: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Cherry Hill, Atlas Park, and Dix Hill Park Golf Course.
The game is filled with opportunities to advance, achieve, and explore. Players replay Challenges and Punishments to beat their high scores. Trivia gives die-hard Impractical Jokers fans the chance to show off their knowledge of the show. New areas unlock as players accomplish specific tasks, and each one contains hidden rewards and easter eggs for players who are willing to explore. Daily quests and bonuses incentivize players to log in every day, ensuring they come back again and again.
The finished game launched in February and not only received rave reviews about the art style, the gameplay, and the fidelity to the TV show, but also proved to be as effective as it was fun. In the end, we succeeded in creating a fun, addicting game that rewards both longtime fans and casual viewers, bringing them deeper and deeper into the immersive world of Impractical Jokers.
