Diner Dash: Hometown Hero

Posted on September 30, 2007 - Filed Under Industry News |

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PlayFirst announced the availability of Diner Dash: Home Hero the fourth Diner Dash game in the series. Diner Dash: Home Hero is not just another Diner Dash game. This time around players are able to buy restaurants and buy clothes for your character. Players are also able to share their designs online with the Diner Dash community at dinerdash.com. Diner Dash: Hometown Hero

The game comes with more than five hundred different clothing items and items to decorate your restaurants. Players are able to buy more items at 49 cents each. Along with clothing and decorations, players can now play either cooperative or competitive multi-player. When playing online, players can use their characters they created and play in their restaurants they created.

“The casual games market is growing nicely, but sticking with standalone games at the current $20-per-game business model isn’t giving casual gamers enough of what they want,” said John Welch, president and CEO, PlayFirst. “With the launch of Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, we debut personalization and sharing features found in social networks and virtual worlds, but with a ‘casual’ approach. This means accessible themes like diners and a wide range of price points, but most importantly a completely free base product — which is free forever, not just for 30 or 60 minutes.”

Press Release Follows:

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire/ — Leading casual games publisher
PlayFirst, Inc. today announced the launch of Diner Dash(R): Hometown
Hero(TM), the fourth title in the company’s mega-hit Diner Dash franchise.
As another step in the publisher’s strategy to transform the casual games
industry via deep, shared experiences around original brands, the latest
Diner Dash episode offers players the option to purchase unique items and
standalone restaurants, customize their own characters and diners, and
share their designs with others. Diner Dash: Hometown Hero is available now
for both the Mac and PC at PlayFirst.com or through the new community site,
DinerDash.com, also launching today.
“The casual games market is growing nicely, but sticking with
standalone games at the current $20-per-game business model isn’t giving
casual gamers enough of what they want,” said John Welch, president and
CEO, PlayFirst. “With the launch of Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, we debut
personalization and sharing features found in social networks and virtual
worlds, but with a ‘casual’ approach. This means accessible themes like
diners and a wide range of price points, but most importantly a completely
free base product — which is free forever, not just for 30 or 60 minutes.”
Diner Dash: Hometown Hero includes two new customization features, My
Waiter and My Diner, in which players can dress up their own avatar or
decorate custom diners. More than 500 decor and clothing items are included
free in the game, with additional upgrades starting at just $0.49.
Additionally, PlayFirst unveils the first multiplayer game experience
for Diner Dash fans. Now players can pair up online for competitive or
cooperative play and challenge opponents in diners they have created while
playing with their My Waiter avatars. The multiplayer modes as well as the
My Waiter and My Diner features are free to experience now at
DinerDash.com.
“Companies that are focused on innovating and bringing new models to
casual games will transform the industry,” said Michael Cai, Director of
Broadband and Gaming, Parks Associates. “As we illustrated in our new
report Casual Gaming Market Update released this week, we view PlayFirst as
a key innovator in the market. Diner Dash: Hometown Hero will be a product
to watch as it combines PlayFirst’s strength in IP and its proven
commitment to both gameplay and business model innovation.”
In Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, players journey back to Flo’s hometown to
help revitalize her favorite childhood hangouts. With the help of her spry
Grandma Florence, the duo tackles new restaurants such as the zoo, museum,
ballpark and amusement park. Plus, Grandma Florence has a surprise in store
for Flo in the secret fifth restaurant!
Diner Dash: Hometown Hero is free to try for the first seven levels of
one restaurant location, or users may purchase the complete five-restaurant
game for $19.95. An additional sixth restaurant is also available to
download within the game for only $4.99, and ongoing monthly expansions are
anticipated. Extras such as multiplayer and the My Waiter and My Diner
features are free upon registration within the game or at DinerDash.com.
About PlayFirst, Inc.
PlayFirst is a leading publisher focused on creating shared casual game
experiences around lasting original brands. Committed to building casual
game play rich in story and character, PlayFirst works with talented
internal and external developers to bring mass market games to multiple
platforms, including PC, Mac, mobile, handheld and console. The company’s
portfolio includes the world-renowned Diner Dash(R) franchise as well as
top-selling games such as Wedding Dash(TM), Chocolatier(TM), and Dream
Chronicles(TM). Founded in 2004, PlayFirst is funded by Mayfield Fund,
Trinity Ventures and Rustic Canyon Partners. For more information visit
http://www.playfirst.com and http://www.dinerdash.com.
PlayFirst, the PlayFirst logo and Hometown Hero are trademarks of
PlayFirst, Inc. PlayFirst, the PlayFirst logo, and Diner Dash are
registered trademarks in the U.S.