AOMORI: An apple-featuring online puzzle game developed by the government of the northeastern Japan prefecture of Aomori, the country’s largest apple producer, is creating a buzz, with some people uploading videos of playing the game to YouTube.

The game, called “Puyoringo,” was inspired by popular tile-matching game “Puyo Puyo.” Players make different varieties of apples falling from above disappear by connecting the same types.

The apple puzzle game was proposed by the prefectural government’s tourism division and developed with programming materials offered for free by Sega Corp., Puyo Puyo’s developer.

On Nov. 23, designated as “Gamesday” by a Japanese industry group, the tourism division released the “red apple” version of Puyoringo and posted an announcement on the prefecture’s official Twitter account, amassing around 30,000 retweets and over 4.5 million views.

Separated into three difficulty levels, the game features up to eight apple varieties including Fuji and Kougyoku. Players are required to swiftly distinguish the apple varieties based on their shapes and color shades, which is said to be difficult for even residents of Aomori.

The game has been introduced in magazines and television programs. “I think we were able to spread the fact that there are so many apple varieties,” Sakiko Mikami of the tourism division said.

The prefectural government received a phone call from an elderly woman currently living outside of the prefecture, saying she was happy to see her hometown attracting such attention.

The prefecture’s publicity campaign also includes making a scarf resembling apple peel and posting on Twitter nail art photos inspired by Oma-brand highly-valued bluefin tuna caught off Aomori.

Furthermore, the prefecture released video clips introducing locations within the prefecture that look like sightseeing spots overseas, at a time when traveling abroad is difficult amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On Twitter, the prefecture continues aiming to produce viral posts, sometimes referring to positive news such as celebrity marriages. “Our efforts do not always create a buzz, but it’s important to continue such efforts every day,” the tourism division’s Dai Iwaya said.

JIJI Press