If you visited the internet in the past two weeks, you probably know about Punch the monkey, the adorable little guy who was abandoned by his mother and shoved by his zoomates, turning to a stuffed animal from IKEA for love and attention. He later found friends in his enclosure at the Ichikawa City Zoo, but the story isn’t over yet. A video game based on Punch the monkey has now arrived.
Zoo Fighter, as it’s called, is a free web game made by former Fortnite developer Marcus Brown, who developed the game under the name Richie Branson.
In the game, you play as Punch and tap the screen on mobile, or click your mouse on desktop, to swat away bullies. Knock out 100 and Punch gets to go to a sanctuary, instead of a zoo. And that’s the point of the video game. “This game is a love letter to all animals doing a bid at the zoo. Animal sanctuaries are often better for primates than zoos because they put the animals’ well-being first instead of public display,” reads a line from the game’s description.
“They offer larger, more natural spaces and rescue animals from neglect or captivity rather than breeding them,” the description goes on.” The focus is on lifelong care and less human interface, giving primates a safer, less stressful place to live.”
Zoo Fighter also includes a button that players can press to find and support a sanctuary near where they live.
FanArcade is a company that helps brands and celebrities reach their audiences through video games. The company’s biggest success may be Not Like Us, the free game inspired by Kendrick Lamar’s popular diss track.
As for Punch the monkey, the little man has finally found friends in his enclosure and seems to be gaining confidence. The stuffed orangutan toy he was carrying around is now a hot item at IKEA, and the Swedish furniture giant is promising to get the $20 toy back in stock soon.
Image credit: Getty Images
