Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth (名探偵コナンランナー 真実への先導者) is an arcade-genre runner game for mobile devices based on the popular anime series Detective Conan (known in Western countries as Case Closed). The game was developed by Ambition Co., Ltd and published by Bushiroad International Pte Ltd, released for free with an in-app purchase model (free-to-play). The title was released internationally on June 5, 2019 for the iOS and Android platforms.
History and Release
The development of Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth was announced as part of Bushiroad's effort to expand the Detective Conan franchise into the mobile game space. Before release, a pre-registration campaign succeeded in gathering 75,957 players, showing fairly high fan enthusiasm. The game was officially launched on June 5, 2019 in various regions, with different titles according to licensing. In most countries in Asia, Europe, and Latin America, the game was released under the title Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth. Meanwhile, in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, the game was released under the title Case Closed Runner: Race to the Truth to match the local naming of the franchise. However, on October 30, 2020, Bushiroad officially announced the shutdown of service for this game, marking the end of this digital adventure of the young detectives after only about one and a half years following its launch.
Gameplay
Basic Mechanics
Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth is an auto-runner game with a side-view perspective (2D side-scroller). Players control the character Conan Edogawa, who runs automatically on various tracks full of obstacles. The player's main goal is to collect as many points as possible by catching clue points scattered along the course while avoiding various obstacles such as holes in the ground and dangerous traps that are often marked in red, which will end the game if touched. The game's controls are very simple and easy to access: players simply tap the screen to make the character jump. Press a second time in the air to perform a second jump (double jump). Timing the jump precisely is the main key to collecting points and passing obstacles.
Game Modes
The game offers several modes to maintain variety. The main mode is Story Mode, in which players must complete a series of levels based on iconic cases from the Detective Conan manga and anime. Each case usually consists of several levels that must be passed before the player finally faces the criminal. In addition, there is Event Mode, which features limited-time stages, giving players the chance to win exclusive characters and other rewards. There is also Survival Mode, which challenges players to endure and collect as many points as possible in one continuous stage in order to achieve a high ranking.
Characters and Abilities
One of the main attractions of this game is the ability to collect various characters from the Detective Conan series. In addition to Conan, other popular characters such as Ran Mori, Ai Haibara, and Kaito Kid are also available to play or use as support. Each character has a unique skill that can be activated to provide advantages during play, helping players collect more points or pass difficult obstacles. The gacha system in the game offers rarity levels of R, SR, and SSR, with the probability of obtaining an SSR character considered fairly high, namely around 10%. In addition to characters who run, players can also obtain support cards that provide passive effects or additional assistance. This system has become an attraction of its own for fans collecting their favorite characters.
Other Features
The game also includes visual and narrative elements that are rich for fans. Players can collect various anime-style character illustrations, including original illustrations created specifically for this game, and arrange them on the main menu. Character voices are also provided by the original voice actors from the anime series, adding authenticity to the playing experience. However, the game also has a stamina system that limits the number of levels that can be played in succession, which then recovers over time. In addition, many reviewers highlighted the presence of advertisements that appear fairly often during play.
Reception and Legacy
In general, Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth was received as a solid and enjoyable game for fans, especially because of its smooth graphics and character depictions that are faithful to the anime. The simple game mechanics made it easily accessible to various groups, including children and casual fans. However, some criticism arose related to gameplay that was considered too simple, advertisements that appeared too often, and a stamina system that was considered limiting. Although its service period was relatively short, the game is still remembered as one of the official efforts to bring the world of Detective Conan into the dynamic runner game genre.
References
Kotaku. "Detective Conan Runner: Race for the Truth."
MEmu Apk Download. "ดาวน์โหลด Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth APK."
QooApp. "Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth Comment List."
appstoplay.com. "Detective Conan Runner."
Anime News Network. "Detective Conan Runner Smartphone Game Shuts Down on October 30."
Anime News Network. "Mobile Game Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth to be Officially Released on June 5th 2019."
ConanWiki. "Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth."
GAMEROOM. "Nostalgia Game Ikonik Detective Conan Runner: Race to the Truth"