Play Drawn to Life Online

Summary

Drawn to Life lets you turn the DS stylus into a digital sketchpad, letting you draw your hero, weapons, platforms and even the title screen itself. Every level starts with a blank easel, and the objects you doodle instantly animate and become part of the side‑scrolling adventure. The central hub, a top‑down village, serves as a creative workshop where you can edit past drawings, buy new patterns and stamps, and trade creations over local Wi‑Fi. Vehicles, moving platforms and decorative accessories are all hand‑crafted by the player, giving each playthrough a personal visual flair. The game even rewards you with a secret “Developer’s Grove” if you dump enough rapo‑coins into the wishing well.

The concept began as a three‑month demo after 5th Cell’s technical director cobbled together a makeshift DS development kit, because Nintendo hadn’t responded to their kit request. When Nintendo finally saw the prototype, they handed the team an official kit, and a chance encounter on MSN Messenger linked the demo to THQ, securing the first publishing contract. Development stretched from August 2006 to fall 2007, expanding the team by nineteen people to flesh out the full world of Ice, Forest, Tropical and City. The iOS port arrived years later, handled by WayForward Technologies and released by 505 Games in 2014. This quirky origin story mirrors the game’s emphasis on creativity and persistence.

Critics praised the title’s originality, earning it IGN’s Most Innovative Design award and a runner‑up spot for Best Platform Game in 2007. It also snagged nominations for story development and handheld game of the year at the D.I.C.E. Awards, and won Innovation in Gameplay at the NAVGTR ceremony. Sales reflected the buzz: roughly 820 000 copies moved in North America and Western Europe within six months, landing it among the top‑100 sellers of the year. In Australia the game debuted at #3 on the all‑platform chart, trailing only Halo 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. The combination of inventive mechanics and strong market performance cemented Drawn to Life as a memorable DS standout.

Storyline

Drawn to Life opens in a world populated by anthropomorphic fox‑like Raposa, created by the mysterious Creator with the Book of Life. The Creator vanished, leaving the Raposa to fend for themselves, and the story begins when a young Raposa named Mari cries out for help. The player, acting as the Creator, designs a hero to aid Mari, her best friend Jowee, and the village Mayor, the last remaining villagers. Early on, the hero rescues the Mayor and learns that Wilfre, a once‑respected Raposa turned corrupt, stole the Book of Life and ripped its pages apart. Wilfre’s theft unleashed shadowy creatures and caused the Creator to abandon the Raposa. The Mayor tasks the hero with retrieving the missing pages so the Creator can redraw the village’s lost objects. The player first draws the Eternal Flame, using it to dispel darkness after each level. As the hero explores, more villagers return—Heather, a half‑dark Raposa, and Mike, a human boy—opening shops, restaurants, and other amenities. Mari trains to become the new Mayor while the village prepares a celebratory festival. Jowee’s reckless adventure creates a brief rift with Mari, but they reconcile and continue helping the hero restore the village. Wilfre repeatedly summons monsters, eventually tricking the Mayor and stealing the Book again. With the help of Dr. Cure and the revived community, the hero defeats Wilfre, reclaims the Book, and restores the village’s creations. In the closing scene, Jowee sets off on a treasure hunt, and a tearful Mari watches from the beach. The spirit of the Mayor watches over them as the hero stands on a cliff, and Mari runs to greet Jowee, ending the tale on a hopeful note.