Info about STONKS-9800: Stock Market Simulator:

Official game description:
Roadmap
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About the Game
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**Simulator of an 80s Japanese stock market businessman. Chill, catch a retro vibe and watch your profits grow in the text-based game STONKS-9800.**
Features:
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*   Buy stocks, get dividends, monitor the prices;
*   Your decisions affect the market – and your life;
*   Keep an eye on your health and do not overwork, lest you end up in the hospital;
*   Invest in real estate and cars, increasing your level of comfort;
*   Manage your company, having a controlling interest;
*   Achieve success as a legal business – or get rich quickly engaging in shady activities;
*   Play a variety of mini-games, including pachinko and horse racing betting
*   Many other features and unexpected situations await you in **STONKS-9800**.

Release date: Jul 17, 2023

Categories: Stock Market Simulation, Life Simulation, Business Simulation, Minigame Collection, Retro Aesthetics, Gambling Simulation, Economic Simulation, Resource Management

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 5; verdict: Fair Monetization - No Predatory Practices; summary: All feedback shows a positive reception to monetization. Users praise the optional DLC and spend in-game time on gacha mechanics without real-money pressure. No predatory practices, pay-to-win, or aggressive monetization are present.
- Proton/Linux: score 90; verdict: Broken / Unsupported; summary: Based on the only available user feedback, the game is severely buggy on Linux (Bazzite) and the Steam Deck, rendering it unplayable. The user paused the game, indicating ongoing compatibility problems. No positive Linux experiences were reported.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Unstable and Buggy; summary: The game is engaging but severely hampered by crashes triggered by Chinese input and windowing changes, missing trackpad support, incomplete font rendering, and Linux instability. These issues make it playable only with frequent disruptions, typical of an early access title requiring significant fixes for a polished Steam Deck experience.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Performance across Windows VRAM tiers is mixed, with persistent crashes on low-VRAM systems and severe freezes on high-VRAM systems, though some users still find the game playable.
  - Sample size: 58 (3% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (negative, 30 reports): Both recommended and non-recommended users report crashes when using Chinese input, indicating a persistent bug that affects playability.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (positive, 12 reports): Single recommended review reports occasional crashes but considers the game decent.
  - Windows 16GB+ VRAM (mixed, 8 reports): Two recommended reviews describe severe freezes (mouse/keyboard unresponsive, PC freeze) but still recommend the game.
  - Caveats: 58 of 1702 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $8.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews explicitly mention the full price as $10, with sale prices around $8. The community consistently states the game is worth full price, and sale prices are considered excellent deals. No complaints about overpricing or suggestions for lower prices. Therefore, the fair base-game price range is $8-$10.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 12.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 14.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Game completion time is supported by two sources: one reviewer cited 12.6 hours in the game and another stated clearing the main content in about 12 hours. One reviewer reported a single session lasting 14 hours, establishing session length. The 60-hour claim indicates extensive play but no specific endgame metric. Story completion is not clearly distinguished from game completion, so it remains unsupported.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts slowly with poor onboarding and limited opportunities, but after approximately 10 hours the ability to start a company unlocks significant depth and enjoyment, though some players report diminishing returns in the late game.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Starting your own company
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Lack of tutorial; Slow early progression; Tedious waiting periods; Difficulty earning initial capital; Complex mechanics unexplained
  - Unlock drivers: Starting own company; Accumulating capital; Learning market manipulation; Gaining access to corporate management; Unlocking more mechanics
  - Conditions: Player must learn game mechanics; Player needs enough capital to start company (~10 hours); Early game RNG can slow progress; Late game becomes trivial and repetitive; Onboarding lacks clarity
- Player Archetypes:
  - Casual Vibe Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxation and immersion in retro aesthetic and bubble economy fantasy.
    - Playstyle: Casual, idle, focused on vibes and simple progression.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: beginner
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Market Exploiter (buy)
    - Motivation: Dopamine rush from wealth accumulation and system exploitation.
    - Playstyle: Aggressive, exploits game mechanics for maximal gains.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Critical Realist (no buy)
    - Motivation: Desire for realistic and deep stock market simulation.
    - Playstyle: Analytical, seeks challenge and realism.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: trader; retail investor
    - Reference games: Real Estate Tycoon; Cashflow by Robert Kiyosaki; FX Senshi Kurumi


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Retro style captures 80s Japan (weight 0.86): The retro aesthetic, including pixel art and CRT style, effectively captures the atmosphere of 1980s Japan and is widely appreciated.
- Overall a great and fun game (weight 0.85): Overall, the game is described as very good, interesting, fun, and highly recommendable, with many rating it 10/10.
- Minigames provide fun variety (weight 0.62): Players consistently praise the variety and polish of built-in minigames like golf, fishing, karaoke, and arcade games. These are seen as well-implemented and providing enjoyable optional content.
- Gameplay is highly addictive (weight 0.6): Many reviews describe the game as dangerously addictive, with a fast-paced and compelling gameplay loop that is hard to stop playing.
- Gambling mechanics are engaging (weight 0.58): Gambling mechanics, especially pachinko, are described as fun, addictive, and profitable, with elements like winning back losses adding excitement.
- Immersive bubble economy atmosphere (weight 0.58): The game provides an immersive experience that captures the spirit of Japan's bubble economy, making players feel wealthy and part of that era.
- Rich content for early access (weight 0.57): Even in early access, the game boasts surprising depth and a wealth of content, with players looking forward to the full release and noting ongoing improvements.
- Great value for the price (weight 0.54): Players feel the game offers great value for its price, with many noting it is well worth the cost, especially at around $10.
- Amy is a beloved character (weight 0.53): The character Amy is frequently highlighted as likable, helpful, and charming, adding emotional depth and a nice touch to the game.
- Stock market feels like tycoon (weight 0.49): The stock market simulation is not only fun but also gives players a tycoon fantasy feeling, making them feel like a stock broker in 1980s Japan.
- Many diverse activities available (weight 0.48): A wide variety of activities—including golf, horse racing, poker, blackjack, fishing, arcade games, and pachinko—keeps gameplay diverse and enjoyable.
- Engaging economic simulation (weight 0.44): The game offers an engaging economic simulation with various ways to make money, good replayability, and many hours of play.
- Engaging emergent storytelling (weight 0.36): Emergent storytelling arises from activities like hiring, firing, and starting an illegal drug company, blending life sim elements with a compelling narrative.
- Excellent stock market simulation (weight 0.27): The stock market simulation is praised as excellent, good, or the best of its kind among similar games.
- Developer is committed and skilled (weight 0.25): Players appreciate that the developer is committed and motivated, especially noting the impressive work from a solo developer.
- Great soundtrack enhances atmosphere (weight 0.25): The soundtrack is consistently described as great, contributing to the overall retro atmosphere.
- Incredible gameplay loop (weight 0.15): The gameplay loop is described as incredible and engaging, making it a favorite for many players.

Common complaints:
- Late game monotonous (weight 0.38): Players report that the late game becomes monotonous, tedious, and boring due to a lack of variety and content, with the focus shifting to numbers without engaging gameplay.
- More spending options (weight 0.26): After accumulating wealth, players want more options to spend money and feel a lack of direction, indicating a need for additional content to maintain engagement.
- Blackjack AI unfair (weight 0.26): Players perceive the blackjack AI as unfair, citing rigged draws and visible cheating, which undermines trust in the mini-game.
- Endgame lacks challenge (weight 0.26): Endgame content lacks challenge and becomes repetitive after reaching the top, leading to a dull experience without meaningful goals.
- Pachinko and horse racing (weight 0.25): Pachinko and horse racing are considered broken or not profitable, yet horse betting is also seen as overpowered due to exploit potential, creating confusion.
- Save-load exploit (weight 0.25): Horse racing and pachinko allow exploits through save-load manipulation, enabling infinite money and breaking game balance.
- Poker AI logic errors (weight 0.24): The poker mini-game contains logic errors, such as AI incorrectly winning with a low hand against a stronger hand, suggesting bugs in the game rules.
- Missing tutorial (weight 0.22): New players find the start confusing due to the absence of a tutorial, with requests for an optional tutorial to ease beginners into the game.
- Shareholder meeting issues (weight 0.22): The shareholder meeting mini-game is widely criticized as repetitive, painful, boring, and poorly explained, making it a frustration point for players.
- Cannot manage multiple companies (weight 0.15): Players request the ability to start and manage multiple companies simultaneously, as the current system restricts business expansion.
- Achievement bugs (weight 0.14): The achievement system has bugs, with some achievements not triggering correctly, causing frustration for completionists.
- Pachinko overpowered (weight 0.14): Pachinko is overpowered in the late game, providing easy infinite profits and trivializing other activities, reducing overall challenge.
- Tedious real estate upgrades (weight 0.14): Real estate upgrades require tedious manual clicking for each individual property, which players find time-consuming and repetitive.
- All-in mechanic flawed (weight 0.14): The all-in mechanic loses everything even when the opponent has fewer chips, which feels unfair and illogical to players.
- Mini-games tedious (weight 0.13): Multiple mini-games become tedious after a few hours, lacking depth or variety to sustain long-term interest.
- No Amy romance (weight 0.13): Players request the ability to propose to or romance Amy, indicating a desire for more social interaction options.
- Pachinko achievements hard (weight 0.13): Pachinko-related achievements are considered too difficult and time-consuming, leading to player frustration.

Gameplay feedback:
- Pachinko and gambling minigames (weight 0.6): Players frequently mention pachinko, horse racing, claw machines, poker, and other gambling-themed minigames. These appear in 11 feedback items, indicating they are a notable feature.
- Diverse casual minigames (weight 0.54): A diverse set of minigames including golf, rhythm games, blackjack, fishing, and more are mentioned in 10 items. These provide entertainment beyond the core simulation.
- Stock market simulation (weight 0.54): Stock market simulation is a core element, mentioned in 9 items. The game includes trading, historical bubble economy events, and financial secretary mechanics.
- Advanced stock trading (weight 0.52): Stock trading mechanics including short selling, insider trading, and real-time fluctuations are referenced in 5 items, showing depth.
- Car buying and crashing (weight 0.42): Car ownership, purchasing, and crash events are mentioned in 4 items, blending life sim with destruction.
- 1980s Japan bubble setting (weight 0.37): 6 feedback items highlight the game's setting in 1980s Japan during the bubble economy, indicating a strong thematic focus.
- Friendship and social systems (weight 0.36): Friendship systems, character interactions, and social networks are referenced in 4 items, providing insider information and life sim elements.
- Yakuza criminal systems (weight 0.31): 5 feedback items mention Yakuza-themed systems, including threats, protection fees, and faction interactions, adding a crime element.
- Company management features (weight 0.26): 4 feedback items mention company management, including business acquisition and management mechanics, suggesting a strategic layer.
- Company creation and management (weight 0.25): Company creation and management, including product development, appear in 4 items, adding a tycoon aspect.
- Real estate and stat growth (weight 0.25): Real estate buying and selling, as well as character stat management, appear in 4 items, adding simulation depth.
- Retro CRT visual style (weight 0.24): Retro and CRT display styles are noted in 4 items, indicating an aesthetic choice that appeals to old-school gamers.
- Commodity and investment (weight 0.24): 2 items mention commodity trading and 2 mention investment mechanics, suggesting financial depth beyond stocks.
- Horse racing betting (weight 0.2): Horse racing gambling is specifically mentioned in 3 items as a distinct minigame, adding to the gambling theme.
- Texas Hold'em minigame (weight 0.2): Texas Hold'em is called out in 3 items as a gambling minigame, reinforcing the casino-like gameplay.
- Assistant Amy automation (weight 0.19): An assistant named Amy with automation features is mentioned in 3 items, suggesting a helpful NPC mechanic.
- Endgame trillion goals (weight 0.14): Endgame content after reaching a trillion is mentioned in 2 items, suggesting longevity goals.
- Claw machine gift system (weight 0.13): The claw machine minigame is tied to a gift system in 2 items, adding a playful social mechanic.
- Daily stock purchase limits (weight 0.13): Daily purchase limits on stocks are mentioned in 2 items, indicating a constraint mechanic in trading.
- Bar social activities (weight 0.13): Bar socializing with friends is noted in 2 items, supporting social life simulation.

Performance notes:
- Freezes during auto-save (weight 0.1): Car repair combined with the monthly auto-save freezes the entire PC. This is a specific critical bug that forces a hard reboot.
- High CPU temperatures (weight 0.1): Poor optimization leads to CPU temperatures spiking to 90 degrees Celsius, worse than Baldur's Gate 3. This indicates severe thermal performance issues.
- Memory leak problem (weight 0.1): The game suffers from a memory leak, causing performance degradation over time. This requires a restart to fix.
- Crash with Chinese IME (weight 0.1): The game crashes when a Chinese input method is active. This is a localized bug affecting non-English users.
- Crash on alt-tab (weight 0.1): Alt-tabbing out of the game causes a crash. This disrupts multitasking and is a common stability issue.
- Crash on negative assets (weight 0.1): On macOS, the game crashes when assets reach negative values. This is a platform-specific bug.
- General crash issues (weight 0.09): General crashes without a specific trigger are still reported. This indicates overall instability.
- Good stability for some (weight 0.08): Some users report no major crashes, suggesting the game is stable for certain configurations.
- Good optimization reported (weight 0.08): Some users find the game well optimized, contrasting with performance complaints.
- Small game size (weight 0.07): The game has a very small file size of 84MB, which is notable but not necessarily positive or negative.

Recommendations:
- Recommended with EA caveats (weight 0.44): Some players recommend the game with the caveat that it is still in early access, but they see great future potential. These recommendations are conditional on the player being comfortable with an unfinished product.
- Recommendation driven by price (weight 0.41): The game's affordability is a recurring theme, with many endorsing it specifically for its price point. Players feel it offers a steal in terms of hours of entertainment per dollar spent.
- Excellent value at price (weight 0.38): Players frequently highlight the game's low price point, often $10 or less, as excellent value for the entertainment provided. Many describe it as one of the best uses of a small amount of money for gaming.
- Strongly recommended by players (weight 0.34): A significant number of players give the game their highest possible recommendation, indicating strong overall satisfaction. This suggests the game has a broad appeal that resonates well with its audience.
- No regrets on purchase (weight 0.33): Many players state that they do not regret buying the game, emphasizing its worth and great value. This sentiment reflects a high level of satisfaction with the purchase decision.
- Best for trading enthusiasts (weight 0.32): The game is particularly appealing to players with an interest in stock trading or historical economic contexts. Specific recommendations are made for those familiar with basic trading or fascinated by Japan's bubble economy era.
- Ideal for tycoon fans (weight 0.27): Fans of tycoon, economy, or simulation games where numbers increase are strongly pointed toward this title. It is considered a must-buy within this niche genre.
- Perfect scores from some (weight 0.22): Several players give the game a perfect score of 10/10, with one declaring they will play it on their death bed. This indicates an extraordinarily high level of enjoyment and loyalty.
- Great for relaxing vibes (weight 0.21): The game is praised for its relaxing and vibey atmosphere, making it suitable for casual or unwinding play sessions. It is recommended for those seeking a chill experience rather than a hardcore sim.
- Fulfills tycoon fantasy (weight 0.21): Players who enjoy the fantasy of becoming a wealthy business tycoon, particularly in 1980s Japan, find the game highly immersive. It caters to those wanting a life simulator with retro aesthetics and stock market elements.
- General recommendation for all (weight 0.2): A clear and straightforward recommendation is given to everyone, indicating the game has broad appeal. This is a simple but strong endorsement of the overall experience.
- Nostalgia for retro graphics (weight 0.2): The game appeals to those with nostalgia for 1990s graphics or retro games in general. It is recommended for players interested in retro aesthetics combined with Japanese history trading.
- Dev support helpful, needs work (weight 0.15): Developer support via Discord is noted as helpful, but some players feel the basic investment gameplay needs improvement. This mixed feedback suggests active community engagement but also areas for development.
- Buy for many play styles (weight 0.15): Direct calls to purchase the game are accompanied by notes that it offers many gameplay paths. This suggests high replay value and substantial content for the price.
- Compares game to good investment (weight 0.15): Creative comparisons describe the game as a stock that will rise in value, and players say they would 'invest again'. This reflects confidence in the game's long-term enjoyment and potential appreciation.
- Tutorial needed for newbies (weight 0.14): New players are advised that tutorials are needed and that certain mechanics like short selling or horse betting exploits should be approached with caution. This suggests a learning curve and potential balancing issues.
- Caveats about realism and features (weight 0.14): Recommendations come with caveats about unrealistic aspects and missing features, though translation issues are noted without fully detracting from value. Some players overlook these flaws due to the low price.
- Good for gaming fatigue (weight 0.09): The game is recommended as a refreshing option for players experiencing gaming fatigue. Its unique blend of mechanics and aesthetic may offer a new kind of engagement to bored gamers.
- Hidden gem status (weight 0.08): The game is described as a hidden gem that deserves more attention. This suggests it offers a unique experience that may be overlooked by the broader gaming community.

Other player notes:
- Funding police (weight 0.09): Players mention funding the police as a strategic option, indicating interest in law enforcement mechanics.
- Turning insiders (weight 0.09): Turning insiders against gangs is noted as a gameplay tactic, suggesting depth in faction manipulation.
- Direct confrontations (weight 0.09): Direct confrontations with gangs are mentioned, highlighting combat or action-oriented gameplay.
- Government cooperation (weight 0.09): Business cooperation with government is cited, reflecting interest in economic and political systems.
- Secret casino tip (weight 0.08): A guide tip suggests gambling every weekend at a secret casino, indicating hidden content or exploitable mechanics.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.18): Many players experienced frustration due to broken mechanics such as dividends stopping after the year 2000 and pachinko becoming impossible to win after an update. The lack of tutorials, unclear game mechanics, and heavy reliance on RNG in stock trading and fishing also contributed to this emotion. Performance issues like crashes and high CPU temperatures further exacerbated user dissatisfaction.
- Disappointment (weight 0.11): Players felt disappointed by abbreviated corporate information and a lack of polish before official release. Limited content leading to only a few days of playtime and broken features like skill progression and mass upgrade bugs also caused letdown. Unrealistic game economy and underwhelming rewards diminished the overall experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.06): Users reported enjoyment from the engaging minigames, unique art style, and laid-back vibe of the stock market simulation. The variety of activities and the game's depth kept them entertained despite not fully understanding the stock market. The diverse mini-games and small size added to the fun.
- Frustrated (weight 0.05): Frustration arose from a poorly designed tutorial, especially for minigames, and Amy's analysis providing only overall evaluations instead of hidden data. Technical issues like car repair causing PC freezes and the portfolio screen not displaying traded companies further annoyed players. The Mac version's Workshop incompatibility also contributed.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement stemmed from the addictive gameplay and the thrill of seeing money grow through schemes like setting up illegal drug companies and cashing out before police raids. Players enjoyed the variety of options, roleplay possibilities, and early game money-making. The nostalgic graphics and multiple playstyles added to the excitement.
- Addiction (weight 0.04): Users described the game as highly addictive, noting that it takes over days and remains engaging even when they have responsibilities like work. The compelling gameplay loop makes it difficult to stop playing.
- Anticipation (weight 0.04): Players looked forward to future updates expanding content, including a story mode and more luxury items. The early access nature of the game generated hope for improvements and deeper investment opportunities in the full release.
- Love (weight 0.04): Love for the game was expressed through praise for its quality and the fantastic experience it provides. Specific enjoyment of blackjack with character Sae and the pixel art style were highlighted as reasons for this affection.
- Desire (weight 0.04): Players desired more character possibilities, spending options, and events like multiplayer and luxury items. The limited number of spending locations, such as only having a bar available, left them wanting more interactive features.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance was caused by design issues like an unnecessary love line with the secretary and accidentally skipping weekends. Technical bugs such as double charge after wins, unskippable horse racing animations, and UI errors also irritated players.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.03): Satisfaction came from the engaging stock simulator with a retro feel, as well as the early game strategizing and wealth accumulation. Successful market manipulations and impressive returns on investments provided a sense of achievement. The pixel art and variety were also appreciated.
- Amusement (weight 0.03): Players found amusement in humorous stories of getting caught and going to jail, or losing fortunes on pachinko. The ease of making money, even for a character described as a dog, and the feeling of being a real finance bro contributed to the fun.
- Disappointed (weight 0.02): Disappointment arose from the family and friend systems being useless until money is no longer an issue. Some players expected a fun RNG-based stocks game but felt the mechanics were rigged against them.
- Bored (weight 0.02): Boredom set in during the late-game due to excessive manual operations and limited vacation content that only offered fishing. The repetitive nature of activities after the initial excitement faded contributed to this feeling.
- Addicted (weight 0.02): Users described the game as dangerously addictive, strongly compelling them to keep playing. The addictive quality was a prominent theme in feedback.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration was expressed for the game's quality, polished UI, and seasonal changes. These elements made a strong positive impression on players.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciated the cool art style and the overall great quality of the game. This positive sentiment was common among reviewers.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom resulted from slow and empty dialogues during walks and a lack of content after accumulating wealth. The late game became repetitive and uninteresting once players had too much money.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise came from the game being more fun than expected and its unexpected addictive nature. Many players found themselves enjoying it more than they anticipated.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arose from difficulty understanding how to win blackjack at unfair difficulty levels. The lack of tutorials or guidance made the mechanics unclear for new players.}