With parents and kids looking for activities to do, you can now experience a bit of an expertly designed, kid-approved adventure found on Royal Caribbean ships right in your hand. Introducing the new Royal Caribbean Kids app, where you’ll find The Treasure of Barnacle Briggs®, an all-new interactive quest now available for free (no ads too!) on Apple’s App Store.
The original concept was designed by Royal Caribbean and developed by Firstborn for the award-winning Adventure Ocean program that kids enjoy while on a cruise with Royal Caribbean. It most recently debuted on the newly amplified Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas—along with a lineup of other new features and experiences as part of their multimillion-dollar amplifications.
In what took just three weeks, Royal Caribbean and Firstborn worked together to adapt The Treasure of Barnacle Briggs to help entertain families during a time many are at home. This new mobile version starts with a choice of four mysterious islands that together present immersive, imaginative stories and adventures that your family can play through together. As Drew Dahlman, the technical director at Firstborn said, “The benefit of the narrative is we’re building a whole universe that really brings players in.”
Journey to unique islands—like Blizzard Island—to retrieve the keys to the treasure chest.
Credit: Royal Caribbean
Can Your Family Find The Treasure?
The four mystical islands, each with its own unique set of challenges, take kids and parents alike on a journey to retrieve coveted keys that will unlock Barnacle Briggs’ hidden treasure. Filled with stunning visuals, this interactive quest brings players a mind-bending maze, a formidable foe, tricky turns on tracks that test reaction time and a wild ride down slippery slopes.
Maneuver your mine cart along the twisted—and broken—track through an abandoned goldmine.
Credit: Royal Caribbean
The mechanics of each of the four games in this quest harken back to classic video games, testing players’ reaction time and precision. On Maze Island, players must dodge boulders in a twisting labyrinth, leap across gaps in the track on Gold Mine Island, and maneuver a toboggan through every peak and valley in a race down the slopes of Blizzard Island.
A key feature of building the interactive quest was getting input from kids themselves. Young testers said they wanted a mischievous animal adversary, and so Octopus Island brings to life a tricky eight-legged foe who throws barrels, crates and sticky starfish that players must avoid by tapping their quick reflexes. And once you’ve collected all the keys, Barnacle Briggs’ coveted treasure is yours!
This bug-eyed buggard is not your buddy. Kids wanted a crafty opponent, and they got it!
Credit: Royal Caribbean
And The Reaction?
The interactive digital experience was first a success at sea. “When we saw how well the games were received on board Oasis of the Seas—people were congregating around the large screens at Adventure Ocean to check it out—we knew we needed to introduce Barnacle Briggs to the world in some way,” said Lauren Berman, senior manager for product development at Royal Caribbean.
Throughout the creation period, even the game developers’ kids tested everything and gave it their seal of approval. “My daughter is 6 and my son is 4, they have tons of apps on their iPads,” said Tom Longo, executive producer at Firstborn, “but they gravitate toward the variability and dynamic settings, and keep coming back to beat their score—the octopus character is a big draw too.” Another plus, players have an opportunity for a different experience each time—that left you took on Maze Island yesterday may just be a right today. It’s these same challenging game mechanics that make adults want to join in on the fun as well!
Like everything that goes into our ships, The Treasure of Barnacle Briggs delivers quality family experiences. “This interactive quest represents what Royal Caribbean is all about—sweating the details, listening to our guests, and making certain the experience is done right,” Lauren said.
As you plan your cruise vacation and all the things you’ll do on board, download the new Royal Caribbean Kids app here to experience The Treasure of Barnacle Briggs on your iPhone or iPad.
