"Michael's King Of Pop": Michael Jackson Stars In New Japanese Mobile Social Game

Serkan Toto

Dr. Serkan Toto is an independent consultant and advisor focusing on Japan’s web, mobile and social gaming industries. Based in Tokyo, he works together with financial institutions and startups worldwide. Serkan has been the Japan contributor for TechCrunch.com since 2008. He is sept-lingual, holds an MBA and is a PhD in economics. → Learn More

Monday, June 6th, 2011

Michael Jackson may have passed away two years ago, but he has always been especially big in Japan. So big, in fact, that he now gets his own social game. Dubbed “Michael’s King Of Pop” [JP], the title is exclusively available on Japanese mobile social gaming platform Mobage.

The goal of the game is to make Michael Jackson the No. 1 entertainer on the planet. Players manage Jacko’s career, but they can also take dancing lessons as him, organize concerts, complete missions etc.

By battling it out on the dance floor with other Mobage players, it’s possible to learn up to 80 different dancing skills, including the Moonwalk. The final goal of the game is to have Michael “perform a concert in outer space” (I don’t know why).

Maker Entercrews [JP] is offering the Flash Lite 2.0-based pop star simulation for users of feature phone (only in Japan). Michael’s King of Pop is free to play and monetized via virtual item sales (for example if users want to decorate their Jacko avatar).