Tiny Tower: My Shameful Obsession

Have you heard of Tiny Tower? Chances are you have, at least if you use an iOS device. It was named Apple’s 2011 Game of the Year, which is how I stumbled upon it while browsing the App Store. But now that I’ve discovered it, it has become my go-to game throughout the day. Worst of all, I’ve now gotten Sarah hooked on the Android version, despite the fact that neither of us can really point to what’s so exciting about the game!

If you’re not super familiar with Tiny Tower, here’s the App Store description:

Tiny Tower lets you build a tiny tower and manage the businesses and bitizens that inhabit it!

?Make money to build new types of floors and attract bitizens to live and work inside.
?Special events and VIP visitors will earn you special perks as you build your tower towards the clouds.
?Customize the look and placement of each floor and the bitizens that live in them, and upgrade your elevator.
?Game Center integration to let you see your friends towers, back up your game and earn awards.
?See what is on your bitizens’ minds by peeking at the “BitBook” virtual social network for your tower!

So yes, it’s a cute, fun game. But there’s no real strategy, or anything exciting. After a while, you’re just in a cycle of restocking floors, gathering Tower Bux and coins, and repeatedly getting yelled at by Bitizens in their Bitbook. Apparently they think I should quit my job and spend all day restocking them 24/7. I think they’re just whiny.

Despite the relatively simple nature of the game, I cannot stop playing it. Every hour or so I’m back in my tower keeping it running smoothly, tapping away. Worst of all, now that Sarah is hooked on it she can’t stop either! This weekend she ran her Incredible’s battery down to vapors playing too much Tiny Tower. At one point we were in the car actively discussing the best strategy to build our Towers! On the one hand, this is the mark of a well-done casual game. On the other, it’s a game about building floors in a tower. That’s all.

So I need to know, for my own sanity — are there other Tiny Tower addicts out there? I know there must be, given the popularity of the game. Let’s unite, or at least reassure each other it’s totally normal!

If for some reason you haven’t tried Tiny Tower, you can download it for free, and try not to give into the temptation to buy more Tower Bux along the way!