The July edition of the GameUp Africa Meetup featured an in-depth session on the making of Safari City, a vibrant, narrative-driven mobile game developed by Maliyo Games. Led by Christopher Adomako, lead project manager and gameplay programmer, the session provided a rare glimpse into the creative, technical, and cultural decisions that shaped the development of Safari City, a game designed to become Africa’s first globally celebrated match-3 puzzle title.
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Why Safari City? The Business Behind the Game
The decision to create Safari City was deeply data-driven. With match-3 games like Candy Crush, Royal Match, and Gardenscapes dominating global charts and generating massive revenue, Maliyo Games saw an opportunity to bring a similar experience to the African market but with local flavor and narrative depth.
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Who Is Safari City For?
Safari City targets casual mobile gamers, especially those who love puzzles, renovation gameplay, and story-driven experiences. The player demographic includes:
- Puzzle lovers who enjoy solving match-3 challenges
- Fans of property renovation and design
- Story enthusiasts drawn to character-driven narratives
- Global gamers curious about African cities, culture, and style
With this diverse audience in mind, the game aims to deliver four core experiences: immersive storytelling, relatable characters, satisfying renovation gameplay, and addictive match-3 mechanics.
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The Gameplay Loop: From Chaos to Comfort
The core gameplay loop is simple and satisfying. Players complete match-3 puzzles to earn a soft currency called “keys,” which they use to renovate dilapidated properties. Tasks like fixing roofs, clearing debris, and rewiring buildings slowly transform each location into a beautifully restored space.
Customization adds another layer, giving players creative freedom to personalize their spaces. The loop: puzzle, earn, renovate, provides both immediate satisfaction and long-term motivation.
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Worldbuilding Through Story and Characters
A key focus of the meetup was the game’s storytelling engine. Inspired by the emotional arcs of popular series and novellas, Safari City aims to evoke the feeling of “just one more episode.” Cutscenes and episodic story structures build tension and intrigue, allowing players to explore themes of loss, resilience, and community. The characters are central to this. From Kewa, the protagonist, to memorable figures like Mama Gold and Carpenter Usman, the cast reflects African names, personalities, and cultural nuances.
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In Case You Missed It…
🎥 Watch the full recording on the Maliyo Games YouTube channel.
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🎨Art Direction: Africa on Display
Game artist Cynthia Boulou led a stunning walkthrough of Safari City’s visual evolution. Her team’s goals were to:
- Create a visually engaging experience with vibrant colors, lively animations, and a consistent UI
- Establish a strong visual identity through original color combinations, unique shapes, and African design motifs
Build emotional connections through expressive character art, communicative poses, and color-driven storytelling
The game challenges players to navigate character grids, rearrange letters, and unlock new levels as they learn. As the difficulty increases, so does the challenge, making for a joyful, brain-boosting experience.
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Product Updates and What’s Next
As of July 2025, Safari City has surpassed 50,000 downloads and is in Beta Version 2. The development team is focused on:
- Adding more episodes to complete Season 1 (target: 10 episodes)
- Refining match-3 mechanics and difficulty curves
- Building mini-games and enhanced soundtracks
- Rolling out user acquisition campaigns with a goal of 1 million players globally
- Generating levels at scale with internal tools to sustain long-term content updates
One of the game’s major milestones was being featured during Africa Day on the Apple App Store, alongside other Maliyo titles (you can read all about it here). This visibility affirms the global appetite for games with authentic African stories.
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Want to experience Safari City yourself?
Download the game now and explore a world where puzzle-solving meets storytelling in the heart of Africa.
👉 Download on Android | Download on iOS
Stay tuned for next month’s GameUp Africa Meetup. Until then, keep playing, keep building, and keep telling African stories.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media at @gameupafrica_ and GameUp Africa’s LinkedIn page.
