Difference between revisions of "WayForward"

From Drawn to Life Wiki
(I realized the Mighty games were mentioned on the page but none of them were on the list, so I added the first three)
 
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{{Infobox/Company
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{{Infobox/Company|boxcolor=#00aade
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|name=WayForward
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|name         = WayForward
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|image=[[File:Wayforward Technologies Logo.png|200px]]
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|image       = <tabber>
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|headquarters=Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, U.S.
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  |-|Main      = [[File:Wayforward Technologies Logo.png|center|300px]]<br>Used since 2005
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|founded=March 1990
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  |-|Alternate = [[File:WayForward_Logo_1998.png|center|300px]]<br>Used until 2005
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|type=Developer
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</tabber>
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|games={{Icon|DTL}} <small>(iOS Port)
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|current      = Active
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|site=[https://wayforward.com/ Present Day Website]
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|headquarters = Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, USA 🇺🇸
 +
|founded     = March 1990
 +
|type         = Developer
 +
|games       = {{Icon|DTL}} <small>(iOS)</small>
 +
|site         = [https://wayforward.com/ Present Day Website]
 
}}
 
}}
  
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'''WayForward Technologies, Inc.''' is an independent video game developer and publisher, best known for the [[wikipedia:Shantae|Shantae]] and [[:wikipedia:Mighty Flip Champs!|Mighty]] franchises. In 2014, they developed a re-release of the first [[Drawn to Life]] for iOS, which was criticized by fans for it's low quality and has since been delisted.
+
'''WayForward Technologies, Inc.''' is an independent video game developer and publisher, best known for their own [[wikipedia:Shantae|Shantae]] and [[:wikipedia:Mighty Flip Champs!|Mighty]] franchises, as well as licensed titles such as [[:wikipedia:Ducktales: Remastered|Ducktales: Remastered]] and a few handheld [[:wikipedia:SpongeBob SquarePants|SpongeBob SquarePants]] games. In 2014, they developed a port of the first [[Drawn to Life]] for iOS, the first of two entries released under [[505 Games]].
 +
 
 +
=={{Icon|Book}} History==
 +
WayForward was founded in March 1990 Voldi Way as a spin-off of a previous company specializing in software for metal sheet fabrication. Early on, many of the developers took other jobs in order to support their ambitions for game production, with their game production starting again properly in 1997 as a developer for hire. They teamed up with [[:wikipedia:Capcom|Capcom]] in the early 2000s to distribute their first original title, Shantae, which released in 2002. The game would see critical acclaim, but struggled to find an audience until much later due to being a late [[:wikipedia:Game Boy Color|Game Boy Color]] title.
 +
 
 +
Following the modest success of WayForward's licensed titles throughout the rest of the decade, they became a more prominent figure with their [[:wikipedia:DSiWare|DSiWare]] releases, specifically [[:wikipedia:Mighty Flip Champs!|Mighty Flip Champs!]] and a sequel to Shantae, [[:wikipedia:Shantae: Risky's Revenge|Risky's Revenge]]. As WayForward's success became more widespread, so did their game output's acclaim, with [[:wikipedia:DuckTales: Remastered|DuckTales: Remastered]], [[:wikipedia:River City Girls|River City Girls]], [[:wikipedia:Clock Tower|Clock Tower: Rewind]] and additional Shantae and Mighty games all seeing great success.
 +
 
 +
===Development of Drawn to Life (iOS)===
 +
505 Games acquired the Drawn to Life IP in the second lot of [[THQ|THQ's]] auctioned assets in April 2013, which gave them rights to all assets of the mainline series.<ref>[https://www.polygon.com/2013/4/22/4254116/drawn-to-life-series-acquired-by-505-games-second-thq-auction/ Drawn to Life series acquired bt 505 Games, Polygon]</ref> The studio the first thing to do with the franchise would be to re-release the games on mobile devices, emulating 5th Cell's earlier attempts with Scribblenauts' transition.
 +
 
 +
Right as development on DuckTales: Remastered was coming to a close, WayForward was tasked with bringing the first [[Drawn to Life]] to iOS. This port would be handled by many of the same developers behind another well-received handheld title, [[:wikipedia:Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!!|Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!!]]; Jeff Luke, a producer on said title as well as the original Drawn to Life game, would sign on as the director. Not much is known about this port's development beyond this, however fans have speculated what could've happened based on the game's build. Rather than being natively ported, the game was instead loaded into a Nintendo DS emulator. This suggests the port's development was rushed, as the drawing mechanics ended up being unresponsive and difficult to navigate with the virtual D-Pad.
 +
 
 +
Drawn to Life would release on iPhone and iPad on May 6th, 2014, to mostly negative reviews. Both fans and critics lambasted the poor optimization, lack of widescreen support, virtual button placements and functions, music being mismatched or missing and general technical issues. The port would receive a few updates following release, including one that allowed controller support, but would eventually be delisted. The exact date of delisting is unknown, however; the App Store's most recent archived page for the game is dated at 2019, suggesting the port remained accessible to download for five years before being taken off the store. The port would be among 505 Mobile's best-selling apps at the time upon release, however this has since been overtaken by more modern mobile releases.
  
 
=={{Icon|Button}} Notable Games==
 
=={{Icon|Button}} Notable Games==
−
* ''FunPack'' (1992)
+
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:100% float:left">
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* [[:wikipedia:Mickey's Ultimate Challenge|Mickey's Ultimate Challenge]] (1994)
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<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
−
* [[:wikipedia:Shantae (video game)|Shantae]] (2002)
+
<br>
−
* [[:wikipedia:The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (video game)|The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie]] (2004, GBA)
+
<center>
−
* [[:wikipedia:Contra 4|Contra 4]] (2007)
+
{| class="wikitable"
−
* [[:wikipedia:Lit (video game)|LIT]] (2009)
+
|+
−
* [[:wikipedia:Mighty Flip Champs!|Mighty Flip Champs!]] (2009)
+
|-
−
* [[:wikipedia:A Boy and His Blob|A Boy and His Blob]] (2009)
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! Game !! Publisher/Licensor/Co-Developer !! System !! Release Date
−
* [[:wikipedia:Shantae: Risky's Revenge|Shantae: Risky's Revenge]] (2010)
+
|-
−
* [[:wikipedia:SpongeBob SquigglePants|SpongeBob SquigglePants]] (2011)
+
| [[file:Shantae1.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shantae_(video_game)]] || [[file:Capcom.png|150px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capcom]] || [[File:gbclogo.png|125px|center]] || Jun. 4, 2002
−
* [[:wikipedia:Mighty Switch Force!|Mighty Switch Force!]] (2011)
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|-
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* [[:wikipedia:Double Dragon Neon|Double Dragon Neon]] (2012)
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| [[file:spongebobmovie.png|center|100px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_SpongeBob_SquarePants_Movie_(video_game)]] || <center>[[file:THQ_logo_2000.png|100px|link=THQ]]/[[File:NickGames.png|75px|link=Nickelodeon]]</center> || [[File:GameBoyAdvance.png|100px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Advance]] || Oct. 27, 2004
−
* [[:wikipedia:DuckTales: Remastered|DuckTales: Remastered]] (2013)
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|-
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* [[Drawn to Life]] (2014, iOS)
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| [[file:lightscamerapants.png|150px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpongeBob_SquarePants:_Lights,_Camera,_Pants!]] || <center>[[file:THQ_logo_2000.png|100px|link=THQ]]/[[File:NickGames.png|75px|link=Nickelodeon]]</center> ||[[File:GameBoyAdvance.png|100px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Advance]] || Oct. 19, 2005
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* [[:wikipedia:Shantae and the Pirate's Curse|Shantae and the Pirate's Curse]] (2014)
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|-
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* [[:wikipedia:Shantae: Half-Genie Hero|Shantae: Half-Genie Hero]] (2016)
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| [[file:breaturefromthekrustykarb.png|center|150px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpongeBob_SquarePants:_Creature_from_the_Krusty_Krab]] || <center>[[file:THQ_logo_2000.png|100px|link=THQ]]/[[File:NickGames.png|75px|link=Nickelodeon]]</center> || <center>[[File:GameBoyAdvance.png|100px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Advance]]/[[File:Nintendo_DS_Logo.png|100px|link=Nintendo DS]]</center> || Oct. 18, 2006
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* [[:wikipedia:Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night|Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night]] (2019)
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|-
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* [[:wikipedia:Shantae and the Seven Sirens|Shantae and the Seven Sirens]] (2019)
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| [[file:mightyflipchamps.png|100px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mighty_Flip_Champs!]] || <center>Self-Published</center> || [[file:dsiware.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DSi]] || Jun. 1, 2009
−
* [[:wikipedia:River City Girls|River City Girls]] (2019)
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|-
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* [[:wikipedia:Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp|Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp]] (2023)
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| [[file:riskysrevenge.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shantae:_Risky%27s_Revenge]] || <center>Self-Published</center> || [[file:dsiware.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DSi]] || Oct. 4, 2010
−
* [[:wikipedia:Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution|Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution]] (2024)
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|-
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| [[file:spongebobsquigglepants.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpongeBob_SquigglePants]] || <center>[[file:THQ_2011_Logo.png|75px|link=THQ]]/[[File:Nicklogo2009.png|75px|link=Nickelodeon]]</center> || <center>[[file:Nintendo_Wii_Logo.png|75px|link=Wii]]/ [[file:3DS.png|100px]]</center> || Apr. 12, 2011
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|-
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| [[file:mightymilkyway.png|100px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mighty_Milky_Way]] || <center>Self-Published</center> || [[file:dsiware.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DSi]] || May 9, 2011
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|-
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| [[file:mightyswitchforce.png|100px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mighty_Switch_Force!]] || <center>Self-Published</center> || <center>[[File:WiiU.png|100px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii_U]]/ [[file:3DS.png|100px]]<br>[[File:Steam_Logo.png|100px]]</center> || Dec. 22, 2011
 +
|-
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| [[file:heyiceking.png|150px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Time:_Hey_Ice_King!_Why%27d_You_Steal_Our_Garbage%3F!!]] || <center>[[file:d3publisher.png|65px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D3_Publisher]] / [[file:cn2010.png|75px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartoon_Network]]</center> || <center>[[File:Nintendo_DS_Logo.png|100px|link=Nintendo DS]]/ [[file:3DS.png|100px]]</center> || Nov. 20, 2012
 +
|-
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| [[file:ducktalesremastered.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuckTales:_Remastered]] || <center>[[file:Capcom.png|100px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capcom]]<br>[[File:disneyinteractivelogo.png|75px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Interactive_Studios]]</center> || <center>[[file:xbox360logo.png|75px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360]]/[[File:WiiU.png|100px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii_U]]<br>[[file:PS3logo.png|75px|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3]]/[[File:Steam_Logo.png|100px]]</center> || Aug. 13, 2013
 +
|-
 +
| [[File:Start_Screen_Drawn_to_Life_Logo.png|center|150px|link=Drawn to Life]] || [[File:505_Games_logo.svg.png|100px|center|link=505 Games]] ||<center>[[File:AppStore.png|100px]]</center> || May 21, 2014
 +
|-
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| [[file:rivercitygirls.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_City_Girls]] || <center>Self-Published*</center> ||<center> [[File:Steam_Logo.png|100px]]/[[File:ps4logo.png|100px]]<br>[[File:xboxonelogo.png|100px]] / [[File:Nintendo_Switch_Logo.png|50px]]</center> || Sept. 5, 2019
 +
|-
 +
| [[file:AW1+2.png|125px|center|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Wars_1%2B2:_Re-Boot_Camp]] || <center>[[File:Nintendo.png|100px|link=Wikipedia:Nintendo]]<br>[[file:Intelligentsystems.png|100px|link=wikipedia:Intelligent Systems]]</center> ||[[File:Nintendo_Switch_Logo.png|center|50px]] || Apr. 21, 2023
 +
|-
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| [[file:sigmastarsagadx.png|125px|center|link=wikipedia:Sigma Star Saga]] || [[file:limitedrungames.png|75px|center|link=wikipedia:Limited Run Games]] ||<center>[[File:Steam_Logo.png|100px]] / [[File:Nintendo_Switch_Logo.png|50px]]<br>[[file:ps5logo.png|100px]]</center> || Apr. 7, 2026
 +
|-
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| <center>Shantae 7</center> || <center>Self-Published</center> || <center>TBA</center> || <center>TBA</center>
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|-
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|}
 +
</center>
 +
<small>*Published by Arc System Works in Japan.</small>
 +
{{ReadMore|:wikipedia:WayForward#Games}}
 +
</div></div>
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 +
=={{IconSVG|Trivia}} Trivia==
 +
* Despite developing [[Drawn to Life]]'s iOS release, the company website did not mention the port whatsoever.
 +
* Although Drawn to life's iOS release was initially successful at the time, it is unknown whether a mobile re-release of [[Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter]] was considered following the first game's release.
 +
 
 +
=={{Icon|Painting}} Media==
 +
<center>
 +
<tabber>
 +
|-|Website=
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<gallery widths="310" captionsize="medium" captiontextcolor="#8e8e8e" bordersize="none" bordercolor="transparent" captionalign="center" spacing="small" position="center">
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WayForwardFront.png|The company website's front page.
 +
</gallery>
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|-|iOS release=
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<center><gallery widths="310" captionsize="medium" captiontextcolor="#8e8e8e" bordersize="none" bordercolor="transparent" captionalign="center" spacing="small" position="center">
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DTLIOSTHUMB.jpg|The app icon for Drawn to Life's iOS port.
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505MobilePage.png|505 Mobile's webpage advertising the iOS port.
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DTLiTunes2016.png|The iOS port's iTunes page from 2016.
 +
DTLAppStore2019.png|The iOS port's App Store page from 2019.
 +
</gallery>
 +
</tabber>
 +
</center>
 +
 
 +
{{Navbox/Studios|Drawn to Life|WayForward|boxcolor=#00aade}}
 +
 
 +
[[Category:Developers]]

Latest revision as of 22:39, 29 April 2026

WayForward

Wayforward Technologies Logo.png

Used since 2005

WayForward Logo 1998.png

Used until 2005

Information
Founded March 1990
Current State Active
Headquarters Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, USA 🇺🇸
Type Developer
Worked On Drawn to Life Link (iOS)
Website Present Day Website


WayForward Technologies, Inc. is an independent video game developer and publisher, best known for their own Shantae and Mighty franchises, as well as licensed titles such as Ducktales: Remastered and a few handheld SpongeBob SquarePants games. In 2014, they developed a port of the first Drawn to Life for iOS, the first of two entries released under 505 Games.

Book Icon.png History[edit]

WayForward was founded in March 1990 Voldi Way as a spin-off of a previous company specializing in software for metal sheet fabrication. Early on, many of the developers took other jobs in order to support their ambitions for game production, with their game production starting again properly in 1997 as a developer for hire. They teamed up with Capcom in the early 2000s to distribute their first original title, Shantae, which released in 2002. The game would see critical acclaim, but struggled to find an audience until much later due to being a late Game Boy Color title.

Following the modest success of WayForward's licensed titles throughout the rest of the decade, they became a more prominent figure with their DSiWare releases, specifically Mighty Flip Champs! and a sequel to Shantae, Risky's Revenge. As WayForward's success became more widespread, so did their game output's acclaim, with DuckTales: Remastered, River City Girls, Clock Tower: Rewind and additional Shantae and Mighty games all seeing great success.

Development of Drawn to Life (iOS)[edit]

505 Games acquired the Drawn to Life IP in the second lot of THQ's auctioned assets in April 2013, which gave them rights to all assets of the mainline series.[1] The studio the first thing to do with the franchise would be to re-release the games on mobile devices, emulating 5th Cell's earlier attempts with Scribblenauts' transition.

Right as development on DuckTales: Remastered was coming to a close, WayForward was tasked with bringing the first Drawn to Life to iOS. This port would be handled by many of the same developers behind another well-received handheld title, Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!!; Jeff Luke, a producer on said title as well as the original Drawn to Life game, would sign on as the director. Not much is known about this port's development beyond this, however fans have speculated what could've happened based on the game's build. Rather than being natively ported, the game was instead loaded into a Nintendo DS emulator. This suggests the port's development was rushed, as the drawing mechanics ended up being unresponsive and difficult to navigate with the virtual D-Pad.

Drawn to Life would release on iPhone and iPad on May 6th, 2014, to mostly negative reviews. Both fans and critics lambasted the poor optimization, lack of widescreen support, virtual button placements and functions, music being mismatched or missing and general technical issues. The port would receive a few updates following release, including one that allowed controller support, but would eventually be delisted. The exact date of delisting is unknown, however; the App Store's most recent archived page for the game is dated at 2019, suggesting the port remained accessible to download for five years before being taken off the store. The port would be among 505 Mobile's best-selling apps at the time upon release, however this has since been overtaken by more modern mobile releases.

AButton.png Notable Games[edit]


Game Publisher/Licensor/Co-Developer System Release Date
Shantae1.png
Capcom.png
Gbclogo.png
 Jun. 4, 2002
Spongebobmovie.png
THQ logo 2000.png/NickGames.png
GameBoyAdvance.png
 Oct. 27, 2004
Lightscamerapants.png
THQ logo 2000.png/NickGames.png
GameBoyAdvance.png
 Oct. 19, 2005
Breaturefromthekrustykarb.png
THQ logo 2000.png/NickGames.png
GameBoyAdvance.png/Nintendo DS Logo.png
 Oct. 18, 2006
Mightyflipchamps.png
Self-Published
Dsiware.png
 Jun. 1, 2009
Riskysrevenge.png
Self-Published
Dsiware.png
 Oct. 4, 2010
Spongebobsquigglepants.png
THQ 2011 Logo.png/Nicklogo2009.png
Nintendo Wii Logo.png/ 3DS.png
 Apr. 12, 2011
Mightymilkyway.png
Self-Published
Dsiware.png
 May 9, 2011
Mightyswitchforce.png
Self-Published
WiiU.png/ 3DS.png
Steam Logo.png
 Dec. 22, 2011
Heyiceking.png
D3publisher.png / Cn2010.png
Nintendo DS Logo.png/ 3DS.png
 Nov. 20, 2012
Ducktalesremastered.png
Capcom.png
Disneyinteractivelogo.png
Xbox360logo.png/WiiU.png
PS3logo.png/Steam Logo.png
 Aug. 13, 2013
Start Screen Drawn to Life Logo.png
505 Games logo.svg.png
AppStore.png
 May 21, 2014
Rivercitygirls.png
Self-Published*
Steam Logo.png/Ps4logo.png
Xboxonelogo.png / Nintendo Switch Logo.png
 Sept. 5, 2019
AW1+2.png
Nintendo.png
Intelligentsystems.png
Nintendo Switch Logo.png
 Apr. 21, 2023
Sigmastarsagadx.png
Limitedrungames.png
Steam Logo.png / Nintendo Switch Logo.png
Ps5logo.png
 Apr. 7, 2026
Shantae 7
Self-Published
TBA
TBA

*Published by Arc System Works in Japan.


Trivia[edit]

  • Despite developing Drawn to Life's iOS release, the company website did not mention the port whatsoever.
  • Although Drawn to life's iOS release was initially successful at the time, it is unknown whether a mobile re-release of Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter was considered following the first game's release.

PaintingIcon.png Media[edit]

  • The company website's front page.

  • The app icon for Drawn to Life's iOS port.

  • 505 Mobile's webpage advertising the iOS port.

  • The iOS port's iTunes page from 2016.

  • The iOS port's App Store page from 2019.

Studios
Nintendo DS 5th Cell • THQ • Agatsuma Entertainment
iOS 505 Games • WayForward
Altron • Nickelodeon • THQ
Planet Moon Studios • THQ
5th Cell • THQ
Most Regions 505 Games • Digital Continue
South Korean Release H2 Interactive
  1. ↑ Drawn to Life series acquired bt 505 Games, Polygon
Retrieved from "https://drawntolife.wiki/w/index.php?title=WayForward&oldid=34895"