The secret's out! Launched today, SuperSecret.com is a brand new online social game for kids who are ready for more than Club Penguin and Webkinz but too young for World of Warcraft or MySpace. SuperSecret.com transports tweens into a secret world designed just for them, where characters "age up" from 10 to 18 as they make friends, play games, and explore new places with other players. Each birthday unlocks new hangouts and privileges such as pets, dorm rooms, bank accounts and secret parts of the world.
"As a parent of three tween kids, I noticed them playing more and more online, but there was nothing that really fit their needs," said Ted Barnett, co-founder and CEO of SuperSecret. "SuperSecret.com is designed from the ground up to be a fun and age-appropriate environment that taps into the one thing all kids want to do – grow up! At the same time, we focused on creating a safe environment where tweens can use their imaginations, test their skills, and learn the basics of online social interactions."
SuperSecret.com is designed for 9 to 13 year-old kids and offers 20 customizable character looks – all human! – and dozens of lush and realistic interactive environments like The Quad, The Midway and Crescent Beach.
Players can access as many as 40 Flash-based mini games with new games becoming available as their characters grow up. In-game money, called "spenders", can be used to buy cute pets, hip clothes, new hair, tasty treats, new furniture, and gifts and sneak attacks for friends. But be warned – players will need to save up to get the best stuff and, like real life, the resale value of a misguided impulse purchase is a far cry from the original sticker price.
Did we say social? SuperSecret.com makes it really easy to connect with old and new friends. Every player has access to an in-game cell phone that shows the status and location for every friend, so you can leave messages and meet up at any time. Players can also swap tips and "cheats", send gifts and sneak attacks to friends, and interact with non-player characters who dole out hints and quests. Players can report and block anyone who is bothering them, and all conversations are filtered and monitored.
SuperSecret.com is full of the things that tweens love because they have been involved in the game's development from the beginning. Tweens themselves have determined what features to include and pinpointed ways to make the game better. More than 100 kids were involved in product design and development, and over 500 participated in a private beta release. In late January, SuperSecret.com offered the public a "sneak peek" that attracted more than 250,000 players.
To start playing, tweens can go directly to SuperSecret.com and "age up" to their fifteenth birthday. New birthdays will be made available over the coming months. SuperSecret will also make the game available to more than 40 million gamers each month through distribution partnerships with SPIL GAMES, Wild Tangent and others.
Kids can play SuperSecret.com for free as long as they want, although their character won't age up beyond 12. Paid members can age to 13 and beyond, and enjoy access to ever more areas and features of the site. Introductory pricing is $4.95 per month or $19.95 for 6 months.
"The ‘sneak peek' of SuperSecret.com was a tremendous success with hundreds of thousands of kids testing out the game," said Tony Espinoza, founder and president of SuperSecret. "Now, we are very pleased to announce the top-tier partnership deals that will expose SuperSecret.com to 40 million potential players across the country and around the globe."