Would you like a little bit more romance in your life? Do you play otome games or other dating simulators? Are you bored by the repetition of choosing one particular character to court from a cast of cookie-cutter trope clones? Do you find horses beautiful and intriguing from a romantic point of view? Then My Horse Prince by Usaya available in the Apple iOS App Store is for you!
As a purveyor of fine dating simulators, ranging from Hatoful Boyfriend and Kusoge to Once Upon a Fairy Love Tale – Fairy Tale Prince and Katawa Shoujo, I have never before encountered such an engaging and enthralling experience. The moment that I first laid eyes on this mobile app, I knew that I had to make the majestic creature contained within mine. No other otome love would do. No other virtual relationship would ring as true, as pure, as captivating.
In my experiences as the owner of Yuuma, my Horse Prince, I have learned the fine art of gaining and maintaining his attentions. In the long hours that I have spent in his company, I have learned the importance of being a responsible owner, for one must care for their companion’s well-being as well as their heart. In your future pursuits of this prince (or any romantic pursuit, for that matter), follow these steps to ensure success:
1. Listen to Your Elders
As you enter the ranch scene, you are immediately greeted by the enigmatic Ojisan, the owner of the ranch – a eccentric, mustachioed sketch of a man who offers bits of sage wisdom on how to connect with the horse that immediately catches your attention (and whose face is the app’s icon). His words are often comedic, and his dialogue during cutscenes may throw you off from your primary mission, but it is important to listen to him as he informs you about the basic game (of love) mechanics. Ojisan is also there to back you up if you give a bad answer when you converse with your steed, bailing you out with an optional advertisement to watch to retry your conversation. He also appears in different costumes and forms throughout the game – he’s your ultimate shipper and cheerleader!
2. Care for His Needs
Yuuma is a simple horse. From the first moment he sees you, his caring owner, he feels nothing but the desire to please and support you. It’s important that you care for him right back! Don’t force Yuuma to run on even more treadmills, chop even more onions, or surf even more waves when his (love) energy is low – his bond with you will not grow as strongly as it could grow otherwise. Tell him more about yourself to give him the strength of spirit to fight on! If you do not have any available conversations with him at the moment, pause your play and give him some space. He will let you know when you have more opportunities to talk directly with him (as long as you have your notifications on). Remember that a new opportunity for conversation appears every 30 minutes.
With each action that you direct Yuuma to do – whether it be exercise or rocking out – you have the opportunity to gain love points. These points are recorded in the pink-filling progress bar on the top your window into Yuuma’s world. If Yuuma’s (love) energy is high, indicated by a happy orangey face at 100-80% energy, his actions become more fanciful and filled with love and are worth 30 love points. Yuuma’s love grows slightly slower (20 points) when the energy is indicated by a green smiley (79-50%), while a gray neutral face (49-10% energy) grants 10 points, and a blue face (9-0% energy) brings 5 points and a noticeably lowered, sad expression indicated by Yuuma tiredly lowering his head. No one wishes to see their love downtrodden! Be considerate – Yuuma will entertain and appreciate you more for it!
If you have deep enough saddlebags, you can purchase the Golden Horseshoe, which grants you double love points forever for the price of $1.99. This may help with speeding up your juicy journey, but keep in mind that money can’t buy you love. You will feel more fulfilled by not engaging in the buying of Yuuma’s affections (or, at the very least, feel more frugal monetarily).
3. Go With Your Instincts
When you allow Yuuma to ask you a question about yourself or the present situation, go with your instincts! It is a good rule of thumb to not act too tsundere or too exciteable about your prospect of entering a relationship with a majestic horse man. However, as in any relationship, your instincts can confidently guide your responses in unexpected moments. Don’t worry too much about responding incorrectly – allow Ojisan to bail you out and/or remember the rule that time heals all wounds: Yuuma will give you ample opportunities to raise up his ever-increasing enamorment for you. Jump right in and fall in love!
4. Be a Good Listener
The key to every successful relationship! Yuuma may be forgetful and ask you the same question again. Be patient with him. Telling him your answer again will raise his energy to keep on loving you. It’s important that you remember what he likes to hear from you – it’s what he likes about you. If you forget, he’ll be patient with you right back.
5. Love Unconditionally
Everyone is unique, with unique abilities, interests, and quirks. In Yuuma’s case, he enjoys his job as a prize-winning racehorse and pleasing you through spectacular displays of devotion, defending your honor, and all-around being the sweet, considerate, and gorgeous creature that he truly is. Although he may be quite quirky (along with the magnanimous Ojisan), he truly wants to care for you as you care for him in your role as a responsible, compassionate owner. When you leave him alone, he calls for you and desires your company. Know deep within your heart that someone out there truly cares for you, someone with a glossy, flowing mane and a face right out of a shoujo manga. He will wait for you.
In an age where making romantic connections is possible with a few taps on an electronic device or the click of a button, the capacity for controllable, fast-building relationships enables many to experience the joys of a growing relationship. My Horse Prince taught me that love may be found in many forms and in unexpected places. May my words of wisdom ring as true as Ojisan’s and walk you through your garden of romance. I bid you the best of luck in your journey of growth with Yuuma, the prince that we all need AND deserve right now.
