Android and iOS versions of Facebook game Happy Island go freemium

Riding the freemium wave that's crashing over all mobile app stores, US social developer Sibblingz has just reversed its business model on the iOS and Android game releases that hook into fellow studio CrowdStar's popular Facebook game Happy Island.

Originally released for 99c during the summer, the mobile versions of Happy Island now follow the main Facebook game in their freemium status, with both the iOS and the Android games supported with in-app purchases, as already happens on Facebook.

The game, which is a version of Theme Park set on a desert island, has you buying various attractions, collecting the virtual money spent therein and buying better examples - and welcoming your real life Facebook friends to visit too, of course.

And now you can also spend real cash to ensure you have the best island in your social group, thanks to the addition of items such as bazaars, beach bungalows, and bakeries.

"We hope the success of Happy Island's jump to the freemium model on mobile will set an example for other developers and brands interested in taking their game cross-platform," said Peter Relan, Sibblingz's executive chairman.