LovePlus (ラブプラス, Rabu Purasu) is a dating sim developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo DShandheld video game console. It was released in Japan in 2009. Several updates and sequels have followed, including one for iOS in 2011. It has not been released outside Japan.
A second year High School student just transferred to Towano High School. Soon after, he joins the library committee, the tennis club and a part-time job at a family restaurant. He's the only character the player can name in the game, and they can choose to refer in first person as ore (俺)orboku (僕) ("Boku" and "Ore" are both masculine pronouns for "I", with "Ore" being the less polite of the two). In the LovePlus Rinko Days manga, his name is Wataru Aikawa.
A second-year high school student who goes to the same after-school tennis club with the protagonist. She comes from a well-off family and has lived a sheltered life, having no experience in many "normal" things like eating a hamburger combo, going out with her friends after the club, or watching TV. Her classmates shy away from her perfectionism, which is why she has few friends.
A first-year high school student who the protagonist meets after being forced to join the library committee. She constantly wears earphones and has an attitude that keeps people away from her. Rinko's attitude stems from her feeling alienated and unwanted in her home after her father remarried, bringing a new mother and younger brother into the house. "Whenever I am home, the atmosphere darkens", as Rinko described. She wanders the streets after school, avoiding going back to an unwelcoming home. She likes punk rock and fighting games.
A third-year high school student working part-time in a family restaurant, where the protagonist meets her. She is the dependable big sister from whom everyone asks help. She has a mole under her right eye and likes housework and horror movies.
In an early development setting she was meant to be a college student with light makeup. The latter remained part of her appearance during game release.
In November 2009, a Japanese man and player of LovePlus "married" this character, provoking widespread media attention.[3][4]
LovePlus+ is the same as the original LovePlus, although with new content, including field trips, fitness modes, sick days, Taisen Puzzle-Dama, capsule toys and more. Almost everything from the original game also makes an appearance in LovePlus+, along with many new ways to interact with the girls. Data can also be transferred from the original game to LovePlus+.
In 2010, Kodansha launched LovePlus spin-off manga serials starting in April through early May in five different Kodansha magazines:[5] Manaka, Rinko and Nene each have their own storyline.[6]
A sequel was released for the Nintendo 3DS on February 14, 2012, titled New LovePlus.[7][8] An updated version of New LovePlus called New LovePlus+ was released for Nintendo 3DS on March 27, 2014.[9][10]
LovePlus Collection is based on the original game, but is made for mobile phones and uses a card battle system to develop the player's relationship with the girls. It also features a new character, Akira Yukino, a sophomore. It was released as a standalone app at iTunes and Google Play (although the player needs a GREE account to play) on April 18, 2013.
