Cookie Run Series — Korea's Mobile IP Built by Runaway Cookies
Devsisters' Cookie Run series, from OvenBreak and Cookie Run for Kakao to OvenBreak and Kingdom: origins, gameplay, why it's loved, and how to play.
Cookie Run is a mobile game series made by the Korean game company Devsisters. Based on the story of gingerbread-shaped cookies that come to life in a witch's oven and run away from her clutches, it began as a "runner game" in which the cookies run nonstop, collecting points and items while dodging obstacles.
When Cookie Run for Kakao launched on KakaoTalk in 2013 and became a huge hit, Cookie Run became one of the defining names in Korean mobile gaming. It then expanded into other genres with Cookie Run: OvenBreak, Cookie Run: Kingdom, and more, growing into a major intellectual property (IP).
In this post, we cover how the Cookie Run series began, how it plays, why it has been loved for so long, the series' evolution, and how to play it today.
At a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Release | April 2, 2013, Cookie Run for Kakao (predecessor OvenBreak on June 12, 2009) |
| Developer | Devsisters |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Genre | Running action (later entries expanded into RPG, puzzle, and more) |
Origins
Cookies from a Fairy Tale
The world of Cookie Run was inspired by the folk tale The Gingerbread Man. Just as the gingerbread cookie in that story comes to life after being baked in an oven and runs away, the cookies of Cookie Run escape from the witch after she brings them to life in her oven. The endless-running gameplay and the premise of "runaway cookies" fit together naturally.
OvenBreak, a Hit on Overseas App Stores First
Devsisters started out in January 2009 under the name Moblie and changed to its current name in April 2010. According to English Wikipedia, it was one of the first Korean companies to jump onto the iPhone App Store after the platform launched in July 2008. At the time, the iPhone hadn't been released in Korea and the Korean App Store had no games category, so the company targeted overseas users from the start.
The game released on June 12, 2009, was OvenBreak, the predecessor of Cookie Run. OvenBreak Infinity followed in September of the same year, and it reached No. 1 among free apps on the US App Store in late 2010. The original OvenBreak was downloaded more than 10 million times and became the most popular free app on the App Stores of 20 countries.
Cookie Run Meets KakaoTalk
However, Devsisters failed to repeat OvenBreak's level of success between 2010 and 2012. After weathering this difficult period, on April 2, 2013, it released Cookie Run for Kakao as a KakaoTalk game. It was Devsisters' first game to carry the Cookie Run name. On KakaoTalk's gaming platform, where players compete with friends for high scores, Cookie Run was a massive success, and in 2013 the Korean Kakao version had more than 2.9 million daily users.
How It Plays
Run, Jump, Slide
The runner games in the Cookie Run series have the cookie running nonstop while you collect points and items, jump over obstacles, and fight or flee from enemies. The goal is to survive to the end of the stage and earn a higher score. OvenBreak has several solo modes and PvP modes for competing with other players on score, as well as modes that open only during events.
Combining Cookies, Pets, and Treasures
The fun of Cookie Run lies in combinations. In the latest runner, Cookie Run: OvenBreak, you can bring up to two cookies, one pet that runs alongside you, and up to three treasures on each run. Each cookie, pet, and treasure has different abilities, so the score you earn varies greatly depending on the combination you choose. New cookies are added regularly along with story updates.
Free to Start
Cookie Run games follow the "freemium" model. The base game is free, and those who want to can buy in-game items or abilities for small amounts.
Why It's a Classic
Short and Easy, Yet Hard to Put Down
Runner games have simple rules, so anyone can jump right in. At the same time, the fun of swapping combinations to aim for a higher score keeps you hooked for a long time. Combined with KakaoTalk's platform for comparing scores with friends, that fun grew into the joy of competition.
The Power of Characters
Cookie Run's greatest asset is its characters. The cute cookies became a brand beyond the games, and even as Cookie Run moved from runners into various genres such as RPG, puzzle, and action, it kept the same cookie friends at its center. Collaborations with famous brands such as Hello Kitty, The Powerpuff Girls, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Disney happened precisely because the cookie characters became so widely known.
Recognition at Home and Abroad
The Cookie Run series has performed well both in Korea and overseas.
- 2014: The LINE version of Cookie Run ranked No. 1 in revenue in Thailand and No. 4 in Taiwan
- 2017: Cookie Run: OvenBreak was included in Apple's "Best of 2017" top 10 free iPhone and iPad game downloads
- 2021: Cookie Run: Kingdom won the Grand Prize at the Korea Game Awards, plus Google Play Korea's "Best Game of the Year" and "Users' Choice Game"
- 2022: Cookie Run: Kingdom won the Pocket Gamer People's Choice award
- 2024: Cookie Run: Tower of Adventures won awards including Google Play's "Game of the Year"
Series and Influence
Cookie Run grew from a single game into a series spanning multiple genres.
| Title | Release | Genre / Features |
|---|---|---|
| OvenBreak | June 12, 2009 | Predecessor of Cookie Run, iOS runner game |
| Cookie Run for Kakao | April 2, 2013 | KakaoTalk runner game; LINE version released January 2014 |
| Cookie Run: OvenBreak | October 27, 2016 | Global runner game, originally titled "Cookie Run 2" |
| Cookie Run: Kingdom | January 2021 | Mix of collectible RPG and kingdom building |
| Cookie Run: Witch's Castle | March 15, 2024 | Block puzzle game |
| Cookie Run: Tower of Adventures | June 25, 2024 | Top-down action game |
There were many other attempts as well, including the tower defense Cookie Wars (launched 2018, shut down 2020), the match-3 puzzle Cookie Run: Puzzle World, and a VR game for Meta Quest. The LINE version of Cookie Run ended service in June 2018, but the Kakao version of Cookie Run got its first major update in eight years for its 11th anniversary in April 2024 and found new life.
Cookie Run's influence is clearly visible in the Korean mobile game industry. It was a flagship success of the early days of KakaoTalk's gaming platform, and it became a good example of expanding a single character IP across multiple genres. In 2025, the Cookie Run IP was recognized as a brand with more than 200 million users across 243 countries worldwide.
How to Play Today
Most of the Cookie Run series can be played for free on smartphones.
- If you want a runner: Cookie Run: OvenBreak is the runner with the most cookies and modes. If you want the original feel, the Kakao version of Cookie Run is being updated again too.
- If you want story and collecting: In Cookie Run: Kingdom, you can collect cookies, form teams, and grow your kingdom.
- If you want something casual: There's the block puzzle Cookie Run: Witch's Castle.
- If you want action: Try Cookie Run: Tower of Adventures.
The latest news on each game is available on the official Devsisters and Cookie Run websites. Since most are free to start and sell items, it's a good idea to keep purchases within a budget you set in advance.