Kairosoft is back with a new game on the App Store, and it appears as though the studio is testing the free-to-play model with it. Beastie Bay (Free), as the new game is called, is a cartoony RPG that plays pretty similarly to Pokemon. Its twist is that it’s also a city simulation game that tasks you with building structures to support your pocket monster fighting and collecting habit.

To our knowledge, this is the first time Kairosoft has launched a free game on the App Store. At this price, it appears you get access to the entire game. The drawback being you’ve got to look at ads. With a $4.99 IAP, however, you can remove the ads — and enable landscape mode.

This is an interesting approach, as Beastie Bay will presumably get in a lot more hands than any other Kairosoft title ever has before. And the model appears to be for users, as there’s no commitment upfront if you discover that the simulation isn’t exactly clicking with you.

We’ll be all over this one in the coming days, so stay tuned for a review.