About Peetako

A small game with a Malaysian Borneo heart.

Peetako was created by a developer who was born in Sarawak and raised in Sabah. The name grows out of a teenage nickname, "Pitak", given for a square face — which is why every Peetako has a rounded-square face too.

Why a gecko?

Geckos are everywhere in Malaysian Borneo: on the walls of every house, calling chik-chak at night. The English word "gecko" itself comes from Malay. Borneo is also home to real flying geckos that glide between rainforest trees.

Our approach to culture

Place names, wildlife, food and music from Malaysian Borneo appear freely in the game. Patterns and costumes are inspired by traditional designs from the Iban, Orang Ulu and Kadazandusun communities, never copied from specific pieces. Sacred and ritual elements are left out unless the communities themselves agree they can be used. We plan to credit cultural reviewers here.

The sounds are synthesized in your browser and inspired by the sompoton, sape and agung; they are not recordings. QR codes are made with qrcode-generator by Kazuhiko Arase (MIT licence). Flags come from flag-icons by Panayiotis Lipiridis (MIT licence).

What's built so far

This is version 1.0. You can hatch a pet, choose its Call Code and colour (once, at hatch), play in a full-screen or retro-framed view, care for it, watch its mood and its sky change, get care alerts, and see it age through tiers. A Peetako that runs out of time hibernates for up to 3 days a month before it falls, and after a month at the top tier you may choose Ascension. A Peetako that lived 30 days or more, or ascended, leaves a Legacy Egg. You can earn coins, dress your Peetako in Borneo cosmetics, play five mini-games (Tangkap Kelip-kelip, Ikut Rentak, Lidah Pantas, Padan Motif and Panjat Pokok), climb each game's leaderboards, and visit friends by Call Code to Pamper them, send gifts, hold a friendly battle, give a Mentor Boost or send a Cuit to a friend who has not checked in yet. Playing together builds Bond, from Friends to Forever Friends, and you can save friends or block a Peetako. The sounds and an optional sape music loop are inspired by Borneo instruments.

Credits