# East of the Rockies

> Augmented reality historical narrative about WWII internment camp life. (iPhone/iPad app by National Film Board / Office national du film.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/east-of-the-rockies/id1451626918 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [National Film Board / Office national du film](https://appshunter.io/developer/329353641)
- Category: Education, Games, Adventure
- Price: $3.99
- Rating: 4.45/5 from 33 App Store ratings · 41 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 11.0 · 359 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2019-03-01
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/east-of-the-rockies/id1451626918/reviews.md

## What is East of the Rockies?

East of the Rockies is an experimental augmented-reality story written by 83-year-old Joy Kogawa, one of Canada’s most acclaimed and celebrated literary figures. The story is told from the perspective of Yuki, a 17-year-old girl forced from her home and made to live in the Slocan internment camp during the Second World War. As Yuki and her family adjust to their new reality inside the camp, they struggle to make life as normal as possible.

Users follow the story by tapping, swiping, inspecting and zooming in on key elements within each scene. Every interaction activates a piece of scripted narrative voiced by Joy’s own granddaughter. Spoken in the first person, each line illuminates a different aspect of life in the camp, as documented in Yuki’s journal.

East of the Rockies can be played in non-AR mode and in cutting-edge AR technology to bring impactful storytelling into the palm of users’ hands. Users become directors as they physically move through the 3D environment at their own speed with proximity-based interactions, tapping, and swiping mechanics.

Story-driven interactions emphasize narrative elements by showing everyday life in the Slocan, BC internment camp.  Paint alongside Yuki’s younger brother, Tomio or find solace in the camp’s bathhouse. Whether or not users enable AR, East of the Rockies tells an important story with innovative and artful technology.

Features:
- Experience Augmented Reality Storytelling 
- Play with our without Augmented Reality controls. 
- Discover historical photos and documents from Vancouver’s former Japantown
- Proximity based interactions
- 3D audio design
- Beautiful, original soundtrack 
- Teacher’s guide available at https://eastoftherockies.com/press-kit

Go more in-depth with the East of the Rockies High School Learning Kit available at https://eastoftherockies.com/press-kit. NFB Education uses an inquiry-based learning approach which poses questions and scenarios to help students understand and go deeper into the experience of life in the Slocan Japanese internment camp during the Second World War. 

Download East of the Rockies today and discover this important Canadian story incorporating an innovative and artful new technology.

East of the Rockies is a co-production with Jam3 and the National Film Board of Canada.

## Key features

- Augmented Reality Storytelling
- AR and Non-AR modes
- Interactive scene exploration
- Historical photos and documents
- Proximity-based interactions
- 3D audio design
- Original soundtrack

## Recent user reviews (10 of 41)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/east-of-the-rockies/id1451626918/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Beautiful but short

*2024-08-17*

One of the most beautiful interactive games. A part of history. But as beautiful as it is, it is very short. Less than 1 hour. But you will not regret the money you paid

### 1/5 — Terrible navigation

*2022-03-01, version 1.5.1*

I was excited about this but find it terrible to get through. Very slow. I wasn’t able to finish it and thought I could return to the same place, but no, I’d have had to start at the beginning again. It should have the ability to speed it up and it should have the intelligence to remember where we were.

### 5/5 — Great update

*2021-12-21, version 1.5.1*

The latest update is fantastic. Thanks for restoring the game!

### 2/5 — Not worth your time or money

*2021-03-16, version 1.2.1*

Very disappointing. I’m a big fan of Joy Kogawa and wanted to use this game in my grade 10 Canadian history class. There is no sound and the graphics are very poor. Not at all as advertised on the website. The plot is slow moving, with the only game mechanic the ability to click on certain objects. Check out the ‘Writing Wrongs’ exhibit from the Nikkei museum for a much more fulfilling experience.

### 4/5 — Nice but short

*2020-09-16, version 1.2.1*

Nice game, Nice story but really too short!

### 4/5 — Augmented Reality?

*2020-05-13, version 1.2.1*

This is a great project and wonderfully exemplifies the innovative, culturally-significant work that can be produced in Canada. Art and music are especially good, and the narrative is breathtaking. But, for the life of me, I can’t deduce where it employs AR. App seems to be entirely screen-based discovery game; when I activate AR mode I’m left with a blank screen.

### 5/5 — 5/5

*2019-04-13, version 1.1.0*

a great and enjoyable story teaching history that isn’t normally taught in school, I learnt many new and important things

### 5/5 — Beautiful

*2019-04-08, version 1.1.0*

Beautiful story. It’s not long, but will keep you immersed and the voice is very calming.

### 1/5 — Uninstalled this game just because it keeps rotating ipad orientation.

*2019-03-18, version 1.0*

If this is supposed to be a relaxing game, this orientation rotation gives me anxiety. No other apps does this. It’s infuriating. Not worth a single second.

### 5/5 — Great Canadian lesson

*2019-03-18, version 1.0*

This needs to be introduced in all schools.

## Frequently asked questions about East of the Rockies

### What is East of the Rockies about?

East of the Rockies is an augmented reality story that immerses users in the experiences of Yuki, a 17-year-old girl living in a Slocan internment camp during World War II. The narrative is told through her journal entries and interactive scenes, offering a personal perspective on life during that period.

### How does the augmented reality feature work?

The app utilizes cutting-edge AR technology to bring the story to life in your environment. Users can physically move through 3D environments, interact with key elements by tapping, swiping, and zooming, and experience proximity-based interactions that trigger narrative elements.

### Can I use the app without augmented reality?

Yes, the app can be played in a non-AR mode, allowing users to experience the story and its interactive elements without needing an AR-compatible device or environment. This ensures accessibility for a wider audience.

### What kind of historical content is included?

The app includes historical photos and documents from Vancouver's former Japantown, providing deeper context and authenticity to the narrative. These elements are discoverable through user interaction within the story's scenes.

### Is there any cost to download or use East of the Rockies?

Based on the provided information, the app is available for free. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or subscription models, suggesting it is a completely free experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.5.1 — 2021-12-15

Fixed AR bugs following most recent OS update.

### 1.2.1 — 2020-02-20

Minor update

### 1.2.0 — 2019-05-28

- added support for iPad Pro Generation 3
- bug fixes and performance improvements

### 1.1.0 — 2019-03-20

- fixed a bug in the "wood chop" scene where users were getting stuck and couldn't progress.

### 1.0 — 2019-02-28

No release notes.

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All apps by National Film Board / Office national du film: https://appshunter.io/developer/329353641

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*