# The Completionist: 1990 – 1999 — 90s strategy magazine sim.

> 90s pop culture magazine simulation strategy and workflow game. (iPhone/iPad app by Frosty Pop.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-completionist-1990-1999/id6760708552 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Frosty Pop](https://appshunter.io/developer/930758677)
- Category: Games, Simulation, Strategy
- Price: $1.99 with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 27 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France), Brazilian Portuguese, Mexican Spanish
- Released: 2026-06-23
- Data updated: 2026-09-04
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-completionist-1990-1999/id6760708552/reviews.md

## What is The Completionist?

The decade is 1990. Your zine has a circulation of zero and a GeoCities page with a broken hit counter. You have opinions about Tarantino, a 14.4 modem, and just enough cash for one print run.

Build a pop culture magazine from nothing. Hire writers, editors, and researchers. Commission stories about the movies, music, games, and news that shaped the 90s. Move work across a Kanban board from pitch to published. Watch your operation evolve from photocopied zines at Kinko's to a real media company with a .com domain and a homepage that loads in under 8 seconds.

Try not to go broke before the IPO.

Part strategy game. Part idle. Part workflow sim. Part love letter to the decade that broke the internet.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

• Your Choices Matter — Specialists or generalists. Deadlines for bonus pay or slow burns for 5-star quality. Hire fast and spend thin, or run lean and invest in iMacs and Aeron chairs. Prestige early for a few legacy points, or grind deep for the full haul. Every run asks a different question.

• Windows 95 Aesthetic — Beveled chrome, tiled wallpapers, system fonts. Looks like running Netscape Navigator on your parents' Compaq. In a good way.

• In-Game Achievements — On top of Game Centre achievements, more homage to the 90s.

• Events and Multipliers — Random events from the 1990s that boost (or tank) your revenue mid-run.

• Easter Eggs — Can you find the flying toast? The Konami input code? The dial-up modem?

• IPO — Take a chance at the big time, but if your stock tanks... Godspeed, old friend.

• Thousands of 1990s Headlines — Jurassic Park opening weekend. Nirvana knocking Michael Jackson off #1. The O.J. trial. Pokémon. Y2K panic. The stuff that shaped a generation.

• Kanban Workflow — Research, draft, create, edit, publish. Manage stories across the board like a project manager who's really into Radiohead.

• Build Your Team — Creators write. Editors catch typos. Researchers break leads. Managing Editors keep the whole operation from imploding. Hire smart, level up skills, equip your crew with Power Macs, standing desks, and Discmans.

• Prestige System — Hit $500K and complete a Volume. Start your next run with permanent legacy upgrades that pull your strategy in new directions. Revenue Boost or Inflation Shield. Quality Boost or Fast Learners. There's no correct order. There's your order.

• Speed Boosts — Frappuccinos, Surge soda, Snapple. The fuel of journalism. Consumables for a temporary push. A Bull Terrier for permanent motivation. Or upgrade your dial-up to a T1 Line.

• Analog to Digital — Watch your magazine evolve from paste-up zines to a full online publication. Your arc mirrors the decade's defining shift.

• NO ADS. NO ENERGY GATES. One optional speed boost. That's it.

The first Volume teaches you the ropes. Volumes 2 through 10 are where you figure out what kind of editor you actually are.

## Key features

- Build a pop culture magazine
- Hire and manage staff
- Kanban workflow management
- 90s aesthetic and events
- Prestige system for upgrades
- IPO and bankruptcy risk

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: $1.99.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| T1 Line | $1.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-completionist-1990-1999/id6760708552/reviews.md

### 3/5 — great concept, flawed execution

*2026-06-30*

the game itself has potential, but having a pop-up after every action that has to be cleared before you can assign the next task is poor design.

additionally, the managing editors and item(s) that allow you to automate progress do not seem to take employee roles into consideration. it regularly assigns employees to tasks in other roles, meaning lower quality articles unless you sit there micromanaging through the hundreds of pop-ups.

if an option to disable the "task completed" pop-ups (or at least allow you to tap on tasks even if the pop-up is active) were added, and managing editors started assigning tasks correctly, it'd be a great game. as it is, it's more frustrating than enjoyable.

### 1/5 — Pop ups are bad

*2026-06-24*

The pop ups make the game way too hard to play smoothly

## Frequently asked questions about The Completionist

### What is The Completionist: 1990 – 1999 about?

The Completionist is a strategy and simulation game where you build and manage a pop culture magazine throughout the 1990s. You'll hire staff, commission articles, and navigate the challenges of running a media company from its humble beginnings to a potential IPO.

### What kind of gameplay can I expect in The Completionist?

The game combines strategy, idle, and workflow simulation elements. You'll make choices about hiring, story commissions, and resource management, with a Kanban board to track your progress from pitch to publication.

### Does The Completionist have ads?

No, The Completionist is ad-free. The developer explicitly states 'NO ADS. NO ENERGY GATES. One optional speed boost. That's it.'

### What is the price of The Completionist?

The Completionist is a paid app, priced at $0.99. There are no in-app purchases mentioned as mandatory for progression, only an optional speed boost.

### What platforms is The Completionist available on?

The Completionist is available on iPhone and iPad devices.

### How often is The Completionist updated?

The latest version is 1.0.6, last updated on June 26, 2026. This suggests regular updates are provided by the developer.

### What is the age rating for The Completionist?

The Completionist has an age rating of 12+, making it suitable for a teen audience.

### Are there any offline play options in The Completionist?

While not explicitly stated, the game's description focuses on management and simulation, suggesting it is likely playable offline. However, specific offline functionality has not been detailed.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.0.6 — 2026-06-26

• Fixed pop ups interfering with some content

### 1.0 — 2026-06-23

No release notes.

### 1.0.1 — 2026-06-23

• Fixed potential save bug when app backgrounded longer than 24 hours

### 1.0.2 — 2026-06-23

• Managing Editors now assign employees more evenly.

### 1.0.3 — 2026-06-23

• Back Issues now show full story titles at a larger font size.

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## More apps by Frosty Pop

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All apps by Frosty Pop: https://appshunter.io/developer/930758677

## Related topics

[the completionist](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/the-completionist) · [completionist](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/completionist)

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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 2026-09-04.*