truth, the nation’s largest youth smoking prevention campaign, announced that five new levels have been released for the mobile game Flavor Monsters. The game is available for free download on select Apple and Android devices, and was developed as part of a comprehensive campaign to reach teens and young people about the dangers of flavored tobacco products.

The game transports users into a not-too-distant future where “Flavor Monsters” are attacking Earth. The “Flavor Monsters” are creatures that represent the added flavorings in tobacco. Players work to defeat these monsters, thereby stopping the monster invasion. The game features multiple skill levels, each of which features  a different series of colorful, flavored monsters to be defeated. An accompanying field manual contains data on all the monsters, along with relevant tobacco-related facts, and details on the tools that can be used to defeat the monsters.

truth also announced that specially-produced Flavor Monsters’ collectible vinyl toys are now available online. In conjunction with the release of the Flavor Monsters game, truth partnered with Luke Rook of Lulubell Toy Bodega to develop a line of custom vinyl toys. Best known for his ‘Grody Shogun’ line of toys, Luke is a well-known toy designer who designs, sculpts and paints toys out of his Arizona studio and store. For more information, visit http://www.lulubelltoys.com.

This August, truth embarked on its first ever gaming tour in an effort to connect the Flavor Monsters game experience to gamers in a tangible, interactive way. At each stop, truth‘s crew of young adult “tour riders” speak directly with teens and young adults – educating them about the marketing tactics of the tobacco industry and the health effects, addictiveness and social consequences of tobacco. At gaming conventions, an interactive booth called “45 Flavors” allows attendees to play the game onsite, get their picture taken with a Flavor Monster, both sample and buy truth-related gear and products, and take part in a special video virtual simulation that will give attendees the experience of being part of the actual Flavor Monsters game. All of the activities around the booth experience are geared toward ‘recruiting’ future monster hunters, and educating people about flavor monsters, as a way to reinforce messaging about the tobacco industry’s use of flavorings in tobacco products.

The truth’s “45 Flavors” booth will be at New York Comic Con, October 11-14, 2012 at the Javits Center in New York City, booth #1820.