Cats? Dogs? 16-bit? What is going on?
When we started to develop Super Catboy, we wanted to create a game, that captures the spirit of the early 90s 16-bit platformer games and we ourselves would like to play. So, we started to combine the best elements of all the games we loved in the 90s like Megaman X, Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country and many more.
Originally, the character Catboy was supposed to be a human with cat-like traits such as cat-ears and whiskers. However, during the development process, this started to look a bit weird, and we changed him to being a cartoon-like cat with a red vest (Marty McFly would be jealous) and a determined look on his face, since the task ahead is not an easy one: he’s the only hope to save the world from the evil Dr. Ungefug and his in-dog-trinated anthropomorphic army of dogs.
Then: First Concept scribbles of Catboy and Weapon Girl
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Now: Super Catboy and Weapon Girl!
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Jump, Run and Jump’n’Run (and also Shoot)
Our initial plan was to have the gameplay strongly resemble that of Megaman X, but we changed it over time to involve a vast variety of gameplay mechanics from classic platforming titles we came to love as kids. We took some good ol’ Donkey Kong Country inspiration and put it into the construction of our levels as well as bonus levels, such as riding a motorbike or steering a mine cart through perilous chasms.
Things, such as running on top of a running train, just HAD to be in the game.
Trains, bikes, mine carts - Pixelpogo wants them all!
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More vehicles from Super Catboy!
And of course, we wouldn’t miss the classic run’n’gun feature, for players who just love to shoot their way through the levels. Super Catboy features a ton of action-packed passages full of explosions and bosses, yet has some quiet, scenic, or simply relaxing moments to tell the story.
"Relaxing moments" in Super Catboy are meant literally!
„Just why do these guys love retro platforming so much?“
Well, it’s simple: Platformers with a big emphasis on fluid character movement just feel very satisfying to play. That mid-air punch that gave you just a little more upward momentum to barely make the jump over the pit, dashing across pillars like a torpedo while casually punching some enemies into the abyss. There’s just something about it that feels great.
And to keep this formula fresh, we want to eliminate frustration while still delivering challenges. We want to let the players choose their tempo by offering clever save points and intuitive, responsive controls. It’s all up to you guys: 'Do you want to time your jumps with caution, or race through the levels using dashes and wall jumps?' 'Do you want to use Catboy’s claws or do you prefer ranged combat?' You decide!
Developing a title as a homage to games of our childhood always raises the question of how far we can trust our nostalgic feelings and memories? Or if our memories are in fact deluded by nostalgia? In the end, we are aware of these challenges and will strive to deliver the most authentic old-school jump’n’run experience to our players.
-Your Retro Gamers, Catlovers, and Super Catboy Developers Pixelpogo - Arthur and Thomas-
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1376910/Super_Catboy/
