We are Kerris and Nico! We are from Germany and are working on our game called:
SUPER ADVENTURE
As a duo we also go by the name of “TEAM SUPER”
We are two best friends that have been working together on games for a few years now, and SUPER ADVENTURE is our first commercial project.
Kerris is the one behind all the Pixelart and Graphical Assets, while Nico does the Programming and Music.
Sometime back in 2022 Kerris came to me(Nico) and pitched me the main Idea for SUPER ADVENTURE:
“You have a shield on your back that blocks any attack or projectile. To block you just turn around.”
I (Nico) was immediately on board. It is a simple concept but just talking about it on that day, we came up with hundreds of ideas for levels, enemies, bosses etc. So we got to work!
SUPER ADVENTURE is on its surface a classical 2D Shoot ‘em up platformer, taking Inspirations from games like Kero Blaster with unique and challenging boss fights reminiscent of games like Cuphead. But design wise we also love to look at games outside of the Platformer Genre, mainly inside the Shmup and Bullet Hell genre, like Ikaruga and Zero ranger.
We want it to feel like you are playing a bullet hell/shmup, while preserving its classical 2D Platformer magic.
But we want to take a bit of a different approach to the level progression and structure. Instead of the classical Level to Level progression of normal 2D platformers, we want to make the whole game feel more like an interconnected and alive world, a journey you as the Player go through. You will find places to relax, explore, interact with wacky characters, find secrets, and give the player a “stop and smell the flowers” moment every now and then. Keeping things fresh and keeping things fun.
At the beginning of working on SUPER ADVENTURE, back in 2022 when the first prototype was made, we had no Idea how greatly this game would evolve. Our first Idea was “Make a short fun game, with easy to make low res Pixel Art that is charming and funny.”
The design philosophy has since changed A LOT. The Art Style has been overhauled numerous times, and the game is now overflowing with detail, charm and character, despite keeping its low res pixel art style. Kerris really brings the best out of the small canvas size we are working in and I am still surprised every single time he makes a new sprite, how detailed and charming everything looks.
The games scope and length also got way larger than first planned, as it is so often the case with indie games :D We have more Ideas we could ever realistically implement.
Development is done in the Godot Engine (started on version 3.x, now on 4.3). I (Nico) chose the godot engine because it's the engine that I have been using since around 2019. Music is made in FL Studio and the sprites are made in Aseprite.
We would like to divide this question into 2 answers, as the both of us had to face very different challenges, and we have grown in our respective fields a lot.
Nico:
On a technical level, coming up with a good system for the shield mechanic proved way harder than I first imagined. There aren't really a lot of games that have a mechanic similar to this, so I could not really take a look on how other games would handle it. The system had to be rewritten and redesigned a few times, but I am really satisfied with it right now. I think I managed to come up with something robust that from now on we just have to fine tune until it is perfect.
On a not so technical level: Making the Music! I only really started making music after serious development of SUPER ADVENTURE had already started (sometime in 2023), so I am still lacking a lot of experience and have a long way to go. But it has been a really fun and fulfilling journey so far, as making music was always something I held great interest in.
Kerris:
When Nico asks me if I can make something, I always tell him, no matter how difficult it might be, I can do it! But it's not until I actually start working on any given task, that I notice the difficulties. I think this approach really does work for me though, as in the end I actually manage to complete any challenge I tackle, even if it may take some time! Things like Backgrounds, VFX and large sprites like bosses are especially hard for me, because I feel more comfortable working on a small canvas size.
I think a lot of times, the biggest hindrance standing in your way is yourself, by underestimating the extent of your own abilities. I keep coming back to improving Sprites, which I already have redesigned a thousand times before, just to be unsatisfied with them again a few weeks later. OH, AND I AM VERY LAZY!... Some days I can’t even get out of bed… yeah, the biggest hurdle really is myself
One advice often given is “make small games first” or “only have one project at a time”. We think this advice is well meant, but focuses too much on finishing projects. We have a little bit of a different mindset when it comes to these things. No matter how big an idea is, you should try working on it. Even if it takes you outside of your comfort zone. The worst thing that can happen is that you learn something. If you are already working on a project, don't feel discouraged to start experimenting with another idea. Oftentimes we talk to people who tend to not work on anything at all because of it by saying: “I have a project, but I just don’t have motivation to work on it right now.”
So: Don’t be too hard on yourself, and don't let the fun of working on games be taken away from you, by yourself. If you really like an Idea, you will sooner or later get back to it anyways.
At the end of the day, we create games because we love video games and we hope that SUPER ADVENTURE will convey this love too. Thanks for this very pleasant interview. If you like what you see, consider wishlisting SUPER ADVENTURE on Steam.
Also shoutouts to Rob and the amazing GameDevJourney’s Website and Youtube channel. It is a super cool Concept and we recommend that you subscribe to their channel! :D
-Kerris and Nico
❤️
