Interview | Toki

RM: You’ve already unveiled your next title, Joe and Mac. Why did you choose this for your next project?

ADSF: As you probably know, we are working closely with the Japanese company Gmode, who bought a major part of the IP catalog of the defunct Data East Corporation. Currently we are developing a game – our third game – to fund our Toki remixed development. When we were in contact with Gmode about Toki, after they saw our work they were really impressed and asked us if we were interested in developing other 2D remixed games. When we saw Joe and Mac: Cavemen Ninja, we said “we need it!” This game is also a cult game for us. It’s a game similar to Toki – platformer action, or run and gun – and this game is really crazy with plenty of humorous characters who make crazy faces.

RM: What made you choose Toki as your first release?

ADSF: We chose Toki for many different reasons, but firstly because I was personally a fan of the arcade version and our Art Director Philippe Dessoly was in charge of the graphics port of the Amiga version. Another point was that Toki has everything we like in a 2D game: platforming, action, plenty of humour, a rich variety of levels and great character design. For all these reasons we naturally chose Toki to start.

RM: How have you changed the game in your new version?

ADSF: We have tried not to change the game too much because that was not the goal and we don’t have enough time for that, but we have made improvements. The first is, of course, on the graphics and animation side. The game is now in high definition at 720p, all levels are completely redrawn from scratch using complex parallax scrolling, the animations are made by hand-like traditional animation, and we also included some modern post processing effects using pixel shaders and particle effects. The other point is the gameplay, which is now much more dynamic and fast, [with] lots more frames in each sprite animation than before.

You can also play in console or arcade mode, the main difference being the number of hits you can take before you die – in console mode it’s three, in arcade it’s one. We also have included an online mode where two people can play together, turn by turn.

There will be six different stages to the game, like in the original version. We have added some cool animated cut scenes to link the story and stages. There are also some new sprite designs. The music is also the same, just remixed. [So] we have remixed and made some original work on the game.

RM: What are your release plans for the game? Will it arrive on the PC, or on the consoles?

ADSF: That’s a good question, sir! It will depend on what platforms we are currently a licensed developer for, and also whether we are a publisher or not. Currently we are a licensed developer and publisher for Sony on the PS3 and PSP, as well as the Wii and DS with Nintendo. With Microsoft, just this week we have become a licensed developer, but not a publisher – it seems that Microsoft don’t have a digital publishing business model, so Microsoft invited us to find a publisher. Right now we are in discussions with some. For the moment we have already submitted Toki for WiiWare, and been accepted. For PSN we will submit it next week [at the time of interview], but approval is almost guaranteed. For XBLA I don’t know yet. On PC we have already signed with Microsoft Games for Windows – not the same team that deal with XBLA. Yes, it’s strange to think that the game could be released on PC by Games for Windows and not on XBLA, but Microsoft’s policy is like that!  About the release date, Toki will release at the end of April or later in May on PC, PSN and maybe XBLA, and in September on the WiiWare service. By Chris Evans

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