An Interview with Sunblink’s Chelsea Howe and Tom Blind on ‘Hello Kitty Island Adventure’ – TouchArcade

I feel it’s protected to say that Hi there Kitty Island Journey () is on the very least one of many extra sudden cell hits of the 12 months. I don’t assume anybody anticipated a lot out of it, not to mention an enormous exploratory journey sport with puzzles, aspect quests, and platforming challenges. However right here we’re, and the sport is nice. It simply acquired a really spiffy new replace for the Halloween season, actually. After enjoying this Apple Arcade game so much, I wanted to speak to among the individuals behind the sport over at Sunblink. Fortunately, such a chance was out there. What sorts of video games impressed it? Which character would they most love as a visitor on the island? What are their favourite pizza toppings? All these solutions and extra may be discovered on this interview.

TouchArcade (TA): Thanks for answering our questions right now! Are you able to introduce yourselves and clarify your position within the improvement of Hi there Kitty Island Journey?

Chelsea Howe, Chief Product Officer (CH): I helped convey a longer-term lens to the sport, so we might plan the place we would like Hi there Kitty Island Journey to be in months and years. I additionally did odd jobs like deciding what number of Coconuts spawn every day and writing customer dialogue.

Tom Blind, Sport Director (TB): I designed and prototyped the preliminary idea, and oversaw the event all through manufacturing. I could have additionally contributed some code right here and there.

TA: Per TouchArcade custom, I need to ask: what are your favourite pizza toppings?

CH: Margherita! Particularly if there are huge contemporary crunchy basil leaves.

TA: What got here first, the concept of the sport or the concept of creating one thing with the Sanrio characters?

TB: The chance to work with Sanrio got here first, however the thought of a mix between cozy and journey was one thing we had talked about beforehand and immediately got here to thoughts as the proper match for the model. Making use of typical cozy simulation gameplay to Hi there Kitty was an apparent factor to do, however we wished so as to add a layer of depth (actually, within the case of diving), that hasn’t been accomplished in most of these video games earlier than.

TA: The Sanrio model is in fact completely large globally. How did it really feel to be working with these beloved characters?

CH: Our complete crew fell in love with the characters as we discovered their little quirky particulars. Do you know Hi there Kitty shouldn’t be really a cat, however a little bit woman? Do you know Hangyodon fell in love along with his pet fish when it briefly become a lady? The visible designs are pleasant, however studying the little nuggets of lore actually hooked us, and we strove to incorporate comparable nods for the followers all through the sport (together with the final word character you discover within the sport!)

TA: Hi there Kitty Island Journey has so much occurring with its gameplay. I anticipated, at most, one thing much like Animal Crossing however acquired a lot extra. Are you able to discuss among the inspirations for it and the way it got here to be the sport it’s?

TB: Early on, one sport we performed so much and took inspiration from was A Brief Hike. It actually demonstrated how exploration may very well be enjoyable with out the necessity for fight or different types of motion. We thought we might take that concept and increase on it by creating an enormous world to have adventures in, in addition to make into a brand new residence

Since friendship and reward giving are necessary themes for Sanrio, we wished to make these key components of development within the sport. We took some inspiration from video games like Stardew Valley on this regard. By participating with the completely different characters you not solely be taught extra about them and grow to be higher mates, but additionally unlock new quests to go on collectively.

It was a continuing wrestle all through improvement to make sure we correctly balanced these completely different elements right into a cohesive expertise. We didn’t need it to really feel like two completely different video games glued collectively. I really feel like we succeeded fairly effectively on this regard. Exploring, adventuring, hanging out with mates, and customizing the resort all feed into one another in order that gamers by no means really feel like they’re simply doing the identical factor time and again.

TA: Which of the characters within the sport was probably the most enjoyable to work with and why?

CH: My private favourite is Cinnamoroll, however when it got here to telling tales in sport, probably the most enjoyable have been Badtz-maru and Kuromi. Badtz-maru has an edginess to him: he’s at all times attempting to get forward and can make up wild explanations for issues. Kuromi is the resident conspiracy theorist; she’s the primary one to imagine there’s one thing huge occurring at Friendship Island, and her love for all issues spooky made our Halloween occasion a delight to write down.

TA: Lots of people loved the Snakes on a Aircraft reference within the opening. How a lot freedom did it’s important to make these sorts of self-aware or referential gags?

CH: One of many sensible elements concerning the Sanrio characters is that they enchantment to an enormous viewers – they’re really cross-generational. It was necessary for us to have the ability to attain out to these completely different age teams and be sure that gamers felt seen and heard as early as attainable within the sport. Sanrio had final approval on the whole script, and we really labored with among the writers from Supercute Adventures, so it felt like that cross-generational aim was actually shared.

TA: What side of the sport are you most happy with and why?

CH: So many individuals play this sport and say one thing like “I didn’t count on it to be this GOOD”. The truth that we’ve made far-and-away the perfect Hi there Kitty and Mates sport is a giant accomplishment, however I additionally assume it speaks to the great high quality we have been in a position to pack into this cell title. There’s a lot greater than of us count on, and seeing them fall in love with it simply makes the entire studio delighted.

TA: In case you might have entry to characters from some other sport to go to the island, who would you choose and why?

CH: Authorized nightmares apart? Wander from Shadow of the Colossus. Partially as a result of I (very selfishly) wish to see a colossus in our artwork model, and partially as a result of Wander deserves a while with mates, and what higher mates than Hi there Kitty and her crew?

TA: Thanks once more in your time! When you have any message you’d like to present our readers, take into account this your free area to take action.

CH: In case you’re in any respect in open world adventures or cozy life sims, we hope you’ll check out Hi there Kitty Island Journey!

And that’s a wrap! Due to Chelsea and Tom at Sunblink for answering my sometimes-ridiculous questions, and to Sydney at fortyseven communications for facilitating the interview. In case you haven’t checked out Hi there Kitty Island Journey on Apple Arcade but, you actually ought to. It’s the form of feel-good enjoyable you don’t see too typically, particularly on cell the place vibrant colours and sort phrases normally include a gem-sack shakedown. Thanks for studying!