Playdate Podcast

Can a puzzle platformer with a unique mechanic, a resilient protagonist, and a gorgeous synth and cello soundtrack empower you to be a force for good in the world? Creator Kip Henderson thinks so, recounting the story of the game's development, and how the idea for Taria and Como evolved over the years, and tossing a slipper into the air led to the game's fun and challenging grapple mechanic! Plus, composer Jesse Haugen joins us to talk about why he had to rethink his original soundtrack due to Playdate's specific audio quirks.

How did a shared love of Puzzle Bobble and a question about Pulp lead to a Cosmic connection? Drew Loebach, Antony Saillard, and Karim Chair talk about how they teamed up to make Black Hole Havoc a fun and challenging action puzzle game filled with goofy jokes, silly surprises, and glorious animated cutscenes.

Has luck finally run out for the world's luckiest dog? Chance's Lucky Escape creators Yann Margan and Julia Minamata talk about the game's origins, using ALL of Playdate's controls, inspirations from retro cartoons and films, and the fun of subverting expectations.

PAGING PATIENT ZERO - Your audio Electronic Program Guide summary of what's on this week, only on Blippo+

Luke Sanderson on how his game Tiny Turnip, a crank-centric climbing metroidvania, grew from its sibling game, Turnip Mountain! How'd he land on the game's unique mechanics? And why a turnip? PLUS: level design, difficulty balancing, and collaborating with composer Isabelle Chiming.

Playdate is a console that feels both nostalgic and brand new—and Pixel Ghost's Ollie Coe has achieved that same blend of past influences and fresh adventure with Shadowgate PD! Hear what it took to bring this OFFICIAL remake to Playdate!

Why hunt one demon when you can catch 'em all? Mario and JP of Amano Games talk about forming a game studio, the challenge of developing two games at once, and how they're always on a quest to learn new things!

POWER TO THE PUMPULATOR - Your audio Electronic Program Guide summary of what's on this week, only on Blippo+

A LEAP OF FAITH — Your audio Electronic Program Guide summary of what's on this week, only on Blippo+

Eat, stretch, and fetch with Long Puppy designer and developer Indiana-Jonas, who walks us through the inspiration for his game, the challenges of translating his comic art style to 1-bit, and play-testing and iterating a LOT in order to figure out the gameplay loop.

YOU CAN COUNT ON ME — Your audio Electronic Program Guide summary of what's on this week, only on Blippo+

What makes a great rhythm game? The creators of Otto’s Galactic Groove join us to talk about combining classic rhythm elements, a fun narrative, and great art—plus getting the feel and timing just right on Playdate. Get ready to crank your way through the cosmos, meeting funky characters, and playing even funkier tunes!

You'll flip for Wheelsprung, a platformer with nutty physics! Award-winning Playdate developers Nino van Hooff and Julie Bjørnskov have teamed up to create 34 levels of spring-loaded fun, where you play as a squirrel on a dirt bike. The duo discuss their collaboration on a game full of fun mechanics and detailed, hand-drawn art—and how they approached development challenges like difficulty balancing and sound design.

Steve Chipman, whose Playdate games have been featured on Engadget's "Best Of" lists and nominated for Playdate Community Awards, talks about his love of adventure games, their unique design challenges, and how he wanted to create something unlike anything he'd done before with his dark and brooding narrative adventure, The Whiteout.

How long will you last in Fulcrum Defender? Find your optimal build and perfect your aiming skills to survive in this crank-powered, arcade action game! Jay Ma of Subset Games talks about what makes a great action game, getting back into game development after years of struggling with Long Covid, and how her game became part of Playdate Season Two!

Join a crew of paleontologists and dig up some mysteries in action-puzzle game Dig! Dig! Dino!, part of Playdate Season Two! Creators Antonio Uribe (aka Fáyer) and Dominique Ferland (aka Dom2D) talk about creating a gameplay loop that feels good, weighting and balancing to make sessions feel light and finish-able, and adding poop to the game!

'Oom' and 'Pullfrog' launched simultaneously on Playdate's Catalog last year,offering different—yet surprisingly complementary—gaming experiences. This special-format episode of the Playdate Podcast features a fun conversation between the creators of these two standout games, Gregory Kogos (creator of Oom), and JP Riebling and Mario Carballo (creators of Pullfrog), where they discuss their games' journeys, and the development magic that happens once a game's systems are in place.

Earlier this year, our Financial Controller, Jen, realized our Playdate inventory was 2,000 units short. How did that eventually lead us to a Circle K in North Las Vegas, and just how much should you tip for a roofing consultation, anyway? Buckle up, because we are going for a ride—in Magnum P.I.'s cool car.

Faraway Fairway is a procedurally-generated mental health golf game--but what does that mean? Hedgehog Dreams Studio Head Rokashi talks about their journey to create a relaxing golf adventure that's all about persistence and taking care of yourself.

Lucas Pope on how he builds games, what inspired him to create one for a younger audience, and what drew him to design that game especially for Playdate!