Factsheet
Publisher:
8-Bit Legit
Developer:
Pie For Breakfast Studios
Release date:
April 5, 2024
Platforms:
Nintendo Switch
Gameboy
Itch.IO
Website:
https://8bitlegit.com/games/kudzu
Regular Price:
| USD | $4.99 (Digital)/$39.99/$49.99 (Gameboy Cartridge) |
Description
Who dares to explore the depths of the Kudzu maze: is it just an out-of-control invasive plant, or is something more sinister afoot?
Take control of Max, a serious go-getter and the best student of master gardener Zoen, who has just gone missing in the kudzu labyrinth. The wisdom that Zoen imparted on Max will be put to the test as you use your wits and gardening tools – machete, rake, garden hoe, and others – to navigate the vines!
During your journey, you will find a host of weird and helpful characters, as well as kudzu-controlled creatures who will stalk you through fields, gardens, forests, and even a haunted house!
Will you survive long enough to find Zoen and unravel the mysterious origins of the kudzu itself?
The garden plot thickens!
Please Note: First time players of an average skill level are logging 6-7 hours to complete this sprawling 8-bit adventure.
History
Kudzu was developed with the GB Studio engine by Chris Totten of Pie For Breakfast Studios, known for such works as Little Nemo and the Nightmare Fiends, La Mancha, Lissitzky's Revenge and Zup!
Totten came up with the idea for Kudzu following a college architecture school project where he and his classmates proposed building their projects in a field of what they thought was ivy, which turned out to be invasive kudzu plants!
Chris told this story to his wife, Clara, and she recalled her brother fighting back against invasive plants with a machete while they were growing up. Soon - a design for Kudzu was created!
It wouldn't be until 7 years later, though, when the game would come to fruition. Once Chris and Clara discovered GB Studio, they felt the ease of the engine and the achievable scope afforded by a Game Boy project would help them build the game they wanted.
Kudzu's artwork was created in the Aseprite pixel art editor, and maps were assembled in the Tiled level editor before being imported into GB Studio.
Kudzu is both a homebrew hobby project and the work of practiced game developers with years of experience in commercial game development.
Features
- Explore ruined fields, gardens, forests, villas, and more in this non-liner action adventure!
- Master a variety of gardening tools to clear your path, including the machete, hoe, and rake!
- Fight the twisted creatures lurking in the kudzu, such as snakes, giant bugs, living plants, and other monstrosities!
- Learn to manage the kudzu to solve treacherous puzzles and side quests!
- Face off with 10 epic bosses!
- Authentic retro experience with 8-Bit Legit graphics loyal to the cartridge-gaming era
- Chill out with a catchy, chiptune soundtrack
Videos
Trailer YouTube
Images
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Logo & Icon
About 8-Bit Legit
8-Bit Legit is a pixel partnership between Mega Cat Studios & Retrotainment Games, who share a passion for quality retro games.
We are committed to keeping cartridge gaming alive both in physical form and through modern digital publishing. 8-Bit Legit curates and publishes the best new retro experiences. We wish to satisfy your appetite for pixels on classic cartridges and modern platforms. 8-Bit Legit is headquartered out of the Steel City, Pittsburgh, PA.
About Pie For Breakfast Studios
Chris Totten, an award-winning game designer, author, and college professor who has been making games professionally for over a decade.
Totten is an Assistant Professor of Game Design at Kent State University and has done work as an artist, animator, level designer, and project manager in the game industry.
Totten holds a Masters Degree in Architecture with a concentration in digital media from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Chris is an organizer for the Smithsonian American Art Museum Indie Arcade and lifetime member of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA).
"Kudzu is a game I've wanted to make for a long time both because of my love of action-adventure games like Zelda and Metroid, but also because I thought an evil, world-consuming invasive plant would make for some really cool gameplay." Game Designer Chris Totten said. "Kudzu wraps its tendrils around the level layouts, the puzzle elements, the enemies, everything: and that was a really cool design theme to play with."
"The game came from a bunch of ideas that my wife and I pulled together, including her brother fighting off invasive vines in their yard with a machete and my dealing with a kudzu-infested building site in architecture school." Totten said. "The game was something we thought we'd never have the opportunity to make until we found the GB Studio engine (and its amazing community) and thought - Hey! Kudzu would make a great classic-style Game Boy game!"
"The game came from a bunch of ideas that my wife and I pulled together, including her brother fighting off invasive vines in their yard with a machete and my dealing with a kudzu-infested building site in architecture school." Totten said. "The game was something we thought we'd never have the opportunity to make until we found the GB Studio engine (and its amazing community) and thought - Hey! Kudzu would make a great classic-style Game Boy game!"
Kudzu Credits
Chris Totten
Clara Totten
GAME CONCEPT
Chris Totten
DESIGN AND PROGRAMMING
Chris Totten
Daelyn Bever
Evan DiGiacomo
Grayson Jones
ART
Brandon Ellis
MUSIC
Contact
Inquiries
info@8bitlegit.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/WeAre8BitLegit
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/weare8bitlegit
Twitter
https://www.twitter.com/WeAre8BitLegit
presskit() by Rami Ismail (Vlambeer) - also thanks to these fine folks