Today, creative-first publisher Mega Cat Studios and indie developer Exquisite Laundry Pet peeled back the wrapper of the latest devblog video for Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land, offering a delicious deep dive into the creation of the whimsical RPG’s turn-based combat system, inspired by greats such as Earthbound, Undertale, and Pokémon.
Watch as Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land’s creator, Adam Lewis Graf, explores the evolution of the game’s trick-or-treat contest-based combat mechanics, explains how partners can change the flow of a fight, and shares his design philosophy, which emphasizes the value of streamlined and engaging encounters that don’t bury the player in mountains of immersion-shattering menus.
“I’ve always had strong preferences about what I like in an RPG battle system, and this was the first opportunity I had to put those convictions to the test,” said Graf. “I think a successful turn-based RPG battle system is a balancing act from a design perspective. I really try to emphasize simplicity and clarity wherever possible, so Gumball’s battle system was designed to balance that minimalistic vision with meaningful opportunities to choose your own playstyle.”
Graf continued, “As with all aspects of this design, I tried to keep it in line with the sensibilities of those late 90s and early Y2K Game Boy RPGs to make it feel period-accurate, because this game is, above all, a love letter to the handheld games of that era.”
Chew your way through this sugary sweet behind-the-scenes look at Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land in the clip below: