PogoGirl Devlog #6: Springtime Is Here

If you’ve beaten the SAGE2020 demo of Go! Go! PogoGirl then you will already know a tidbit that I hadn’t really made public until then: Go! Go! PogoGirl will feature 4 seasons to play through! In this devlog I’d like to talk a little bit about the idea behind that and what you can expect.

Seasons will basically act as worlds. This means that each season will have a set of completely unique levels, it’s not the same levels over and over with a different visual style. So…why not just go for worlds, you might ask? Well…the seasons actually tie into the game’s narrative. Yes, the game will have a story. Don’t expect dialogue boxes though, I will keep things simple. The fact that I’ve never mentioned a story until now should tell you that this won’t be an RPG. I mean, if the platforming gameplay hadn’t tipped you off already. I won’t go into further details about the story right now, but the seasons and the fact that all levels thus take place on the same island ties into the game’s theme and vibe. It’s supposed to be a laid-back, comforting experience, not a huge adventure across the world.

That said, the seasons will of course not only feature unique visuals but each one will also have a unique gimmick or mechanic. They already exist on paper and I’m in the process of implementing them as we speak, so you can expect a reveal or two soonish. With seasons acting as worlds they will also offer progressively harder levels, with spring having the easiest and winter being the final and hardest season of the game.

Speaking of spring, here’s what it’ll look like!

Now here’s something that might come as a surprise: Although spring will be the first season of the game, all the footage I’ve shared of Go! Go! PogoGirl so far was actually of summer. This is simply because that was the first season I created graphics for.

As you can see, Spring is a lot brighter than Summer. The air is fresher, the grass is greener and flowers sprout wildly. While Summer already looks friendly, I tried to make Spring look even more pleasant and inviting to set the right tone at the beginning of the game. You can bet that Winter will set the opposite tone, although I will always try to make the game look and feel pleasant.

And that’s it for the reveal of seasons for now. I’ll share the first unique season gimmick soon, so stay tuned for that. Until then, play the demo if you haven’t already, be excellent to each other and party on!