Royal Vermin is a 2D brawler that proudly wears its "Super Smash Bros." inspiration on its sleeve, yet ultimately delivers a completely different experience with a distinct purpose. Royal Vermin is designed to be played as a party game, featuring simple, accessible controls that welcome players of all skill levels.
We paid close attention to how fun the game is to all players. Even when you are losing badly, Royal vermin still wants you to have Fun!
Chaos is at the heart of the experience: the levels take place on unstable, Jenga-like towers that can collapse in the most random and hilarious ways.
So what are you waiting for? Head to the dumping ground and start throwing trash at your friends to become the Royal Vermin!
GAME DESIGN
When I started working at Tobafeu Studio, a small version of the game was already playable, so I had to draw inspiration from what existed to help define what Royal Vermin would ultimately become.
It all began with a one-pager that aligned the entire team around the game's core pillars and clarified what we needed to prioritize moving forward.
Then I explored ideas that could make the game more fun. Here's the main three I found.
The Death Throw Mechanic
The first thing we realized about competitors like Super Smash Bros. or Ultimate Chicken Horse is that when you lose and the round isn't over, there isn't much to do. We understood that losing shouldn't be rewarding if we want to maintain a certain level of competition between players, but it should at least be fun.
So I created the Death Throw mechanic. Here's how it works, when a player dies, his characters goes in the foreground of the level and starts throwing trash at the surviving players. The loser's can then influence the fate of this round or simply destroy the level for everyone, mouahahaha!
Explanation of Death Throw
The Mini Game Mechanic
We wanted every match to feel unpredictable and different. How can a party game stay fun if we already know how each game is going to unfold?
Here's the solution! After a few rounds, players are presented with a spinning wheel. Each section represents a different mini-game: basketball, target shooting, a gauntlet of falling containers, and more! This adds strong gameplay variety and also improves the pacing of each match which keeps players constantly engaged.
After the mini-game, it's time to roll the dice! One lucky throw can earn multiple points and completely shake up the match. With the right roll, even the player in last place can snatch victory.
Basketball
The Rule of 3
I really wanted the game to feel constantly creative and chaotic. I didn't want one idea to overstay its welcome while another was underutilized. So, I designed the levels around a simple principle: the Rule of Three.
To apply this rule, I started with an appealing concept: for example, monster trucks. I can only create three levels exploring that concept, and each one must have a different difficulty level. I define difficulty by how intuitive the level is and how hard it is to survive in it. I then rate each of the three levels: easy, medium, and hard.
This approach is very effective for introducing new mechanics through simple, tutorial-like levels, then gradually increasing the challenge with more advanced variations. It keeps levels feeling progressively challenging rather than frustrating.
Easy
Medium
Hard
LEVEL DESIGN
The vast majority of the mechanics used in the game's levels were created by me. I threw every idea at the wall to see what would stick.
’s levels were created by me. I threw every idea at the wall to see what would stick.I kept the concepts that supported the physics-based chaos that defines the game. I then kept the ideas that were easy enough to implement but delivered the most fun, as well as the ideas I simply liked too much to pass up (monster trucks).
On the left are a few examples of quick sketches I made while brainstorming.
I then taught myself how to create polished backgrounds. They needed to remain easily readable, so I designed them to clearly show players what they can and can't walk on.
I also received guidance on 2D video game background theory from Angeline Beaulieu, background artist at Woodrunner Games. You can view her work on ArtStation, here's a link: https://www.artstation.com/angelinebeaulieu
MARKETING
rv.marketing.p1
I developed in-game and external strategies to promote DLC content.
I contributed to the creation of the game's pitch deck and helped sell its core concepts.
I edited and storyboarded all game trailers and YouTube Shorts used in marketing campaigns.
I helped set up the different stores for Steam and Switch.
WHAT I LEARNED
The team I worked with was very small and very understanding, so it wasn't hard to organize ourselves. The real skills I developed during my time at Tobafeu Studio Inc. were my game development skills, while mostly learning about game design and level design.
We created an environment of constant idea-sharing, where ego was left behind and the best ideas rose to the top. I felt supported in my first journey as a lead game designer, while still being given the space and trust to let my creativity flow and guide the game with a vision I truly believed in.
I also became very familiar with production cycles on a smaller scale: brainstorming ideas, creating prototypes, then lead the production of the assets and programming needed. I learned where to showcase a game, and when and how to contact Nintendo to get a game on the Switch.
Because the team was so small, I was able to dabble in many areas. I handled the mastering and audio design, I did a lot of the voice acting, I did a lot of video editing and storyboarding and I created a lot of the VFX for the game.
Overall, I was able to spread my wings, gaining both confidence and humility in my game development skills. For that, I am deeply grateful for the trust and friendship I received at Tobafeu Studio Inc.