Patchy Matchy Developer Spotlight
Games Richard Suchit
Welcome to the ultimate puzzle experience! In Patchy Matchy, you are Patchy, a totally tubular surfer dude on a mission to conquer the ocean and set the most epic records. Join Patchy on this rad adventure where you'll help him match four sea creatures in a row to clear them from the ocean. It's not just about matching—start a combo with a match of six, and then keep the streak going to rack up those bonus points. The faster you match, the higher you score!
But that's not all—unlock all 17 achievements, and you and Patchy will become the greatest legends the beach has ever seen! The game features fast-paced match-em-up action that will keep your reflexes sharp and your eyes peeled. Rack up points with speedy matches and aim for those high-scoring combos. Plus, you can customize your challenge with adjustable speeds and starting level difficulties while grooving to three funky tracks to keep you groovin' while you play.
Get ready to ride the waves and match your way to victory with Patchy! Can you handle the heat and become the top surfer on the beach? Let's find out!
Watch the Patchy Matchy Trailer:
This week, we asked our featured developer, Tom Sutton, who develops under the pseudonym "Malamute," what went into creating his adorable puzzle game, Patchy Matchy.
Watch the Developer Spotlight Video:
ModRetro Blog: Let’s start! Please introduce yourself and the game to everyone!
“Hi, I'm Tom Sutton. I make and release games under the label Malamute, and I'm the developer of the new action-puzzle matching game Patchy Matchy – Puzzle Surfing. In the game, you're clearing the way for Patchy the Surfer dude to shred some ocean waves.” Sutton explains.
“The gameplay in Patchy Matchy is pretty simple, just line up 4 sea creatures in a row and clear them from the board. As you go, more creatures will get in your way, and if the board fills up, Patchy will wipe out. That's not all; you can make big matches to score combos, and then, if you're fast and keep matching, you can rake up bonus points. The game has 17 built-in achievements; if you can find and unlock them all, you can complete the game.”
Why this particular game genre? Any specific inspirations?
“I started reading about Game Boy development years ago but didn't start it as a hobby until 2020. At first, I just wanted to make something fun, small, lean, and super effective. I knew that if I got the gameplay right and made it charming, the rest would fall into place.”
Patchy Matchy has a familiar formula that most can resonate with and enjoy. Tom decided to dive into the classics to inspire the creation of his game.
“My main inspirations were Tetris, which I've always enjoyed, and Panel De Pon (also called Puzzle League). I wanted the game to feel a little bit freer than either of those, and I really wanted to emphasize those moments where you're struggling to catch up to what the game is doing. I think that tension is where we can find the most fun.”
When you're not working on games, what do you do? How did you become involved in game development?
“My day job is animating. I'm currently the Animation Lead on Paw Patrol. I've also worked on films for Sony Imageworks: Across the Spiderverse, Mitchells Vs the Machines, and Hotel Transylvania 3.”
When Tom isn’t working on popular cartoons and movies, he decides to dive into the world of game development, which gives him another outlet to further apply his skills.
“I've always been interested in making games. I was using tools like RPG Maker and Game Maker to make fun little projects as a hobby. I didn't know it at the time, but it helped propel me forward towards a career in animation. I kept at it over the years, and now I have the skills to make something like Patchy Matchy, which includes everything: programming, music, and art.”
What game engine did you use, and how did you approach development using it?
“This game was developed with GBDK [GameBoy Developer's Kit], an open-source library for developing games for retro consoles. I also used HUGETracker and hUGEDriver, which run the music in the game. Both those tools and their developers were super helpful to me as I learned what I needed to know to make the game, so I'm really grateful to those great developers and their communities. The rest of the game was programmed in C.”
C is known for its versatility and approachable syntax, making it ideal for beginners in development. Tom mentioned that he didn't know the language before starting to code games, but he encourages others to pursue their passion for game development or any other interest for that matter.
“I think that if you're confident in your ability to learn new things and stubborn enough not to give up, nothing can stop you.”
Thank you for taking the time to share this with us!
Thanks for having me! I'm proud of my little game, I think it's a lot of fun.
