Treasure Adventure World isn’t, technically, a new game. It’s based on Treasure Adventure Game , a pixelated platformer released by Robit Studios back in 2011. But Treasure Adventure World is basically a relaunch on steroids. Steve Orlando, the creator and project lead for both games, was approached by Chucklefish Games shortly after the 2011 launch. The publisher asked him to rebuild Treasure Adventure Game from the ground up with better graphics, animations, puzzles, the works.
“This is a second edition. So after I finished the first game, which took about three years, I had these feelings like what am I gonna do with my life now?” Orlando told iDigitalTimes. “Luckily, that's when Chucklefish approached me and said they wanted to remake my game.”
I spoke with Orlando at IndieCade East in 2013 when he was still in the early stages of the Treasure Adventure World project. Having worked on what is essentially the same game for nearly eight years has given Orlando a unique perspective on the indie gaming scene. And working so long and so hard on the same thing can be daunting and exhausting in its own way. Orlando said there are a lot of ups and downs to working on a long term project, and he’s no stranger to existential quandaries.
“It's maddening sometimes. Everyday is up and down. It's down on days when I think about how long it’s been and how far we still have, and when I think about how the climate has changed for indies and gaming in general,” he said. When he started working on his first game the market was a lot less crowded, and now he has more competition than he expected.
“So now it's a different world. I do worry about that. Have I spent the last five years of my life for nothing? Will anyone care when it's done? That definitely gets to me,” he said.
Personally, I don’t think Orlando has much to worry about. Treasure Adventure World was my favorite demo experience at IndieCade East 2016. It’s highly polished, with a delightful animation style and rock-solid mechanics.
But it’s not just a reflex-driven platformer. In my playthrough I had to explore an island temple with just enough enemies and head-scratching puzzles to hit a real sweet spot for this kind of game. Not too hard, not too easy, and pleasant aesthetics made it easy to lose myself and find that coveted “zone” where the world around me slips away and all I want to do is game. The legacy of the brand is strong for this reason. Orlando’s 2011 Treasure Adventure Game was bundled free with purchases made on GOG.com. But even with so many users it's still managed to be one of the highest rated titles on the service.
“One of the things that keeps me feeling positive even though the industry has changed a lot is that because I've put out a title that's gotten decent feedback and good reviews and a fan base I think that'll be an advantage for us when we launch,” he said.
Orlando said he “doesn’t believe in release dates” but expects Treasure Adventure World to be completed this year. It will be available for Mac and PC, but any console ports are on hold until the sales figures come in. Anyone who can’t wait for release can pre-order the game for $9.99. But once the game is released, Orlando hopes that Chucklefish can work its magic the way it has for some other notable titles.
“Hopefully when the games done they'll be able to put their marketing muscle behind like they did for Stardew Valley ,” he said, referencing the smash-hit, super addictive farm sim. Orlando joked that Stardew Valley has already been a bad influence on him. “This game's going to be delayed a few weeks because of that game.”
