Nif Nif is an upcoming turn-based deck builder roguelike developed by Springfox Games. Yesterday, the Kickstarter for the title went live. Thankfully, we were given the opportunity to interview the Creative Director Masha about their studio’s origins, and what inspired Nif Nif as their studio’s debut title.
From Humble Beginnings
Nif Nif is going to be the very first title for Springfox Games. Considering Springfox is a new studio, I started off by asking: “How long has Nif Nif been an idea before forming your team, Springfox Games?” And Masha’s response was:
Nif Nif was born out of a pandemic-induced pivot. While I’ve been a gaming enthusiast my whole life, I transitioned from a different industry. To build the foundation for Springfox Games, I dove headfirst into game development, balancing motherhood and learning the ropes. It’s been a whirlwind, but I’m constantly expanding my skill set.
Moving on from that, I was interested to learn more about the capabilities of the development team. So I asked: “What experience prior to Nif Nif do you and your team have if you feel comfortable talking about it?” With Masha giving a passionate response:
Of course! Our team is a quirky bunch of lifelong gaming fanatics. We cut our teeth on the golden age of gaming and have been immersed in the world of indie games ever since. While we don’t fit the typical game developer mold, our deep-seated passion and extensive playtime have equipped us with a unique perspective. We’re determined to challenge industry norms and demonstrate that unconventional backgrounds can lead to innovative games.
Considering most games that have a Kickstarter campaign usually take a sizable amount of time, I felt it was important to ask: “When it comes to the Kickstarter Campaign, what do you think will be the timeline from the launch of the campaign, to Nif Nif being available for everyone to play?” And Masha’s response took me by surprise:
Our Kickstarter campaign kicks off on August 14th and runs for 30 days. We’re aiming for a March 2025 release, following the February Steam Next Fest, with a closed Beta available to backers earlier.
A Cute and Cozy Debut
The star of the show is of course, Nif Nif, and one glance gives off a very cozy and cute vibe to the experience they are setting out to make. So, with that in mind, my interest was piqued and I wanted to know: “When developing the game, what were the influences behind Nif Nif as a character? As well as what inspired the cute art design?” Masha’s response was very informative:
Nif Nif is more than just a pig; he’s a symbol of resilience. The negative connotations often associated with pigs inspired us to create a character that challenges stereotypes. Our Hong Kong roots influenced Nif Nif’s positive portrayal, as pigs hold a very special place in Chinese culture.
To differentiate Nif Nif’s world, we drew inspiration from the bold art directions of indie games, aiming to create a visually distinctive and enchanting experience. We envisioned a world akin to a magical storybook, so we sought out artists with a background in children’s book illustrations. It was a bit of a gamble, but we found an incredible team who really captured the spirit we were looking for.
But beyond the cutesy surface is a game that speaks my love of roguelike games personally. As someone who enjoys both Hades and Dreamscaper back in 2021. So, I wanted to get into the nitty gritty with: “Nif Nif is described as a cozy roguelike deck builder title, how accessible will this game be for players of all ages, or people new to the genre for both the roguelike aspects and deck building?” And Masha explained:
Nif Nif is designed to welcome players of all ages and experience levels to the roguelike deckbuilding genre. The turn-based format and deliberate pace make it inherently accessible to those new to gaming or with specific needs. We believe this genre offers untapped potential for a broader audience, and Nif Nif aims to capitalize on that. Additional accessibility features will be implemented based on player feedback as I am sure there are important things we haven’t thought of yet.
But my questions regarding the accessibility of the game, as roguelikes can be extremely challenging, so I continued with: Considering the general difficulty curve of roguelikes, what has it been like to tune the gameplay to ensure that it’s approachable for everyone while still having its own sets of challenges to keep players engaged? With Masha explaining:
We’re addressing the challenge of balancing difficulty through a progressive gameplay loop. Introducing new cards and optional tutorial challenges will gradually increase complexity. Faster card unlocks for successful players will naturally ramp up the difficulty as the card pool expands.
With Nif Nif being aimed at players of all ages, and its art style definitely leaning on something more akin to something aimed at kids, I thought it was appropriate to ask: “When it comes to media that is approachable by children, what kind of messages and lessons can kids expect to find in Nif Nif?” And Masha’s response took me by surprise with her openness of her personal life:
There’s this idea that kids’ games need to be all about teaching stuff. But I think kids learn a ton from just playing games and having fun. I grew up playing Civilization and learned a bunch, and my kids picked up Greek mythology from watching me play Hades. Nif Nif is about having fun and figuring things out. Sure, roguelikes help with math and probabilities, but that’s a bonus. We want it to be easy for everyone to enjoy.
Finally, when it comes to wanting to make something aimed at players of all ages, I wondered: “Will Nif Nif have options for players to exit in the middle of a run?”
Yes, players can exit Nif Nif mid-run, but the run’s progress won’t be saved. However, we’ve designed runs to be relatively short, typically around 10-15 minutes, and quitting mid-run still provides experience, so the player’s progress is saved.
Kickstarting Nif Nif in its Genre
When it comes to Nif Nif, its choice of genre was very interesting to me, so I ended our interview with: “Finally, what made Springfox Games start with a deckbuilding roguelike title as your debut title over other types of cozy games?” and Masha gave a very inspiring answer that hints at more games from Springfox in the future:
It’s a great question. We’re more into strategy games, and we think they can be really cozy. We love roguelikes, auto battlers, and tower defense, but there’s already great games out there doing those things. We felt like there was more room to do something cool with a roguelike deckbuilder… to start.
If you enjoyed Masha’s insightful answers and want to support Nif Nif on their Kickstarter page, you can do so here, while also learning more about the game’s plot. If you are unable to support the Kickstarter, you can always Wishlist it on Steam here and look forward to our coverage of the game prior to launch!
