First we would like to thank Mega Cat Studios for taking the time out of their busy schedule to answer our questions.
We realize time is of the essence (especially with the pandemic turning life upside-down for everyone), so without further ado, we will get straight to the questions:
PixelPerfectGaming (PPG): Mega Cat Studios first began developing video games for retro consoles like the 8-bit NES and the Sega Genesis. What inspired you to target modern systems like the Nintendo Switch?
Mega Cat Studios (MCS): Bite the Bullet was originally a Sega Genesis game. After PAX East one year, Graffiti Games asked about publishing it, and bringing it to a broader audience with bigger distribution. After an internal huddle, we decided to take advantage of the larger space, more powerful systems resources, and to bring the cinematics, dynamic lighting, and post-processing available to bring Bite the Bullet up a notch for modern retro gamers.
PPG: Your studio is known (and adored) for games like Coffee Crisis (a 2D side-scrolling beat ‘em up) and Tanzer (a Shadow of the Beast-like action platformer). In terms of design and gameplay, Bite the Bullet is a drastic departure from the type of games Mega Cat Studios is known for. What was the inspiration behind its development?
MCS: Run and gun games have been part of our roadmap. It is one of the most intuitive and fun genres with retro roots! Twisting the genre with some unique mechanics opened up a world of opportunity for us to explore.
PPG: Bite the Bullet invokes nostalgic memories of arcade shooters like Konami’s Contra and SNK’s Metal Slug for Neo-Geo. Is this assessment accurate? And if so, what core gameplay elements were you trying to capture when developing BTB? (Please mention other side-scrolling shooters that may have been ‘honored’ in some way in BTB).
MCS: You can’t make a pixel art run and gun without praying to the Metal Slug and Contra gods! From a player expectations standpoint, we wanted to keep the pacing fast, while adding some modern sensibilities where players have choices that matter. In Bite the Bullet’s case, it’s the skill tree and character classes that breathe some unique life into it.
PPG: (We are fans of 2D games, but we’re asking for those who might want to know.) Why did you decide on a 2D side-scroller for BTB? Why not a 2.5D or fully immersive 3D shooter?
MCS: When we think run and gun, we always think 2D. The gameplay is easy to pick up and intuitive to play while still providing some unique twists. It’s not the same environment to experiment in as a 3D shooter.
PPG: It’s no secret that Mega Cat Studios released a compilation cartridge (and recently announced a second one) for the Evercade; a stand-alone, portable console that uses proprietary cartridges. Can you tell our readers how your partnership with Blaze (the parent company behind Evercade) came to fruition?
MCS: At the onset of Evercade’s pre-launch, they reached out to set an in person meeting at E3. When we saw the physical production value of the hardware, we were happy to be part of the launch of a new cartridge console. Giving players a more portable, and less expensive way to enjoy homebrew games took it the extra mile for us as well.
PPG: According to Blaze, the Evercade is capable of handling 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit games. Since BTB received a Sega Genesis release, is it within the realm of reason to expect an Evercade version of this game in the not-so-distant future?
MCS: Unfortunately, the system resources available on Evercade couldn’t handle Bite the Bullet’s level size, VFX or frenetic enemy spawn system. The Sega Genesis Prequel is still under development, but I’m sure it will find a home on Evercade someday!
PPG: Do you have anything in development that you would like to share with our readers? Can you drop a hint or two?
MCS: We are excited to be collaborating with some incredibly talented teams on ZPF and Roniu’s Tale, both with a release imminently!
