Good news everybody! 8-Bit Legit have given Kudzu a full release for the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Game Boy and Itch..IO!
YEARS IN THE MAKING
Who dares to explore the depths of the Kudzu maze… Is it just an out-of-control invasive plant, or is something more sinister afoot…? Take control of Max, a serious go-getter and the best student of master gardener Zoen, who has just gone missing in the kudzu labyrinth. The wisdom that Zoen imparted on Max will be put to the test as you use your wits and gardening tools – machete, rake, garden hoe, and others – to navigate the vines!
Kudzu was developed by Chris Totten of Pie For Breakfast Studios. Known for such works as La Mancha, Lissitzky’s Revenge, Zup and recently nominated at DEBUG INDIE GAMES AWARDS 2024 for the upcoming Little Nemo and the Nightmare Fiends!
Totten came up with the idea for Kudzu whilst at college, where he and his classmates proposed building their projects in a field of what they thought was ivy, which turned out to be invasive kudzu plants!
CHRIS TOTTEN: I learned about [kudzu] during a school project. Nobody in my group knew what it was, so we all made it part of our projects… My wife grew up in the southern US and her brother, Max, fought back aggressive vines in her backyard with a machete. We joked that it would be funny to make a game about Max fighting an evil kudzu plant and planned out a whole adventure for fun!
THE GAME BOY – “PERFECT LIMITATIONS”
It wouldn’t be until 7 years later, though, when the game would come to fruition…
CHRIS TOTTEN: It sat on a shelf because the scope would have been too big for us to make ourselves. When GB Studio, a game engine that lets you make games for Game Boy without a lot of complicated coding, appeared I thought that Kudzu might be a great project for it. And that the Game Boy’s limitations would keep the scope in check.
Kudzu’s artwork was created in the Aseprite pixel art editor, and maps were assembled in the Tiled level editor before being imported into GB Studio. It is both a homebrew hobby project and the work of practiced game developers with years of experience in commercial game development.
CHRIS TOTTEN: It still ended up being a 3-year project! But it got enough buzz that I was able to have it published on physical cartridges. It is also now available on Nintendo Switch!
KUDZU – A JOURNEY
During your journey, you will find a host of weird and helpful characters… As well as kudzu-controlled creatures who will stalk you through fields, gardens, forests, and even a haunted house!
Will you survive long enough to find Zoen and unravel the mysterious origins of the kudzu itself?
The garden plot thickens!
CHRIS TOTTEN: It’s my love letter to the Game Boy, Zelda, Metroid, and all that exploratory gameplay I love. It has also been a great “lab” in which to test out level design ideas that we want to do in Little Nemo. Since both were in development at the same time, the 2 projects are forever linked in that way.
FEATURES
- Explore ruined fields, gardens, forests, villas, and more in this non-liner action adventure!
- Master a variety of gardening tools to clear your path, including the machete, hoe, and rake!
- Fight the twisted creatures lurking in the kudzu, such as snakes, giant bugs, living plants, and other monstrosities!
- Learn to manage the kudzu to solve treacherous puzzles and side quests!
- Face off with 10 epic bosses!
- Authentic retro experience with 8-Bit Legit graphics loyal to the cartridge-gaming era
- Chill out with a catchy, chiptune soundtrack