Exclusive interview with Alex De Nittis, video game designer for Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart at 3DClouds. Out now, read more here!
GIGANTOSAURUS: DINO KART
THE JOURNALIX: The first Gigantosaurus game was wonderful! Is this a sequel or a spin-off?
3DClouds: Although this is Outright’s second title, it’s actually the first Gigantosaurus game developed by us at 3DClouds. Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart works as a standalone title so we were very excited to have the freedom to explore something new.
THE J: I was encouraged to see there are differing levels of difficulty to help ease new gamers into the game – how did you test this with a younger audience?
3DClouds: We really wanted this game to be a starting point for the youngest of players and so a key part of the process involved extensive playtesting. This wasn’t just an internal process, either. We conducted regular playtests with kids to make sure every aspect of the game achieved that goal.
INSPIRATION
THE J: Despite the development of the TV series and now the 2nd iteration of a video game – do you still refer back to the books for inspiration?
3DClouds: The television series was actually a huge inspiration for Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart. The episode “Racing Giganto” from season 1, gave us a base for the game’s concept and we were able to work from there, taking inspiration from the episode’s overall visuals.
THE J: How do the abilities of each character differ in selection?
3DClouds: There are 8 different skills in total that players can use across whichever character they play as, to get ahead of the race. I think the most exciting ability has to be ‘Giganto’s Roar’, which allows players to slow down all of their opponents within a certain distance!
PRE-HISTORIC
THE J: Cretacia looks beautiful again as an interactive environment! How expansive were you able to make it?
3DClouds: The television series was also an inspiration for this aspect of the game. Cretacia has such a diverse environment and so we were able to create 3 unique locations: the Savannah, Jungle, and Mountain Oblivion. There’s also a big interactive element to each location with geysers and falling stones that act as an obstacle for players. And of course Gigantosaurus and the Spinosaurus are also there to wreak havoc at every turn!
NINTENDO VS PLAYSTATION VS XBOX VS PC
THE J: Have 3DClouds made any changes or variation between the versions for each gaming console?
3DClouds: We always set one standardised version for any game we develop. As a result, they can be playable on each platform with the same behaviours; we always aim to create the same experience any gamer on any platform can have. Some systems do have limitations; on Achievements for instance, a feature that Nintendo does not manage itself on the Switch, but still, we have in-game objectives that work just fine with the same goal.
THE J: Typically with any video games these days there are add-ons in the future – will this be the case here?
3DClouds: Currently, we don’t have any plans for additional content but that’s definitely something we’d love to explore in the future if fans are interested!
FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY
THE J: Family game nights are a regular feature in our house, will this still cater to the attention of
Mum and Dad?
3DClouds: Yes! While we focused a lot of our attention on making this game accessible for younger players, there’s plenty of fun for older players. The game features three levels of difficulty and with our 4-player co-op mode, there is a challenge for everyone involved.
RETROGAMING
THE J: Kart Racing is a classic genre in itself now for gaming – which classic video games did you draw inspiration from when developing this?
3DClouds: Of course, the obvious answer is classic Mario Kart is a franchise we take a lot of inspiration from, especially older versions like Double Dash!! and Super Circuit, which I have a lot of attachment to from playing as a kid.
THE J: Can we expect further video game developments for 3dClouds in the future with this brand?
3DClouds: Although we don’t have any current plans for the future, the television series has opened up so many possibilities for us to expand on existing storylines so who knows? We’d love to have the chance to explore more of the Gigantosaurus universe in different genres!