Q1, You say that you’ve worked on 16 titles spanning many different genres can you name 2-3 of your favourites in your career?

 

I would say that Clusterball, nominated for Best Online Gamplay of the Year in 2001, is one of my favourites, back in the days when I had a Lead Programmer role and a lot of creative influence on the design. We had a community of over 200 000 players in the early days of competitive gaming, at a time few would yet buy games on digital download.

 

Another favourite from my early days is Ski-Doo X-Team Racing, the first extreme snowmobile game featuring authentic Ski-Doos, re-released a couple of years later with the latest snowmobile lineup and nowadays owned by Zordix. You could say that the idea of Zordix Moto Racing games (that recently passed 13 million downloads) had its start there, as we discovered how popular such games are. Here is a link to the game trailer:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To mention a third game, Valet Parking 1989 for DSiWare and the 3DS eShop comes close at hand. That game is a tribute to the 1980s and the games I grew up with playing, at the same time as it introduces a fabulous game world we will expand on later, full of humour, celebrity look-a-likes and musical scores typical of the time period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q2, What has been your most downloaded game so far at Zordix, and how many downloads roughly would that be?

 

The Moto Racing series has had over 13 million downloads, where Aqua Moto Racing for iPhone has been the most popular.

 

Q3, to your new eShop 3DS game Aqua Moto Racing 3D. I’ve seen several versions of Aqua Moto Racing, would this 3D one be the same as before just with add stereoscopic 3D?

 

There are lots of things that are different, even if we decided to keep the main look-and-feel and game structure. We've tried to make certain the millions of fans of the original Aqua Moto series will get exactly what they crave for.  The controls are naturally great on a 3DS, as is the 3D. We have a fresh new look on the rider, the stunt animations have been remade to be smooth and perfect for the 3DS, and all the code has been rewritten from scratch to fit into the new format.

 

Q4, Would you describe this game as a Wave Race clone or is it more of an arcade experience?

 

We aim for an arcade type of experience for the gamers and hardcore gamers that have purchased the Nintendo 3DS. It has a much easier control than Wave Race to get in to, but as the game goes on you are really challenged as in any good racing game.

 

Q5, Is the water in the game dynamic or scripted? How long did this take to develop?

 

The water is dynamic, which is challenging as the main waves has to be in the same place for everyone in multiplayer mode. There were no game engines for 3DS at the time we started, so we had to make our own. Therefore the game development time is hard to estimate. A typical 3DS project can range from 6-12 months, or even more. 

 

Q6, I have to say that I’ve had my 3DS since launch and Aqua Moto Racing 3D is the first eShop game that I have spent my own money on, having said that could you not of got the game out for £4.99 and not £8.99

 

I agree that would be a nice price, and in that case the same as on the early game launch on the iPhone. But this game is much bigger in production value and you have to compare the game to boxed 3DS titles that come at 40-60 pounds each. It is more expensive to make console games and as s a gamer you get the value of real game controls. Compared to cinema tickets and the quality entertainment time spent it's great value.

 

Q7, Do you have any plans of getting some of your franchises on the Wii U? If so in what way would you like to use the second screen on the controller?

 

The controller would be the premium choice on how to control the game. And then all sorts of controls could be used to play up to 5 players in the same living room together using split screen on the TV. Being a company with a Nintendo digital download focus, I hope we will be able to make several exciting Wii U titles. I hope to be able to uncover more good news in the near future.

 

Q8, In the last interview you mentioned a game called Box Car Kids is this something that your companies working on now as I could not see anything when looking for information?

 

The information available is that we won the Nordic Game Award with a grant for this title in competition with 120 different projects. It is work in progress, but not much more revealed yet other than our 1950s lawn mower kids have teared apart their lawn movers to build and race box cars using the engines, and the game will introduce a range of new fun Zordix style game characters.

 

Q9, You also said in the last interview with us, is that your favourite of this year’s E3 was Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U, Have you managed to get to play this game or just see videos?

 

I look forward to this game a lot; but as most people I've only seen the video so far.

 

Q10, Is there any information on Snow Moto Racing 3D that I believe was announced at the same time as Aqua Moto Racing 3D?

 

We will send out more information as the game release date is revealed.

 

Q11, how does Nintendo handle the eShop do you get given a slot like Microsoft or do you just give them the completed game and they put it up as soon as they can?

 

There is a discussion on available release slots together, and we have a lot to say as Nintendo takes  game publishers seriously and try to make it the best for all involved. They have been very nice and it is a perfect match for Zordix to publish in the eShop.

 

Q12, do you ever do any advertising with independent websites or do you just go through an advertising agency?

 

News travels fast these days, and everyone seems to be well tuned-in with games on their favourite platforms. I like to advertise now and then on indie websites, and our marketing manager checks quality and recommend some new ones now and then.

 

Q13, last question for you today, have you managed to download an episode of the One up Gaming podcast yet?

 

Wow, yeah I've heard through podcast no 11 I think it was; it seems to be all the fashion to get the news in podcasts.