Q&As// Jordane Thiboust: Lead Designer Hot Pixel

SPOnG: How do each of the mini-games use the capabilities of the PSP, in terms of using each control function (such as the analog nub) in unique ways to complete a certain objective?

Jordane Thiboust: We tried to keep the controls easy and intuitive (even though some of the games at the highest difficulty level could be quite challenging), so basically when you can use the D-Pad, you can also use the analog stick, it all depends on your taste and how good you feel using one or the other.


SPOnG: Atari is drawing from its huge back catalogue of games for inspiration for some of the scenarios, right? Can you name-drop a few classic games that we might be able to recognise during play?

Jordane Thiboust: Yes indeed, we had the chance to get access to Atari’s back catalogue, which was exactly what we needed. We felt it is particularly appealing to our target audience which is, as stated before, the 80s’ Generation; and adapted to the concept of games sampling. Some of the games you will be able to recognise are for example: Breakout, Nightdriver, Battlezone, and Tempest.


SPOnG: Has the chosen theme of street and digital culture allowed you guys to be very creative in developing these mini-games? Can you give us any examples of this?

Jordane Thiboust: Yes, definitely having a theme to help us find directions and concepts for our games was really interesting. Brainstorming on those ideas was definitely a lot of fun, but not all our games are based on that particular theme.

Whenever we had a crazy concept we wanted to do, even if it wasn’t a perfect fit to the street or digital culture, we still did it. Simply before everything else, Hot Pixel is about fun. For instance the “Partixel gameplay”, based on large, colourful pixels acting as particles with different rules of attraction/repulsion, was not inspired by street culture. It became on of our favourite mini-games, and allowed us to create lot of pixel art-style micro games.

SPOnG: Which music artists will be lending their tracks to the soundtrack of Hot Pixel, and why did you choose them?

Jordane Thiboust: Most of the tracks of Hot Pixel were done by a local artist known as Xerak who happens to also be the man behind the crazy graphics of Hot Pixel.


SPOnG: Will there be any wireless multiplayer modes in Hot Pixel? What kinds of modes can we expect to see players battling it out on?

Jordane Thiboust: Yes, Hot Pixel can be played in a wireless mode, in this mode you have to be the best at a specific ‘playlist’. You throw “graphical disturbers” (shaking screen, reverse control and such) at your opponents in order to…disturb them!