How Sonic Mania Inspired the Creation of Penny's Big Breakaway

The journey of indie game studio Evening Star has been a remarkable one, with many of its team members having started out by working on Sonic the Hedgehog fan games. Their exceptional work caught the attention of Sega, leading to the development of Sonic Mania, a throwback to the franchise's 2D golden era that became the highest-rated Sonic game in over 25 years. At that point, Evening Star was more of a loose collective of game developers, but after completing Sonic Mania, they realized the need to become a more structured entity to facilitate growth. According to Hunter Bridges, the studio's chief technology officer, their experience working on Sonic Mania as independents made them aware of their limitations and the importance of establishing a formal studio to collaborate with larger companies more effectively. As a result, Evening Star was officially established in early 2019, and in mid-2021, they unveiled their first original game, Penny's Big Breakaway, which was released earlier this year. This 3D platformer takes place in the vibrant world of Macaroon and follows the story of Penny, a young performer and skilled yoyoer who, after a disastrous audition, becomes an enemy of the state and must use her yoyo skills to evade the emperor's forces and clear her name across 11 unique and colorful worlds. Unlike traditional platformers, Penny's Big Breakaway features a fresh twist on the genre, with the central mechanic revolving around the yoyo. The idea of incorporating a yoyo into the gameplay emerged early in the development process, with the team drawn to its creative potential and the various possibilities it offered. The yoyo mechanic allowed the team to generate a wide range of creative ideas, from flipping and swinging to dashing around obstacles. Although none of the team members were skilled yoyoers, they spent time researching the history of the yoyo, which inspired the game's world and character designs, including the monarchical society and the characters' outfits. The game's art style is a pastiche of various influences, from Sonic the Hedgehog to classic Western animation, with the art director employing squash and stretch techniques to give the characters a squishy and expressive feel. Evening Star aimed to craft level tropes that were not typically seen in platforming games while maintaining a level of familiarity for fans of the genre. For example, instead of a standard volcano world, the game features a volcano with a restaurant inside, and the water world is transformed into a giant day spa. The team's approach to level design involved taking familiar tropes and turning them on their head, resulting in unique and creative environments. The game's soundtrack, composed by Sean Bialo and Tee Lopes, also reflects this subversive approach, incorporating a mix of Moog synthesizers, mid-century early synthesizer sounds, and turn-of-the-millennium pop music influences. The result is a distinctive soundscape that complements the game's world and characters. As the game technology continues to advance, 3D platformers are becoming more viable for indie developers like Evening Star. Bridges advises aspiring developers to challenge conventions deliberately and understand the reasoning behind established genre norms. By doing so, they can create something that stands out while still honoring the genre's heritage.