Interviews

Mojo Bones on leaving HotGen, making Tongue Tied!, getting inspired by Metal Gear Solid, and what's next

Rattling some bones

Mojo Bones on leaving HotGen, making Tongue Tied!, getting inspired by Metal Gear Solid, and what's next
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iOS
| Tongue Tied!

After severing ties with his previous employer HotGen, Stuart Ryall decided the time was right to strike out on his own. Joining forces with two like-minded industry types, he co-founded his own development studio Mojo Bones and set to work.

Cut to December 2011: Mojo Bones's maiden iOS title Tongue Tied! arrives on the App Store. A cartoony platformer with a lick of originality, Tongue Tied! revolves around the canine capers of Mick and Ralph, two dogs that are irreconcilably joined at the mouth.

This quirky concept proved the basis for a critical hit, with Tongue Tied! garnering a Silver Award from Pocket Gamer.

Curious to find out how he got from studio startup to orally fixated iOS hit, we pinned Stuart down and asked him some probing questions about inspiration, updates, new projects and, of course, tongues.

Pocket Gamer: Tell us how Mojo Bones was formed.

Stuart Ryall: Mojo Bones opened its doors for business in September 2011. The three of us [in the team] are good friends, and have worked in the industry over the last ten years or so.

What made us start the company? Well, I think the industry has fully embraced indie game development, and, in turn, that's given guys like us the opportunity to step out on our own.

What are your individual backgrounds in the games industry?

The company consists of me (design), Andrew Jones (code), and Mark Norman (art). We've all worked for various game companies over the years and developed for a range of different formats - from Game Boy Color to Nintendo DS.

Mojo Bones is a new way of working for us, though, in the respect that we have a very modest setup over here. We've gone back to basics, and it's made for a refreshing change.

What prompted you to leave HotGen?

Timing was the biggest factor. None of us is getting any younger, and we didn't want this opportunity to pass us by. There are obvious risks with going it alone, but we felt the time was right to give it a shot, and here we are.

What inspired you to create a game in which the protagonist's tongues are tied together? Is Mick and Ralph's predicament (auto)biographical?

Tongue Tied! started life as a rough retro-themed platformer called Bungee Bros. Once we decided to move forward with the concept, the next step was trying to come up with a suitable theme for the game's tether mechanic.

As soon as we hit on the idea of the characters being tied together by their tongues, the rest fell into place and Mick and Ralph popped out.

The art style is extremely striking. What were your influences?

Thanks. We're huge fans of traditional animation, especially classics such as Tom and Jerry and the Warner Bros. shorts.

Hanna-Barbera was also an influence on the game, and not just on the visuals. We also tried to capture the comic violence of those old cartoons. Ren & Stimpy was a great point of reference for that.

Did you expect the game to be received as well as it has been?

Our feet are firmly on the ground in regards to expectation levels, which I think is important. Everyone's read about the major success stories when it comes to mobile gaming - the big hitters - but the truth is those titles make up a very small percentage, and the App Store is hugely competitive.

Alongside commercial success, it was just as important to make people aware of Mojo Bones and the level of quality to expect from us. You have to be realistic and take things step by step. Saying that, we're really pleased with the way Tongue Tied! has been received.

Why do think critics have engaged with Tongue Tied!?

It's a tough one for us to answer. I hope it's because - despite any flaws that people may perceive - they can see the effort and passion that's gone into it.

Some of my favourite games aren't necessarily the perfect ones but the ones that have personality and are trying new things. Ultimately, though, I think it's for other people to judge what we do - we just hope they like it.

What can you tell us about the incoming February update to Tongue Tied!?

January's update contained ten new levels and three extra DogHouse Challenges. February's update will be landing in time for Valentine's Day, and we've concentrated on the visuals this time around.

The game will be given a snowy visual makeover to freshen things up, and we're also introducing a new area for collectibles. These will be hidden throughout the existing levels for players to try and discover.

Do you have any more updates planned?

Definitely. We've promised a year's worth of free content, and we'll be supporting the game throughout 2012. Our plan is to try and make each update as unique as we can.

Will we see any significant differences between the upcoming Android port of Tongue Tied! and the iOS version?

The Android version will be exactly the same as iOS, which is something we've strived for. It's going to be interesting to see how Tongue Tied! is received on the Android Market, but Android is a platform that we're taking seriously.

Before you released Tongue Tied!, you said that the likelihood of a sequel depended on the fans. Can we look forward to a Tongue Tied 2! soon, then?

As mentioned, we're still supporting the original game throughout 2012, so a sequel isn't on the cards just yet.

We love Mick and Ralph, though, and we'd like to think that their adventures will continue. We have ideas for other games featuring them both, and that's something we'd love to explore in the future.

What can you tell us about any other projects you have in the pipeline?

We've just started development on our next project, and although we haven't announced anything official yet, I can reveal that it's going to be a very different experience from Tongue Tied!

The next game will be part puzzle, part adventure, and at the risk of sounding like a tease, we've always been interested in trying to bridge the gap between 'game' and 'real world'.

All those years ago, I was blown away when I played the original Metal Gear Solid and Psycho Mantis reached out to me from beyond the TV. That's a theme that we're trying to explore with our next project. The smartphone platform offers some really interesting options in this regard.

There will be a full announcement via our Facebook page and website in the not-too-distant future.

Why have you chosen to go in a different creative direction with your second game?

Naturally, new ideas emerge through brainstorming, and as a designer, I'm forever getting inspired by what's around me.

Every day, I'm tugging at Mark's T-shirt and trying to get him excited about a new concept that I've dreamt up, which sometimes leads to a look of confusion and silence. Admittedly, not every idea is a winner, but every now and then you hit on something that excites you.

We'd be happy for Mojo Bones to become one of those 'what's next?' developers, where fans are excited to see what's around the corner, rather than appearing too predictable. We've realised the importance of creating games that are accessible and intuitive, but we also feel it's important to give people something different.

Are you planning on bringing this new game to Android?

We are, and the Android version will likely follow the iOS launch.

Have you ever considered developing for any other platforms besides iOS and Android?

We've considered Windows Phone, and it's something we're looking into. The Kindle Fire is also a format we're keeping our eye on. Beyond that, if the fanbase is there for our games on other formats, we'll definitely look at them.

Many thanks to Stuart for taking the time to talk to us.

James Gilmour
James Gilmour
James pivoted to video so hard that he permanently damaged his spine, which now doubles as a Cronenbergian mic stand. If the pictures are moving, he's the one to blame.