The past is never forgotten and this is a clear example of Penny’s Big Breakaway. A modern throwback to classic 3D platformers. It is worth saying that the team that developed this game has more experience in the 2D field.
Penny’s Big Breakaway returns renewed thanks to Bridges and Whitehead
Hunter Bridges y Christian Whitehead They are the directors who were in charge of the design transition. Both came from working on Sonic Mania, a title that was well received by players, precisely for being faithful to its side-scrolling roots.
In Penny’s case, things were different, since they had to innovate and show something different.
In an interview with Inverse, Hunter Bridges explained what the challenges were in moving from one style of play to another. The biggest change was in the way the team approached enemies and level design.
“In 2D, I don’t like using bottomless pits. I find no need for them when I can make several other interesting scenarios. But with 3D, the “void” is inevitable. The bottomless pit is the enemy in the game (…). Look at Mario and the Goomba. The perfect enemy in 2D, but in 3D you can walk around him.”
The truth is that it is not the first time that a franchise has made the transition from 2D to 3D after a long time. According to Penny’s director, design concepts must be reviewed throughout the entire process. There is no point in copying 2D elements to 3D, as it will be much more difficult to make it work.
Bridges takes us to a game that stands out for its momentum and staying in the air.