'Tales Of Tuscany' Dev's Goal Is To "Let Players Do Whatever They Want"

[ad_1] <img srcset="https://images.nintendolife.com/2654e9e83a85e/tales-of-tuscany-demo-at-pax-east.450x.jpg 450w, https://images.nintendolife.com/2654e9e83a85e/tales-of-tuscany-demo-at-pax-east.900x.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 799px) 450px, (min-width: 800px)" src="https://images.nintendolife.com/2654e9e83a85e/tales-of-tuscany-demo-at-pax-east.900x.jpg" width="900" height="674" alt="Tales of Tuscany Demo at PAX East"/> Picture: Austin Voigt At PAX East, we had an opportunity to sit down down with the energetic Nico Papalia and Prime Hat Studios - developer of Athenian Rhapsody, and its newly-announced prequel, Tales of Tuscany (releasing on “no matter you play video games on,” together with Change, in 2026).

We needed to study a bit extra about what impressed such a mad-cap universe, and the place the WarioWare / EarthBound / Pokémon-esque concepts all stemmed from. Whereas it was a little bit of a problem to speak over the raucous laughter coming from the gang gathered on the demo sales space, we managed to get an inside glimpse at Papalia's stunning backstory and his work on each video games.

Right here is our interview with Nico, which was simply as entertaining and zany because the universe these video games are based mostly in...

Nintendo Life: So, let's begin from the highest — what was the inspiration behind the universe of Tales of Tuscany and Athenian Rhapsody? There appear to be some Earthbound vibes in there...

Nico Papalia: Truthfully, I did not even play Earthbound till AFTER I began Athenian Rhapsody - enjoyable truth! I bit into it and was like, 'I really feel like this meshes with me,' and I felt prefer it appeared like what I used to be making. Positively impressed by Pokémon on Sport Boy Advance, performed numerous that. I additionally performed numerous Fort Crashers - The Behemoth are my associates, so I talked to them rather a lot, and we're really discussing engaged on one thing collectively too — very slapstick-y, you already know — however they're so tight about their IPs, so... we're nonetheless speaking.

I had large concepts - however I by no means knew programming, I went to high school for artwork, I used to be doing conventional pencil artwork and stuff - I did not know what I used to be doing. So it constructed over time, and I am very lucky and fortunate that I used to be capable of share this on the scale that I did, and switch it into my job. It's extremely private.

"Slapstick-y" is unquestionably the appropriate phrase for these video games, they're hilarious.

Yeah, it does not take itself too significantly, so the inspiration for the world is simply principally my life, my associates, and what I believe is humorous in the meanwhile. I am going to simply throw humorous issues in there as I consider them - and the gamers appear to like it. I am a solo dev, so I can sort of have the ultimate say and simply do no matter I need. It is enjoyable. Within the first recreation, I took some dangers and had this 'invisible grilled cheese' within the map, like an merchandise, and I assumed no one was going to seek out it - however somebody discovered it inside eight hours of launch! I crashed out on social, I bugged out.

Will there be any secrets and techniques or easter eggs to seek out in Tales of Tuscany?

There aren't too many secrets and techniques but - I am nonetheless creating it, and I simply completed the primary story, so now I've to do the 'evil' story, and I am going to sort of simply throw some further stuff in there earlier than it releases, most likely round spring 2026.

Inform us a bit of extra about how the 2 video games differ.

You understand, making Athenian Rhapsody was sort of sluggish. I began with GameMaker, and it simply sort of snowballed. So I actually did not actually know what I used to be doing, going into the primary recreation. It was in 4:3 ratio, like Sport Boy Advance - as a result of I am an enormous GBA man. So at first I used to be like, "Yeah, that is superior!" Then, you already know, it involves porting it and I am like... "Oh no."

So, Tales of Tuscany is within the RIGHT decision. It is also bought extra management customisations, quality-of-life stuff like that. Spherical 2: larger, higher, stronger. I prefer to say, Athenian Rhapsody is like Pokémon Emerald, and Tales of Tuscany is extra like Pokémon Black & White - based mostly on the battles and stuff, with the digicam motion, sprite work, stuff like that.

So that you're clearly an enormous Pokémon fan too! What are among the completely different video games you performed rising up?

I performed numerous Sport Boy Advance video games - Madagascar, Energy Rangers Dino Thunder, Minish Cap, and issues like that. My grandma would simply go purchase them for me. Or I performed Crash Bandicoot on the PS2, and I'd simply keep within the beginning space and mess with stuff - I by no means progressed within the recreation, and that was really most likely what I do with most of those video games. I by no means progressed; I simply did issues. And I assume all of it sort of simply shaped that inspiration for me.

Picture: Prime Hat Studios Attention-grabbing - so are you a little bit of a completionist then? As a result of this recreation — with all the completely different decisions and storylines — appears a bit overwhelming for a completionist, like you might by no means *really* full it totally.

You understand what, once I was a youngster, I used to be extra of a completionist; I'd 100% full Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze and stuff like that. However numerous occasions, I used to be simply sort of a silly man who did not know what I used to be doing. I could not advance by way of the plots, I by no means bought Rayquaza [in Pokémon Emerald] - so I'd simply go and do random issues. And now, I am really sort of the other of that. So making Athenian Rhapsody and Tales of Tuscany, I need a child to have the ability to simply go round and have enjoyable.

The video games appear to be designed virtually like a continuing dopamine hit. Gamers are allowed to only be mischievous and do no matter they need. And there is most likely no means you might expertise each single alternative obtainable to you within the video games.

That is precisely it! That is sort of what me and my associates like. You sort of need to get in there a number of occasions, and the way in which it labored out, some gamers like that, and a few do not. Some persons are that goal, numeric, "I am completed, examine the field" factor - however with these video games, the expertise is all the time going to be completely different, relying on who you've gotten in your celebration and the alternatives you make. One other factor is that, it does not really feel 'excellent', and lots of people like that.

Did you all the time intend for the sport to be a 'choose-your-own-adventure' model like that?

Yeah, I all the time meant for it to be like that, however I did not precisely know do it at first. I could not determine it out. So, Athenian Rhapsody was not programmed very effectively... Tales of Tuscany is programmed significantly better, I used to be capable of pull it off higher. However I simply needed to begin small and construct off of it, as a result of I had large concepts - however I by no means knew programming, I went to high school for artwork, I used to be doing conventional pencil artwork and stuff, I did not know what I used to be doing. So it constructed over time, and I am very lucky and fortunate that I used to be capable of share this on the scale that I did, and switch it into my job. It's extremely private.

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube 813k As somebody who studied artwork and went to high school for it, did that assist with the event of the sport itself - a minimum of, the artwork side of it?

That is really a sick query - it should have! I went to SUNY Oneonta, superior college, I had numerous nice academics. I used to be all into anatomy — transformational anatomy — and it took me sort of some time to determine it out, utilizing area and character design.

So once I began Athenian Rhapsody, my pixel artwork was very poor - I did not have these fully-saturated colors but, I did not determine that out but. My sprites, I used to be doing the pillow shading... so it took me some time to get it. There's some sort of interlink, however that ability undoubtedly wasn't speedy; I needed to study to entry that a part of my mind, studying the fundamentals of pixel artwork. Even in Athenian Rhapsody, whenever you play it, you may see there are 10 issues happening in a single room; that is as a result of I did not know what I used to be doing with the area! That actually led to this sense of extraordinarily hyper tempo, issues round each nook...

Nevertheless it works! The absurdism is what makes all of it so endearing. A part of it sounds prefer it was unintentional, trial-and-error, however that really turned a extremely cool factor.

Precisely! And I used to be simply doing what I needed to do. I bought fortunate that folks preferred it. Some individuals assume it is a bit of an excessive amount of, however I've additionally heard from numerous gamers who actually prefer it, saying they love the story. One other publication, the reviewer mentioned he thought the story "modified vibes an excessive amount of," and that is the place he wrote me off for factors. However I've bought different individuals — particularly youthful youngsters, however numerous adults, too — saying they love that concerning the story!

And I personally assume it's extremely wanted. Loads of occasions on this business, individuals can take themselves a bit of too significantly, and I admire that you just're simply doing what you wanna do. It looks as if persons are drawn to that.

Yeah, I attempt to get very private and present myself as I'm. That is how I constructed this, doing tutorials on-line and constructing a following simply being myself. I simply took my telephone and filmed my display exhibiting "Right now I did this," and I used to be simply being actual. However I am fortunate, I nonetheless simply get to do no matter I need. Like for Tales of Tuscany, the group thought it was a bit of little bit of a threat, making the primary character a sheep...

Lambypoo - it jogs my memory of my canine's toy, Lambchop!

Oh my god, YES! That is precisely it! I've 100 of these laying round my home, ripped up! That is the place it got here from, I am so glad you mentioned that! So I used to be identical to... yo, what if I had a button, the place the lamb simply began "baaa"-ing? And that is the place the thought for the 'Baa' button got here from. You understand, it does not all the time need to be this "Maintain X, cost your sword..." - you'll be able to simply have enjoyable with it. So the 'Baa' was an interplay instrument - you'll be able to break vegetation and automobiles and stuff, as a result of individuals simply wanna do enjoyable stuff, just like the dopamine hits we talked about earlier. So I am making an attempt to hone in on that.

Photographs: Prime Hat Studios I am nonetheless shocked you hadn't performed the Earthbound / Mom video games previous to beginning your first recreation. It seems like such a non secular successor to these video games.

Proper? And relating to the flavour textual content in these video games, just like the choices are: "Yeah", or "I am lactose illiberal" - that is precisely how I write, too. It virtually unlocked one thing, once I noticed that. I used to be like, 'Okay, so that is okay what I am doing, this irreverence.'

I watched a documentary on Earthbound, and the director was saying he had a really intuitive method - he did not plan all of it out, he simply did it block-by-block, and that is precisely what I do, too. So I assume it is that very same mind kind, possibly? And I had associates from my college who have been making an attempt to inform me: "Yeah, it's a must to block the entire recreation out" and all of these items, and I used to be like: "Dude, however I am altering it daily?". So there are numerous variations between the 2 video games and the way a lot I deliberate out Tales of Tuscany, however they're the identical spirit.

Talking of Earthbound, I've heard you check with your video games as "JRPGs" a number of occasions - what does that label imply to you particularly?

Truthfully, I have been saying "JRPG" recently simply because I consider a long-narrative-based recreation, and "RPG" is just too broad. However I do not know... I additionally name it an "IRPG" generally — "Italian RPG" — as a result of I am Italian, and Italians do like lengthy conversations.

For somebody who's by no means heard of both of your video games, what is the one factor you'll say to get them to check out this sequence?

Out of all the RPGs and JRPGs on the market, there are rather a lot, and one that actually makes it to the end line is difficult to seek out. This recreation has numerous love in it, there's one thing to like in it for everyone, that is an enormous a part of how I made the sport. I beloved Sport Freak's early philosophy of making an attempt to strike a steadiness between 'cute' and 'cool', and the way everybody has a favorite pokémon. And with Athenian Rhapsody, I attempted to make one follower that everybody might love. It is the sport that conforms to what you want, and everybody will get one thing out of it. The 'rhapsodies' are like Gen 1 buying and selling; I needed everybody to get one thing out of it. In Pokémon, you'll be able to port your Pokémon throughout all the consoles, and that is sort of what I used to be making an attempt to do. We'll see how that works!

So, the 'munchkins' are making a comeback, too, solely this time, the weasels are watching you and ruining all the pieces. This new function appears fairly merciless, and I am questioning what occurred to you as a baby that made you wish to torture individuals?

HA! So, within the first recreation, I had a debug choice within the 'pause' menu — only a placeholder — and it was known as 'munchkins', and all these silly issues. And I used to be like, eff it, I am gonna make 'munchkins' an actual factor. So principally, it's a must to wait, like, 8-10 hours to obtain them, and you've got a 50% likelihood of failing... and if it really works, it is only a image of some artwork of mine that claims like, "Congratulations" - however I did not notice everybody was going loopy over that!

So with Tales of Tuscany, I assumed 'Okay, I will not have a random 50% likelihood of failing on the finish... however there WILL be weasels... and the weasels come and slowly go throughout the display, and once they let you know, it's a must to press an enter, in any other case they will corrupt the munchkin.' I assumed, 'I am unable to simply do the identical factor once more', so I modified it up a bit of bit. No one else is doing munchkins! No one else is doing one thing to the participant the place they're like, 'No, you do it the way in which I need you to do it, or else you fail, and I am not making it simpler since you're complaining.'

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♬ authentic sound - Athenian Rhapsody You are simply going to make the sport you wish to make, and purposely dwell exterior of the field. Was there something too loopy in Tales of Tuscany that ended up getting vetoed but?

Yeah, there are some things my publishers inform me I've to edit... I do know extra skirt the road now, however there have been a number of components that may have to alter. There's this character from Athenian Rhapsody known as Uncle Billiard, and he is on this one once more as a result of he is an awesome character - and he has this sizzling canine place, however all of them name the new canines 'wieners'... and there is this one character who's like, "Oh yeah, my double wiener sandwich..." and searching again on it, I am like, "I am unable to simply be throwing 'wiener' round like that." Or like, I needed to have an enemy with a plumber's crack, and a mechanic the place it's a must to throw issues in it. And I really vetoed that for Athenian Rhapsody, as a result of it was sort of disgusting.

...Ask forgiveness, not permission?

Yep, that is my motto!

Picture: Prime Hat Studios Do you've gotten plans so as to add any extra to this universe, or do you assume you may go in a very completely different course?

Truthfully, I believe this IP was one, it is sturdy. I did particularly wish to do three RPGs.

Why three, due to Earthbound?

Oh, I did not even take into consideration that! I simply thought it might be a pleasant quantity.

You need to do three, and simply by no means launch the ultimate one right here.

HA, yeah, I am going to simply say there is a third! You understand, I did initially wish to do three, however making this recreation, I am nearing the top of the artistic improvement, and I sort of wish to take a break from RPGs for a bit. We're doing the cell recreation, too - it is known as Goobie Backyard, and Thunder Goober is in it, he clearly hit one thing, so even when I do resolve to take a break with the IP, I am going to all the time come again to it. However I believe for my subsequent console recreation, I would love to do one thing a bit of extra easy, mechanic-based... possibly a battler? I would love to do a roguelike recreation. Unsure but although!

This interview has been calmly edited for readability.

Thanks, Nico Papalia (@AthenianRhapso1 on X) and the group at Prime Hat Studios, for taking the time to reply our questions. Tales of Tuscany can be coming to PC and consoles in 2026.

Will you be enjoying Tales of Tuscany when it releases? Did you play Athenian Rhapsody? Tell us within the feedback under.

Austin began gaming at 2 years previous and has been addicted ever since. Her Zelda, Mario, Pokémon & Animal Crossing obsessions freak individuals out. She habitually carries a mini projector round to play her Change in console mode in bizarre locations. Her favourite gaming snack is pizza rolls, as a result of greasy controllers are her bugaboo.