Summary
Video games are an increasingly crowded space with it being ever-challenging for games to stand out.Super Rare Gamesis a successfulindie games publisherthat supports indie developers of all levels, and it regularly searches for those standout qualities. It’s a company that’s not only passionate about video games, but also sustainability in helping indie developers continue to make games. Super Rare Games has a diverse portfolio of indie games it supports, including a wide range of original titles, such asTiny Terry’s Turbo Trip,Grapple Dog, and the latter’s upcoming sequelGrapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines, to name a handful. While such titles might all seem very different, there are perhaps some common features when considering what Super Rare looks for in its indie games.
In a recent interview with Game Rant,Super Rare Games' CEO George Perkins detailed the specific things the company looks for. Perkins also shared some advice for aspiring indie game developers in the current landscape.
What Super Rare Games Look For In Indie Games
While admitting there is an element of personal preference, Perkins said that Super Rare Games tend to look for “personality and life” in indie games, plus “games that maybe don’t fit into a box.” Perkins also detailed several specific things that could help anindie gamestand out from the crowd:
For me, working on games that actually have really memorable characters, really memorable storylines, maybe a color palette for the game which is different or unique. Maybe it’s a mechanic that is different and hasn’t been seen before.
Indeed, games published by the company under theSuper Rare Originalsbanner certainly indicate a mix of genres, unique art styles, and more. Some ofSuper Rare Originals’indie titles coming soon include:Completely Stretchy,The Gecko Gods, andGrapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines.The company’s portfolio of existing published indie games also includes:
Advice For Aspiring Indie Game Developers
In addition, Perkins also offered some advice foraspiring indie game developers. Specifically, their biggest advice is “sustainability and scope.” In terms of sustainability, Perkins talked about how it’s important to think about what the picture looks like if things don’t go well, and what a second or even third game might look like for a project. Focusing on scope, Perkins talked about keeping game projects manageable, and making games that developers are confident they can deliver on. This might mean making a game that’s smaller in scope or with a lower price point, but something that still has “a lot of personality and charm.” As Perkins said:
If you’re a first-time indie developer, maybe really try and hone your craft, do a lot of Game Jams. Try and make something really small and try and release it. Even if it’s just publishing on Steam and selling zero copies. Going through that process, I think is so important.
Looking at charm or personality, players could also look to some ofSuper Rare Games' existing titles orupcoming Nintendo Switch gamesfor inspiration. For instance, when talking about working with Medallion Games onGrapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines, the sequel toGrapple Dogand the latter being the first title that Super Rare Games published digitally. Perkins spoke more about some of the things that initially attracted Super Rare Games toGrapple Dog:
It was a really big moment for us as a company. And I remember from the second I saw the game, there was a lot of, again, personality to the game. There’s clearly a life behind the game. It’s a very vibrant world, so much charm, some really interesting characters, some amazing level design, some great music. It has life to it.
