Unveiling the Simplicity of 2024: Insights from the Solo Developer Behind Pepper Grinder on Scope, Fracture Bros., and Delightful Recommendations

During the festive season, we are resharing one of the essential finest pieces penned by Nintendo Life writers and contributors as part of our Best of 2024 series. Enjoy!

It might feel like quite a while since Pepper Grinder was first revealed for Switch during the November 2022 Indie World Showcase, but for Riv Hester, the game’s sole developer at studio Ahr Ech, it has truly been an even longer journey since the concept was initially conceived seven years ago.

This game fuses elements of Sonic the Hedgehog with Drill Dozer (with a hint of Shovel Knight). You guide the pants-less pirate Pepper through various tunnel-ready levels using their trusty drill, Grinder, in a quest to retrieve their looted treasures.

It launched on Switch earlier this week (March 28, to be precise) and we absolutely loved it — in fact, we enthusiastically rated it 9/10. The game is brimming with exciting ideas, prompting us to sit down with the developer behind it all to explore how it came to fruition. And so, we did just that.

Our discussion with Riv touched on a variety of topics, including Pepper Grinder’s gameplay feel, its retro style, and the way Super Smash Bros. inspired their approach to collectibles. So, rev up those drills, and let’s dig in!

Nintendo Life: First off, congratulations on Pepper Grinder! How does it feel to finally see the game arrive on Switch after seven years of hard work?

Riv Hester, Ahr Ech: Thanks! I wasn’t working on the game for the entire seven years, but it certainly has been a long journey, and it still doesn’t feel completely real to have it finished! I’m genuinely excited to place it in everyone’s hands; many have been waiting since the beginning, and I can’t believe their patience.

Do you believe the game’s fundamental ideas have evolved much over this time?

Not significantly! It’s been more about refining and enhancing the core concepts, but everything functions relatively the same as it did in the early prototype. It simply feels much tighter and more responsive now in the final version.

This game feels fantastic to play, with the drilling mechanic enabling smooth movement and flow. How important was the ‘game feel’ to you while developing Pepper Grinder?

Pepper Grinder really centers around that game feel! I believe finding joy in movement is essential to a solid platformer, and I tried to emphasize that as much as possible. I dedicated a considerable amount of time ensuring the core motion was its own reward, and then sought to build everything else to be enjoyable as a consequence. I’m also a fan of substantial, punchy feedback in video games, so I put a lot of effort into arranging impactful sound effects, screen shakes, and controller vibrations. (Don’t worry, I understand some players might find that overwhelming, so you can turn it all down or off.)

Of course, it’s not solely about zipping through obstacles as fast as possible. There are plenty of collectibles and time trial challenges to keep players coming back for more. Do you think replayability is crucial for a true 2D platformer?

you can see influences from all my favorite platformers from my childhood

It likely varies from one platformer to another, but I personally prefer those that extend gameplay through engaging design! Often, I’m replaying just to genuinely master a game, and the ability to review my best times and unlock extras along the way is always a thrill. I’m quite glad I had time to incorporate those elements here!

Regarding the game’s collectibles, we noticed that the concept for Pepper Grinder’s sticker system originated from your enjoyment of Super Smash Bros. Melee’s Trophies. Can you share a bit more about how Melee’s unlockables influenced your approach to Pepper Grinder’s collectible features?

Absolutely! I had a blast unlocking trophies in Melee and even more in Brawl, where you could display them in fun ways. I wanted to implement something similar in 2D for Pepper Grinder while expanding the ability to create unique displays with them. You can find collectible stickers in shops and earn specific ones as rewards for the Time Attack mode, and you can arrange them however you wish in various unlockable backgrounds. It may not appeal to everyone, but I think it’s pretty cool!

You have previously referred to the game as “Dig Dug plus Ecco the Dolphin,” although games like Drill Dozer and Sonic also came to our minds while playing. Were there any specific inspirations you drew from during the game’s development?

Oh, definitely! You can spot influences from all my favorite platformers growing up in there. Titles like Donkey Kong Country 2, Yoshi’s Island, Sonic 2, 3 & Knuckles, and Drill Dozer, which I only got to play after starting work on Pepper Grinder. There are levels with cannons that are obviously nods to Donkey Kong Country. I also drew inspiration from various media such as Tank Girl, Gurren Lagann, and the artwork of Yoshitomo Nara.

Pepper Grinder is among a growing collection of neo-retro games that have been released on Switch in recent years. Have you always been interested in tapping into this nostalgic aesthetic, and how do you think Pepper Grinder differentiates itself from the neo-retro landscape?

there are such a wide variety of challenges game development can present

I do appreciate the aesthetics of older games, but it is also about the scope. Pixel art requires a lot of attention to effectively express ideas, yet once you’re comfortable in that domain, it allows for far more agility and speed in production, especially when you have a smaller team. As for how it stands out, I honestly didn’t put much thought into that. I simply created a game I always wanted to play but could never find, and it appears that many others want to play it too!

The retro feel extends beyond Pepper Grinder’s gameplay — we specifically loved (almost) flipping through its SNES-inspired manual! How closely have you collaborated with publisher Devolver Digit