INDIEsperations: “Bot Gaiden”

The great King Solomon once wrote, “there is nothing new underneath the sun.” This is certainly true for the video games we play, as we can see little hints of inspiration in every corner of the gaming world. This is especially true within the indie gaming scene, as developers create without corporate constraints to limit their imaginations. Many of these indies draw so heavily on mainstream titles that many will see those games as “spiritual successors”. I have a different name for them. I call those titles “INDIEsperations”. 

The retro powerhouse Ninja Gaiden has certainly inspired its share of modern titles, especially in the indie scene. Though there are many heirs, one title rises above the rest, drawing inspiration from Ninja Gaiden’s mystique and style. This is Bot Gaiden!

Bot Gaiden is the result of seven years of development by SwordSwipe Studios. It’s a three-man team: Doug Pohl, Mike Gracik, and Chad Feldpausch. Pohl,  the creative director of the team, had the desire to create a game that he and his children could enjoy together. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Pohl and speak with him about the game via Discord.

“I remember growing up in the early ’90s and watching my older brother playing games like Mega Man, Contra, and Ninja Gaiden. I have fond memories of being just a spectator, “ Pohl recounts. These fond memories would act as the catalyst for the creation of the game.

From the very moment the team began working on the game back in 2015, speed of play was the focus. “We wanted the action in this game to be fast, just like it was in Ninja Gaiden. One-hit enemy kills, fast platforming, and memorable boss fights. As we kept going, we kept saying ‘we can make it faster,’ and we did.” In Bot Gaiden, moving quickly through the levels and slicing through enemies gives players rewards at the end of each level, which in turn allows the player to move through the game faster than before. 

With all this emphasis on speed, the developers couldn’t lose touch with their muse. Pohl comments. “We didn’t want to move too far away from Ninja Gaiden’s inspiration, so we adapted the game’s style to match. We put in mechanics where you stick to walls and flip. Also, many of the enemies resemble the ones from the original.” Players remark about how much Bot Gaiden feels like its predecessor, even though its visuals are vastly different. 

At some point early in Bot Gaiden’s development, Pohl saw it necessary to approach the visuals of the game differently. “We considered using pixel art at first, but we wanted a more comic book-like style. That is when we got Chad to lead the artwork, and we then saw the potential from that.” One would think that opting to exclude pixel art from the game would disconnect Bot Gaiden from its main inspiration, but it actually brought about the opposite result. 

“People loved it!” Pohl exclaimed. “They loved the HD visuals and still saw Bot Gaiden as being a faithful tribute to the Ninja Gaiden games on the NES.” As time went on, more features were added, including a timer for speedrunners and a couch co-op mode very similar to that of Contra.

Pohl chuckled as he explained this feature. “The only time I could play with my brother was when he switched on co-op mode on Contra. I think couch co-op is the best way to play with friends, and I wanted that to be a part of Bot Gaiden.” The co-op mode allows for two players to be on the screen at the same time, and the player who is dragging behind is given a little speed boost to catch up to the other. Players can even teleport to each other instantly if they get into a bind. 

After seven long years of development, Bot Gaiden is finally completed and now available on Steam. Even with that achievement, Pohl still has big plans for it. “This game was designed to be played on a Nintendo system. I want it on the Switch eventually.” Bot Gaiden is currently available for download on Nintendo Switch systems.

“I want everyone to play this game,” Pohl said. “It would be great to see speedrunners get through it fast and casual players push through its challenges. I want people to enjoy it, and I think that if they tried it, they would.”  

As Bot Gaiden gains more traction among modern and retro gamers alike, the winds of change begin to howl. As hard as new titles try to push the limits of graphic fidelity closer and closer to photorealism, many players long for days when each pixel told a story. With no hint of budging from their quest for superiority, AAA developers inadvertently created an underground movement of indie developers who draw inspiration from the golden age of gaming when the NES reigned supreme! Pohl and SwordSwipe Studios see this trend, and Bot Gaiden is yet another example of how “INDIEspirations” are beginning to crop up everywhere we look!

J.R. Sommerfeldt is a family man, licensed counselor, farmer, fiber artist, and indie game enthusiast living in the heartland of America. He has found solace living the simple life, and his preference for games centering around narratives, crafting, and exploration is a testament to this.