With its whimsical visuals, nostalgic soul, and a genre-defying core mechanic, “Ruffy and the Riverside” is shaping up to be one of the most original indie platformers of the decade. Developed by the passionate minds at Zockrates Labs, the game invites players into a vibrant hand-drawn world — one they can literally reshape through a groundbreaking texture-swapping mechanic.

We caught up with Patrick from Zockrates Labs — the studio’s founder and art director — to uncover the game’s creative origins, design hurdles, and the artistic vision behind this inventive new title.

The Origin Story Behind Ruffy’s World

Could you share the genesis of “Ruffy and the Riverside?” What inspired the game’s concept and its distinctive texture-swapping mechanic?

The idea for the swap came about by a funny coincidence. I was looking at old level drawings and there was this drawing of a waterfall. The drawing was black and white, and I couldn’t tell if it was a waterfall or a lava flow. It could really be either and I thought to myself, how cool it would be if it could really be BOTH. You would just have to be able to swap the texture and the world would be a completely different place. The idea for the SWAP was born.

At first, we worked with an inventory where you could collect and use textures, but that was too cumbersome, so we switched to the copy and paste system.

This moment of creative serendipity laid the foundation for Ruffy’s most defining gameplay mechanic. One that puts the player’s imagination in control of the world around them.

Inspired by Nostalgia, Crafted With Care

The game boasts a unique hand-drawn art style reminiscent of classic 90s platformers. How did your team’s background as artists influence this aesthetic choice?

It was more our background as N64 fans. As kids, we just played all the N64 and PlayStation classics over and over again, and that automatically slipped into our own game.

We never wanted to make a ‘retro’ game, but the whole N64 aesthetic is our personal ‘happy place’ and we wanted to implement that in our game.

Rather than mimic retro games, Ruffy and the Riverside feels like a love letter to a formative era. Modern sensibilities are in every frame.

Balancing Innovation with Gameplay Flow

What were the primary challenges in implementing the texture-swapping mechanic, and how did you overcome them during development?

The copy and paste idea was the deciding step. Suddenly the SWAP could be used very quickly and easily. Next, we made sure that the SWAP could actually be used in many situations. We experimented with interchangeable materials, times of day, colours, numbers, even people, mirror images and a lot more. The swap should be really versatile, but Ruffy shouldn’t be overpowered either. I think we found a good balance.

Another important insight was that the puzzles get better when you don’t just need to do a single swap, but have to perform a series of swaps. As a player, you really get into the flow and can work towards a goal step by step. The world changes bit by bit in front of your eyes and that’s really fun.

From simple beginnings to complex puzzle chains, the swap mechanic evolved into something that fuels exploration and layered problem-solving.

Empowering Players Through Creativity

What do you hope players will take away from their experience with “Ruffy and the Riverside?“

I think it would be best if they saw themselves as doers. As someone who changes the world because they have good ideas. Our audience is mostly adults, but I would love to see children find confidence in their own imagination. That would be really great. With all the stuff that is thrown at us all day, you definitely need self-confidence and self-belief.

This vision goes beyond entertainment. Moreover, it’s about inspiring agency, wonder, and trust in one’s own creativity.

Feedback-Driven Development

How has player feedback from demos or early access influenced the game’s development?

All in all, it was a great relief that the game was so well received. The look and the SWAP really struck a nerve. But of course, we also got a lot of suggestions, and we are trying to implement as much of it as possible. Some of it is about technical things like V-Sync and Audio Settings, others are asking for a Mac version and physical versions (yes, we are working on it). Of course, we try to implement as much of the feedback as possible, but on the other hand, we are a small indie studio and Ruffy is our first game, so please guys, don’t apply AAA standards.

Like many indie gems, the creators are not the only ones responsible for shaping Ruffy. The players are also cheering them on.

Features Left Behind — For Now

The texture-swapping mechanic is a standout feature. Were there any scrapped mechanics or alternative ideas that didn’t make it into the final game?

The SWAP was the most important feature from the start and we also worked on it the hardest. But of course we had some more ideas. For example, in earlier versions, Ruffy could not only throw textures, but also fireballs to defeat enemies. I still like the idea, but it caused problems with the controls. We could have solved that, but Ruffy always had to stop to throw. That’s okay for the puzzle-like texture swapping tasks, but in battle it always felt inappropriate, so we left it out and expanded Ruffy’s attacks instead. He got a spin attack and a stomp attack. Maybe we’ll tackle the feature again when we make a second part (if we make a second part).

Some ideas were shelved. This is not from lack of ambition, but in service of smoother gameplay. And they might return one day.

Is This the Beginning of a New Series?

Do you see Ruffy and the Riverside as the start of a franchise, or do you envision your next project being something completely different?

Absolutely. We would love to make more Ruffy games. We still have a lot of ideas and we would love to see Ruffy in more wild scenarios. Let yourself be surprised.

Fans hoping for more Ruffy adventures are in luck! Zockrates Labs is just starting up.

Why You Should Be Watching Ruffy and the Riverside

As Ruffy and the Riverside nears release, it’s already capturing attention with its heart, humor, and groundbreaking creativity. This game started as a clever idea on a sketchbook page. Now, it is poised to become one of the year’s most memorable indie releases. Backed by a small but passionate team, this game isn’t just nostalgic — it’s revolutionary.

Whether you’re drawn by the art, the puzzles, or the joy of shaping your own world, “Ruffy and the Riverside” is a game worth your time and your imagination.

Title: Ruffy and the Riverside
Developer: Zockrates Laboratories
Publisher: Phiphen Games
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Launch Date: June 26th 2025

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