The original iPhone version

DSiWare puzzler Frenzic is nearly upon us – released this Friday in Europe and Monday for North America at 200 Points, in fact. Publisher Two Tribes graciously granted us time for an interview to find out more about the process of bringing Frenzic to DSiWare.

Nintendo Life: Can you tell us a bit about Frenzic?

Collin van Ginkel: Frenzic is a game that was initially created by the talented people at the Iconfactory for Mac and iPhone. We thought it would be a great fit for DSiWare, and we decided to bring it over and improve it where possible.

NL: What makes Frenzic stand out against the many, many other puzzlers available on DSiWare?

CvG: Frenzic is extremely pure in its design and execution. It feels like a game that is proud of what it is and does not try to hide behind storylines or boss fights. This allows us to focus on getting the basics, such as the controls and difficulty curve, just right. It’s really a great pick up and play title.

Concept art of the DS conversion

NL: You've mentioned that this is part of a campaign to re-develop indie games for small studios without the knowhow, capabilities or time to do it themselves. Did anything particularly inspire you to take on this mission?

CvG: We have announced three titles, of which Frenzic is the first one. WiiWare favourite Swords & Soldiers will be brought to iPhone and iPad and Kotaku iPhone game of the year EDGE will be brought to Steam.

We feel there are so many great games out there made by talented people or companies that do not reach the wide audience they deserve. Since we have a lot of experience with different platforms at Two Tribes, we decided it made sense to work together to bring their games to other platforms.

We’re never simply just porting the game though; we will always try to make sure it makes the most out of the target platform.

And the finished product!

NL: Why is Two Tribes the right developer/ publisher for this mission?

CvG: As I mentioned before, we have quite a lot of knowledge on all the different platforms out there. Together with our passion for high quality games, I think it makes a lot of sense for us to be doing this.

I propose you all get Frenzic this Friday (or Monday if you’re in the US) and see if you agree!

NL: Why did you pick Frenzic to redevelop?

CvG: Since it’s a new initiative within Two Tribes, we decided to start small and test the waters a bit. Frenzic met all our criteria and was the smallest game of the first three that we’ve announced.

Also, we thought we could improve the experience by utilising the DSi hardware. The double screen setup and traditional controls available on the DSi have all been used while redeveloping the game.

NL: What was working with The Iconfactory like in re-developing Frenzic? How collaborative was the process?

CvG: The people at the Iconfactory are really easy to work with. They like what we’ve done with the game and provided some great insights into what makes Frenzic tick. It was smooth sailing from start to finish.

NL: Do you plan to re-develop more indie games in the future for Nintendo platforms? Do you have your eyes set on any in particular?

CvG: We’re looking at it on a case by case basis. Frenzic for instance made the most sense on DSiWare, because of the input method being similar to a mouse or iPhone screen. EDGE may end up on a Nintendo platform, but we have not made the final call on that one.

Our main focus is on the first three now, but we’re always looking around for more games to bring to other platforms.

NL: Are there any new features for the DSiWare version?

CvG: Yes! We have made several changes to the game. The most important one where gameplay is concerned is the ‘hold’ functionality. This allows you to store a pie-piece in a container, so you can use it at a later time. Together with the newly added ‘next piece’ display, this enables players to develop new tactics.

Also, we’ve added a highscore list to the top screen that is updated while you play. This allows you to see where you are on the list in real time. More information about all this can be found on our website, on which I’ve just posted a blog about the changes and improvements.

NL: Did any part of Frenzic not make it from the original to the port?

CvG: Online leaderboards had to be left out because they are not supported by Nintendo for DSiWare titles unfortunately. Other than that it should be fully featured, including the option to switch graphics for colour-blind people!

NL: Do you yet have a release date or price set for Frenzic?

CvG: We're happy to reveal that the game will be available on Friday November 26th in Europe and Monday November 29th in America for the lowest price point possible on DSiWare. So it'll be 200 Nintendo DSi Points!

NL: Is there anything else that you'd like to tell our readers?

CvG: We have recently redesigned our twotribes.com website to allow for comments on any page! So feel free to take advantage of that and let us know what you think about Frenzic or any other Two Tribes game you’ve played!