Welcome to the block party.
Just because WASD Live 2024 is now over and the doors are closed until the next event, the fun is far from over. With many games played and lots of developers and publishers to speak to, in today’s interview, we’re joined by Erin Jungjohann, a game designer that was heavily involved with the hit game, BattleBlock Theater. Having released back in 2013, we revisit the past and look towards the future, here is our complete WASD Live 2024 interview:
Erin Jungjohann | BattleBlock Theater: Then & Now:
Miketendo64: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role with The Behemoth?
Erin Jungjohann: I can! My name is Erin Jungjohann and I’ve been a designer with The Behemoth since 2010. Much like the games we make, my role as a designer often shifts genres: you’ll usually find me designing levels, writing stories or tuning algorithms. Aside from BattleBlock Theater, some of my favourite games with killer blocks include Lode Runner, The Adventures of Lolo and Super Mario World.
Miketendo64: In what capacity were you involved with BattleBlock Theater?
Erin Jungjohann: I was the lead level designer for BattleBlock Theater, and so it was my team’s job to create the game’s many arenas, puzzles and death traps. Getting the pacing and learning curve just right was my main priority, picking the sequences apart, plucking challenges from one level and working them into another until each level flowed intuitively into the next. Thankfully, throughout that process we also had a small army of volunteer playtesters who generously offered us their fresh perspective over the years– I can NOT imagine doing it without them!
Miketendo64: In the 11 years since BattleBlock Theater first released, how much has BattleBlock Theater changed since 2013?
Erin Jungjohann: I still think that BattleBlock Theater has one of the most approachable and intuitive level editors out there, and thanks to players, there have been over 30,000 new level submissions since the game was released. Each of those submissions might contain up to 15 playable levels, so while we’ve highlighted some of our favorites, we’re really not sure what you might find!
Miketendo64: Are there any plans for an anniversary edition or remaster released for modern consoles?
Erin Jungjohann: We’ve definitely heard the requests at conventions and on our Discord (https://www.discord.gg/thebehemoth), and it really is just incredibly cool that so many people still love the game as much as we do. While we don’t currently have anything to announce as we continue to focus on Alien Hominid Invasion, we are very eager to have BattleBlock Theater looking its best on as many modern platforms as possible.
Miktendo64: What was your make-or-break moment when developing BattleBlock Theater?
Erin Jungjohann: We weren’t 100% sure about how to approach multiplayer when we first started developing the story campaign.
We experimented with creating story levels that were more open, with rewards that were easier to access if you had additional players but that could still be completed by only one. We had also tried a 4-player campaign but ended up finding that nearly everything could be solved by simply running toward it and button mashing, rendering certain parts of level design impossible with that many players. In the end I realized the 2 player interactions like the help-up and throw were where the game’s co-op shined, and even more so when the story level required both players to be there. We put together some sample levels and soon after had committed to making both a full-length solo and coop campaign, and I think both modes are much stronger for it.
Miketendo64: If you had to compare BattleBlock Theater to another game, what would be its closest match in terms of gameplay or theme?
Erin Jungjohann: BattleBlock Theater was directly inspired by “PDA Games”, a minigame in the original Alien Hominid. A game that came out after BattleBlock that’s somewhat similar in gameplay is Ultimate Chicken Horse, a party platformer by Clever Endeavor Games where you build ridiculously dangerous levels with the goal of failing the other players. If you want to try something that focuses even more on messing with each other, this is where I’d start.
Miketendo64: The Behemoth previously said in 2020 that there were no plans for a sequel to BattleBlock Theater. Have there been any plans since, or is it still a case of “one and done and moved on to the next one?”
Erin Jungjohann: While we still don’t have any plans for a sequel to BattleBlock Theater, we did just release the suspiciously sequel-like Alien Hominid Invasion. I think it comes down to whether we feel like we have something new and substantial to bring to a previous game’s design and visuals. With Alien Hominid Invasion there was a 20 year evolution in how Dan Paladin approached these characters and their world, and we were also able to apply our current design priorities to a run-and-gun shooter: fun, fluid movement and approachable game play for a wide audience.
Will we be inspired to take BattleBlock Theater in a different direction someday? I sure hope so! It’s such a great setting, I’m sure there’s more puzzle-platforming to be had there… or maybe something else entirely??
Miketendo64: Is there a singular memory you have of working on BattleBlock Theater that you will forever cherish?
Erin Jungjohann: I have quite a few, mostly to do with the people I worked with. You’d hear someone in the level design team (Ryan Horn, Kyle Gaynier or I) say, “oh- it works! Come check this out!” and it would be a disappearing platform puzzle powered entirely in-level by a cat, a trigger, two fans and some ice blocks. I don’t think I’ve worked on another project that was still surprising me so many months into development and the enthusiasm it created in the team was absolutely contagious.
Miketendo64: Lastly, who is your favourite character from BattleBlock Theater?
Erin Jungjohann: Oh that’s easy: it’s Concession Cat! Keeper of the Level Editor menu. He of the little bow-tie and extra chubby neck fat.
For more WASD Live 2024 content, be sure to click on this link here:
About BattleBlock Theater:
Welcome to BattleBlock Theater! You’ve got no where to go but up…on stage. Play single player or co-op to free your friends and save Hatty Hattington! Jump, solve and battle your way through a mysterious theater inhabited by highly technological felines.
Shipwrecked. Captured. Betrayed. Forced to perform for an audience of cats? Yes, all that and more when you unlock BattleBlock Theater! There’s no turning back once you’ve started on your quest to free over 300 of your imprisoned friends from evil technological cats. Immerse yourself in this mind bending tale of treachery as you use your arsenal of weapon-tools to battle your way through hundreds of levels in order to discover the puzzling truth behind BattleBlock Theater.
If solo acts aren’t your style, go online or bring a buddy couch-side to play a thoroughly co-optimized quest or enter the arenas. The game also includes a level editor so you can craft your own mind bending trials!
Key Features:
- CO-OPTIONAL GAMEPLAY – Work together… or not. Online Play! Couch Hi-Fives! Best Game Ever! Up to two players in Story, and four in Arena.
- ARENAS: Whether you’re king crowning or whale chasing, BattleBlock Theater performers have 8 arena modes to teach their enemies the real meaning of stage fright!
- INSANE MODE: One life to live doesn’t just happen on screen, it can happen on stage as well. Test your skills in the ultimate campaign challenge.
- UNIQUE ANIMATIONS: New art created for the Steam version of BattleBlock Theater! Cat guard makes its way to center stage.
- OVER 450 LEVELS! – Single player, multiplayer, arena, we have more levels than Hatty can count on his finger hands.
- 300 PRISONERS TO FREE! – Having been captured by the native feline population, it’s up to YOU to liberate them! Earn gems to free your friends by participating in deadly, gladiatorial plays.
- THEATRICAL WEAPONRY AND COMBAT! – Jump, push, pull and punch your way to victory! If that doesn’t work you can explode, freeze, poison, or digest a baby! Plus, you’ll be able to bring up two weapons at a time in a game and swap quickly.
- CREATE AND SHARE LEVELS – Create works of art in our Level Editor and then share them with all your friends (or strangers). Over 20 interactive block types galore!
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