Devlog: Designing a Platformer Where Story Comes First

When it comes to platformers, there are a few golden rules: fun gameplay, satisfying feedback (yes, that perfect coin pickup sound), clear goals, a smooth difficulty curve, meaningful rewards, and environments tailored to the challenges ahead. And often, there's a story — a red thread that ties all the levels and worlds together into a greater adventure.

In Chickenhare and the Treasure of Spiking-Beard, story isn’t just part of the experience — it’s at the heart of everything. The game takes place in a rich, colorful universe already known to fans of the films, but here, it’s the narrative that directly shapes the level design.

The movie’s thrilling treasure hunt felt like a natural fit for a video game adaptation. Our heroes have to jump, run, climb, and dodge traps at the last second — it’s a perfect recipe for a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled platformer.

“To keep everything coherent — the story, the cutscenes, the levels, the bosses — we held regular meetings to align on what really mattered”, explains Théo Pottier, game designer.

But beyond storytelling, fun remains the top priority — especially when the game is made for a younger audience.

“The story was our starting point, but the most important thing was to keep it fun. ‘Follow the fun’ was our rule,” says Brice Mattivi, the game’s producer.

Finding the right balance was key. Hopper’s new journey across the Kingdoms had to feel true to his character and the spirit of the films, while always remembering: we’re building a game, not an interactive movie.

“At the beginning of production, we had trouble syncing gameplay — especially the level design — with the narrative,” Théo admits. “To stay on schedule, we sometimes had to simplify things on the design side, which meant tweaking the story instead. It was easier to adjust than rebuilding a level.”

Once the major elements were in place, the team went back in for a second pass — polishing the story flow and adding narrative touches wherever it made sense.

“We added small moments, cutscenes, and bits of dialogue to better reflect what’s going on in the story,” Brice adds.

The result? A joyful mix of narrative and gameplay, crafted with care to deliver an adventure that feels coherent, exciting, and worthy of both the film’s legacy and the imagination of our youngest players.