What is "TopplePop," the game selected as a finalist in "SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2025"? Quick interview with the developer [TGS2025]
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/516/G051697/20250927018/
Writer: Katsuura Umi | 2025/09/27 02:58 (UTC)
At the Tokyo Game Show 2025, the indie game event “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2025” featured TopplePOP—a puzzle game developed by ArkimA from Australia—as one of its finalists. Combining elements of falling-block games with bungee-jumping mechanics to increase randomness, TopplePOP is currently on sale at a record-breaking 66% discount on Steam, where it’s available in early access, as a special promotion for TGS 2025.
Official Website for “TopplePOP”
“TopplePop” is a physics-based puzzle game inspired by titles like Tetris and Puyo Puyo, where a character dangling from a bungee rope must carefully drop blocks to clear at least four connected blocks, thereby rescuing companions trapped within. While the character’s movement feels loose and forgiving, players can’t always place blocks exactly as intended—small misalignments can cause entire structures below to collapse unexpectedly. The game strikes a balance between being easy for anyone to enjoy yet challenging enough to master, all while remaining low-stress and highly engaging.
Although TopplePop did not win an award at “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2025,” we had the opportunity to speak briefly with Tim Grant, one of the development team members, right before the event. Though it was just a casual chat, we’d like to share what he shared.
4Gamer:
ArkimA is a small three-person studio based near Sydney. How long did it take to develop TopplePop?
Tim Grant (hereafter, Grant):
Even we think it’s been too long—but since we started making the game before the spread of the novel coronavirus, it’s now been about six years. At first, development went smoothly. The concept was clear, and everything felt promising as we built a fun game. However, the pandemic affected not just our lives but also our design process. We realized that with people isolated at home or online, games meant to be enjoyed together would become even more valuable.
4Gamer:
So you decided to add a multiplayer mode?
Grant:
Exactly. As the chaos increased with four players, fun levels rose—but balancing became much harder. Initially, we focused on competitive matches, but gradually shifted toward creating a party game that thrives in chaotic situations. I have a 9-year-old son, and through playing together, I realized the game had to be enjoyable for everyone—whether winning or losing.
4Gamer:
Isn’t there too much of a gap between a child and an adult?
Grant:
You might think so—but TopplePop automatically adjusts difficulty. If someone starts dominating, future blocks will intentionally avoid desirable colors or shapes, helping to level the playing field.
4Gamer:
You’ve really thought about this in detail.
Grant:
Thank you. Since games like Tetris and Puyo Puyo have long-standing communities, we reached out to them for testing and feedback. That was incredibly helpful. The community responded very positively, even if it took time—overall, the game evolved in a great direction.
4Gamer:
How many stages are there?
Grant:
While the game features environmental themes, we built an auto-generation system, allowing nearly infinite gameplay in 4-player and 2v2 team modes. The story mode, however, is a self-contained narrative that can be completed in just a few hours.
4Gamer:
Tell us about the game’s characters, like the main monkey.
Grant:
We wanted something universally approachable—something familiar. The image of a monkey swinging down from trees on vines felt just right. In story mode, this character is reluctantly roped into helping and rescuing others—it’s hard to dislike such a cute, endearing figure.
4Gamer:
The vibrant world also seems very accessible.
Grant:
We put great care into the color design. We selected a palette where even people with color vision deficiencies can reliably distinguish block and background colors without needing to use a colorblind mode. Whether playing solo, cooperating on couch, racing for speed, or competing in tournaments—plus weekly challenges and leaderboards—we’ve created multiple modes so that many players can enjoy the game. It also supports Japanese, so we hope gamers in Japan will have fun too.
4Gamer:
Thank you very much for your time despite your busy schedule.
Tim Grant of ArkimA, developer of TopplePop Thumbnail image No.002 / Quick interview with the developer about “TopplePop,” selected as a finalist at “SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT 2025” (TGS2025)