More initiatives of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft
De
More initiatives of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft

Games Lift: Team Marty aim outside the box

The heroine may seem young and hot-headed, but there is an experienced team standing behind her: Babsi Bullet is an action-packed puzzle platformer for touchscreens. Team Marty are pouring their hearts into the game – and real craftsmanship.

(Photo above by Jan-Marius Komorek / Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft)

Christian Plinke immediately connected with André and René: "Their artwork and their game concept were just so sick," he says with a wide grin. The professional musician found his new teammates at Hamburg Indie Treff, a regular meetup for indie devs. At the time, coder André Peschka and art director René Zimmermann were developing a "Fart'n'Run" called "Marty McFart". The new project is less of a knee-slapper – but still funny.

The bullet is you

"Babsi Bullet is a 2D platformer with action puzzle elements," René explains. He is responsible for the game’s look and design. René seems eager to go into his inspirations; he can obsess about the level design of run-and-gun classics from Mega Man to Cuphead. Babsi, the protagonist, may share some DNA, but she is not a shooter – she herself is the bullet. If an opponent on the screen is tapped, she immediately zips there. This is her way of navigating through obstacle-filled levels. Players have to be smart about when and where to shoot.

Babsi Bullet's gameplay is simple, yet a lot of fun - zipping from enemy to enemy in bullet speed | Screenshot from the Babsi Bullet Press Kit

Babsi Bullet also works well with a mouse, and a controller setup is in the works, but the game is "best on the touch screen," André emphasizes. He is an experienced developer in his own right. "Our skillsets are clearly differentiated," André explains. Everyone is a master of their own area. Roles are clearly defined in the team.

But they share ownership of their project. For Christian, it is special to accompany a game from the beginning. As a musician, he often gets to participate on games that are closer to being done, where he has to work on a deadline and within certain constraints. Here, he can try things out and help set the mood. This also includes sampling – Christian has brought the sounds of a working music box to the project.

"You can tell at every turn that our game is handmade," André says. The three of them show conviction in their work. And René plays a key role. Babsi Bullet’s cartoonish look and level design are his work. The levels give the game its complexity. Moving the character remains simple – tap opponents to take their place.

Working on level design is "cool", but also "a challenge" to René. Initial playtests have led him to completely redesign passages. "A big advantage for us is that we can do elevator playtesting sessions.", he says. Playing the game is faster than explaining it. Because prototypes run on mobile phones, Babsi Bullet is easy to pick up and show around. Team Marty already know from feedback that their game is fun.

Teamwork makes the dream work: All members of Team Marty contribute to the important project decisions | Photo by Jan-Marius Komorek / Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft

Targeting the market

The core gameplay loop works, but that is just the beginning. Team Marty don't want to make an endless free-to-play roguelite. They are looking for an audience with an eye for handmade entertainment, for games with elaborate puzzles, bosses, Metroidvania elements. During the game, Babsi learns to assume different forms, which will open up new areas in old levels.

Concept art for a new Babsi Bullet level | Taken from the Babsi Bullet Press Kit

A main motivation for taking part in the incubator is the worry that a lovingly developed premium mobile game may be overlooked in App Stores. Team Marty are especially thankful for biz dev expert Cassia Curran’s clear-eyed analysis in her Games Lift workshop: Hearing that Babsi Bullet would need a lot of luck to make it in the App Store was "depressing at first," René admits. But the quality of the game is not the problem. Cassia and other experts in Gamecity Hamburg’s network inspired them to rethink their publishing options. Now, Team Marty are targeting subscription and streaming services like Apple Arcade and planning for a PC release, too.

"When the game is really out, Cassia will deserve a lot of credit" André says. Before that can happen, there is work left to do. Next up is the graduation pitch. René hopes to give the audience a first glimpse of one of the game’s bosses. It will take time and creativity to get there. But Team Marty have already shown that they aren’t boxed in that easily.

Team Marty are ready to make their project fly | Photo by Jan-Marius Komorek / Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft

This article is part of our Games Lift Log series, in which we share peeks behind the scenes of our Games Lift Incubator program and portrait the teams that joined the incubator program this year. Find more articles below the video.

Want to know more about Babsi Bullet and stay up to date? Make sure to follow their instagram account and check out the profile of their game in our project database.

More Games Lift News

Games Lift: Duck ’n’ Run raise the level

It looks like a finished game – the prototype for “Light of Atlantis” from Duck’n’Run Games has already found fans and won awards. But the trio behind it is far from finished.

Games Lift: Tales from the Garden on letting ink bloom

Some games work without words. “Garden Ink” is a playful and intuitive experience, but behind the relaxed vibe lies a lot of hard work - and a clear vision.

Games Lift: Triflgard develop more than just a pub

In “Pubcrawler”, it's not the people who are setting forth to the pub, but the other way around. Triflgard bring a sense of wit and warmth to the Games Lift incubator that also works on sober minds.

Games Lift: Rouven Cabanis has Frisia on his mind

Occasionally stereotypes can be true: The developer of a game with stunning vistas impresses in the Games Lift Incubator with his far-sightedness. A portrait of Rouven Cabanis in our Games Lift Log about his game “Frisia - Cozy Villages”

Games Lift: Kick-Off with a Bang

The new cohort of the Games Lift incubator has officially started. The kick-off event brought together new teams, experienced mentors, and alumni. On the seventh floor Am Sandtorkai, the future of the games industry is sitting on the couch.

Games Lift 2024: These are the five teams

For 2024, five great teams of Hamburg game developers impressed the awarding committee of the Games Lift Incubator with their exciting projects.

Gamecity Hamburg & four Hamburg indie game studios and developers at Nordic Game 2024

Recap: Road to Nordic - Gamecity Hamburg at the Nordic Games Conference 2024

Let's look back at our Road to Nordic program: We attended the Nordic Game Conference 2024 in Malmö, with four Hamburg indie game developers and their game projects.

Games Lift: More Successful Than Ever

It’s high time to apply for this year’s Games Lift Incubator. The next round is already gearing up. Meanwhile, the program has proven its worth: It is developing success.

Games Lift 2024: Apply now from May 2 until June 10

Applications for Gamecity Hamburg's 2024 Games Lift are open from May 2 to June 10. Five teams will receive financial support in the form of 15,000 euros, a comprehensive workshop program and access to the Games Lift Network of international industry experts. In addition, the teams can benefit from 1,000 euros in coaching budget. After a three-month workshop phase, the teams will be further supported with individual mentoring and will travel together to an international industry event until August 2025.

Games Lift Alumni: Why you should go for the Incubator

The Games Lift Incubator is a unique program offering 15,000 euros of funding, 3 months of workshops to get your game concept market-ready and a year of mentoring. Five teams per year get the chance to bring their game concept to the next level with this suppport. But if you're still not convinced that applying would be a great idea, we think it's best to see what other indie devs have to say about their time in the program: 

Games Lift: Playtests & Pizza

The Games Lift Incubator has evolved. We have plans for an entire year. That's why we've met with teams, mentors, and alumni months after the end of the workshop schedule.

Pitch Level Up 2024: Boost your pitch with expert feedback!

The Pitch Level Up is back! Join in on February 16, 11 am - 6 pm: Get individual feedback on your pitch deck from seasoned games industry professionals with different perspectives - to optimize your pitch for publishers, media, investors or funding institutions.

More News
Cookies are used to make this website work and to enhance your experience.

To learn more about the types of cookies this website uses, see our Cookie Policy. You can decide for yourself which categories you want to allow. Please note that based on your settings, not all functions of the website may be available.

Cookies are used to make this website work and to enhance your experience.

To learn more about the types of cookies this website uses, see our Cookie Policy. You can decide for yourself which categories you want to allow. Please note that based on your settings, not all functions of the website may be available.

Your cookie preferences have been saved.