Summary
Pepper Grinderis a 2D action platformer with several classic gaming inspirations. Stepping into the shoes of the titular Pepper, players dive smoothly in and out of land and water using their drilling mechanism in a manner comparable to a dolphin. It’s an image that also makes sense givenPepper Grinder’sretro platforming inspirations, which include the 90s blast-from-the-pastEcco the Dolphinand 80sDig Dugas just a couple of examples. In particular, many gamers may recallEccovery well as one ofSega’s hardest Dreamcast games, andDig Dugremains a fan-favorite from the 80s to this day.Pepper Grinderalso draws inspiration from various other sources in its blend of retro and modern mechanics, something that could make it a fresh addition to today’s typical platforming landscape.
In a recent interview, Game Rant spoke with solo developer Riv Hester of indie studio Ahr Ech about how classic video games likeEcco the DolphinandDig Dugspecifically inspiredPepper Grinder.Hester also revealed more about how other classic and modern platforming games were influential.
How Dig Dug And Ecco The Dolphin Inspired Pepper Grinder
When asked how 2D platformersEcco the DolphinandDig DuginspiredPepper Grinderbeyond more obvious elements, like digging and diving, Hester spoke about the importance of how those games made players feel and how they created a sense of freedom to move in any direction, citing replaying the 1994Sega video gameEcco: The Tides of Timemany times. Specifically, Hester also identifiedEcco’s unusual tonal shift as influential:
Eccohas always been really fascinating to me in the way it presents itself at the beginning as kind of a chill ocean exploration and puzzle-solving game and slowly changes into almost an eldritch horror thing by the end.Pepper Grinderdoesn’t really do that exactly, but there is a pretty big tonal shift as the game progresses to keep things interesting and help hint at what’s going on in the wider scope, even if Pepper’s part in everything is very focused on her own goal, and she doesn’t concern herself with the rest.
Dig Dugis aclassic arcade gamethat’s still beloved by many today. While Hester agreedDig DuginspiredPepper Grinder’s digging elements, they also identified its simplicity and “neat balance of things” as something that suited his development approach:
It gets the imagination working in a way I appreciate, and that’s something I like to strive for with my own work.
How 3D Platformers And Nintendo Games Inspired Pepper Grinder
Of course,EccoandDig Dugaren’tPepper Grinder’s only inspirations. Hester also mentioned Nintendo classicsSuper Mario Worldand DonkeyKong Country 2, two games often considered some of thebest retro games of the 90s. Possible parallels withSuper Mario Worldseem apparent with its end-of-level flags and world map, but Hester also explained howDonkey Kong Country 2was particularly influential:
A littleSuper Mario Worldfor sure, butDonkey Kong Country 2is an all-time favorite of mine and I think it informed quite a lot of what I wanted to do with a 2D platformer in terms of both world structure and how mechanics are iterated on in different ways throughout the game. And cannons. I lifted the barrel cannons wholesale apart from making them drill-powered.
Hester also identified elements from recent3D Nintendo platformerslikeFlip Swap GalaxyinMario Galaxyinfluenced many ofPepper Grinder’s platforming puzzles, adding they referenced 3D games in more ways than 2D ones for a lot of things. Altogether,Pepper Grinder’s inspirations show that even the oldest ideas can still be relevant and help create an experience that could be rather special, both for veterans and newcomers to the genre.
Pepper Grinderreleases May 29, 2025, for Nintendo Switch and PC.
MORE:After Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Franchise Needs To Hop On One Industry Trend
