At WX, Wakefield over 50 games will be demoing, along with 400+ developers, game industry publishers, investors and platforms in attendance for GaMaYo 25! Join us on the 13th of November for a day full of demos and round tables.
This event is brought to you by Game Republic along with their Official Partners Barclays Games and Creative, Xsolla and Red Kite Games, with event sponsors Plus Accounting, Escape Technology, HP and AMD.
Today we are looking at ‘Spike & Chuck’ which is confirmed to be at the event, from coolgamesbynat!
Spike & Chuck by coolgamesbynat
What would be your description of your game?
Spike & Chuck are late for work! It’s up to you to get them there in this crazy 2D animated puzzle platforming game, using both characters to clear levels via picking up and throwing each other to complete single screen challenges, with an emphasis on speedrunning and improving your skills with subsequent replays! The game is due for a 2028 release and will be available for free on both Steam and itch.io. Winner of “Best Game Design” at ExpoTees 2025.
How did development start? (Were there any key inspirations or ideas that drove you?)
Development on Spike & Chuck began as a small prototype to showcase my design skills for a 2024 university project. I received praise for the idea and in 2025 for my Final Year Project, decided to revive the game to a full, polished experience, creating a 10 level vertical slice demo that’s ready to expand into a full game! The game is inspired by many different classic games, such as Fireboy & Watergirl (2009), Wario Land 4 (2001), Donkey Kong ’94 (1994) and Toejam & Earl (1991), with an emphasis on a striking cartoon artstyle and a twist on usual gameplay formulas that’s easy to pick up, hard to master.
Tell us about the team behind the game!
The game is being developed completely solo, by me, coolgamesbynat. Coding, artwork, sound and all. As such, it’ll take a while to come out, but I aim for this game to be a true showcase of my abilities as a game developer!
What kind of experiences do you hope to bring players?
I hope this game brings a frantic, fun experience to players. Playing with another person in co-op I found really allowed players to communicate amongst each other, working together to solve problems and never letting a failure be a discouragement. Playing the game solo allows you to focus on clearing levels as quickly as you can and finding alternate routes to shave time – the game has a time attack element to it, and I encourage players to work outside the box and figure out secrets! The game was really popular during playtesting and with it having a leader board, I found people at events enjoying trying to beat each other’s times. My main goal with Spike & Chuck is to provide a fun, tricky and “one more go” feeling to players, encouraging replays and sharing the game amongst each other.
In 10 words or less, highlight the appeal of the game!
Action-packed platforming with fun visuals and co-op focus!
Any links to access/wishlist the game?
The demo will be available for download on my itch.io page, coolgamesbynat.itch.io, made available when the first trailer’s out (hopefully before the event). Follow me there for updates and blog posts throughout the game’s development! You can watch my other trailer for the game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIlGyWouIXI