Varminal - a Mario & Luigi-like Indie RPG!

New Varminal devlog is live! 🎮✨ We show off our new 3D level editor, overworld AI improvements, enemy behaviors, battle transitions, and new moves! We’ve officially caught up to - and passed - our old engine progress! #gamedev #JRPG #marioandluigi youtu.be/kZb0AlkqyfU

Since we've shown the updated attack sprites, people took note of the new look for Tara and Vyn's weapons, so it's a good time for us to finally properly show them off. Here's the concept art our key artist has drawn for us almost two years ago by now! (..jeez...)

Hey everyone, we're not dead, just working hard! We've encountered some unexpected delays so please wait a little longer for an update video... we'll be more active on our socials meanwhile, and provide some snippets of progress here and there! Here's another showcase of our attack resprites!

Was looking through Mario and Luigi RPG key art, and for some reason this was one of the results. This isn't Mario & Luigi who're these guys??? #fanart #furryfanart #Varminal @animalrpgdev.bsky.social

Commission for @animalrpgdev.bsky.social of their indie game, Varminal‼️

www.patreon.com/cw/Varminal Since Ko-Fi is still struggling to work for a lot of users, we have launched a Patreon page now! Check it out and join one of the tiers if you'd like to help make this game a reality!

Everything's going as intended.

📢Development Update!📢 Another part of the battle system is finished - finally, all the death & revive animations are completed! This time, instead of a generic crystal, a special rejuvenating balm is the item needed to wake your friend back up.

Fanart Friday!! Today’s fanart, @animalrpgdev.bsky.social !! I absolutely adore how this game looks so far, I can’t wait for the full release!! #Varminal #fanartfriday #furryart

Hey all! It's been a while since our last big update. We're still making good progress, it just takes a bit! If you'd like to see more though, you can support us on Ko-fi! For just €5 a month, you'll get access to frequent dev streams! For €15, you get early beta access too! ko-fi.com/animalrpgdev

Guys, go check Varminal's development! For everyone who likes Mario & Luigi RPG!

Beep boop. Happy #ScreenshotSaturday! Here, have a cool menu.

Agreed! :)

it's finally real you guys

The last bio for our main characters is here! Here's some info about Vera, a masked Minal that certainly seems to stand out among the rest of the cast...

Another set of bios, probably our wordiest yet - giving some details about Tara and Vyn's unexpected rivals, Stella and Lune! As always, we have posted the clean textless artwork in our discord server, so go ahead and join if you haven't yet! discord.gg/EBkqrbrruS

Everything's going as intended.

Continuing onward with our main cast, here is some information on Plink, the robot accompanying Tara and Vyn on their adventure, and Nova, his eccentric creator!

With development moving smoother than ever, it’s time for us to finally introduce the main cast of Varminal! Keep in mind the story is still being developed so some information may be subject to change, nevertheless... here is some info about our main heroes, Tara and Vyn!

Check out our new Overworld HUD! Pretty cool looking, right? We're definitely going to further tweak the animations and polish it all up later, but what matters now is another core component of the gameplay is already implemented - we're moving at a great pace! youtu.be/SCEzPu4iqhk

The first WEEKLY Varminal Update is here! 🎉 We're switching from Game Maker to @godotengine.org for easier 3D world handling, as well as implemented character switching (like in Superstar Saga!) We're also happy to announce our new Lead Programmer joining us - Eezstreet! youtu.be/4Ed4FTJ8gic

📢Development Update!📢 Another part of the battle system is finished - finally, all the death & revive animations are completed! This time, instead of a generic crystal, a special rejuvenating balm is the item needed to wake your friend back up.

We hit 600 followers on bsky!! Thanks so much to everyone who believes in this project, we're gonna keep at it and hope we can make you all proud!

We're finally back in action! And with a new bit of progress: enemies can now be hit on the overworld, and the battle transitions have a little jingle leading into the battle theme! There's also one if you're the one that gets hit, but we'll let you discover that one yourself in the game.

Random-ish enemy formations!

Thanks to the help of our incredible discord community, Tara and Vyn now have their own little spot in Wplace! If you'd like to come and add anything in the space that's available, go to wplace.live?lat=35.97238... and add in your own Varminal doodles around our big mural!

Another bit of progress, getting poisoned and all animations accompanying that are implemented again. As well as different portraits and health icons to match! Little touches we hope will give more charm to the UI. #indiegame #indiedev #indiegames #jrpg #rpg #marioandluigi #mario #devlog

In between us adding and re-implementing other animations and features, we finished both characters' item using animations. Now they can throw them to each other, just like before, and also have a new animation for drinking stuff! Just to add that little bit of extra charm. #indiegame #rpg #indiedev

Tara's Jump counter has been re-implemented as well, but now with new animations! In the old beta, we just reused the regular jump sprites, but Paro wanted to go the extra mile, and we think it was worth it - stomping the enemies feels more satisfying than ever! #indiegame #marioandluigi #indiedev

Next on the list, the Goouls! Complete with new sprites and slightly better attack tells! (missing a few sfx for now) As well as a much nicer test background courtesy of @gardy102.bsky.social ! We keep getting closer to re-implementing everything the old demo had, but now looking SO much better!

Melee fox bug

Items are usable yet again! Complete with a new, more expressive and fluid animation. We're getting closer and closer to getting back where we were with the old battle system... but now with so much more style and charm! #Varminal #Indiegame #Indiedev

With a new art style and more skill on the team, we were finally able to finally make the menus according to the first concept behind them - now Plink displays every option, not just the move icons! A small diegetic touch to tie UI and the game world a little. #varminal #indiegames #indiedev

2022 vs Now: #Varminal #indiegames #gamedev

With the base overworld mechanics close to being fully implemented, we're ready to finally start revamping the battle system as well! Here's a look at some new animations, new UI, and new.. well, everything! (though the background is currently just a placeholder.) [🔊Sound on!]

Another move has been fully implemented! As we've said earlier, as the replacement for Mario & Luigi's bros. moves, Plink will transform into various tools for our heroes to use on the overworld. Here's the first one you'll receive in this game - the Plinkoline!

Got the critical hits back in! Originally inspired by the flashiness of critical attacks in Fire Emblem and SMBZ

Was scrolling though our old assets for the older battle demo and found the recording i made for an unfinished boss fight, sadd

It aint much but it's honest work... Got the rolling numbers effect back in from the old version! Had to actually rewrite all the code for it because of the new UI and the numbers being slightly tilted, but it looks nice I think #Gamemaker #Varminal #screenshotsaturday

Just finished re-adding jump attacks for our new updated version of the game! Also added a semi in-depth explanation on how I did it for those who are interested! (and all those ML fan games still stuck on the overworld movement :^)

We have our own version of this classic Deltarune meme now, mom we made it (credit to Dumbass Productions in our Discord)

Mini Mario's 2D segments will also be returning (as they were, in our humble opinion, probably the most memorable gameplay segments in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga), in expanded 2D platforming sections, that will be a little more challenging to make use of Plink's new platforming abilities!

As our way of adapting Mario & Luigi's field actions, Plink the robot will transform into different tools for Tara & Vyn to use! Furthermore, replacing the Mini Mario ability, you'll be able to control Plink on his own! We hope his level segments and unique abilities will be a fun change of pace.

More overworld progress! Finally, one of the enemies is in, and able to notice and chase you! They're not yet interact-able, but that won't be for long. #screenshotsaturday #Varminal #indiedev #indiegame #marioandluigi #rpg

The facelifts keep coming, and so does the game's overall progress! Take a look at our vibrant new tileset for the sewer area, made by @gardy102.bsky.social, as our duo jumps on through in a fully functional 2.5D engine, all coded by our skilled programmer MaxL0s! #Varminal #Indiegame #indiedev #rpg