The Funtastic
@thefuntastic.bsky.social
Maker of games and things, namely Cadence www.thefuntastic.com
Pinned
Cadence is out now!
Make music by solving circuits. It took 13 years to figure how to do this well!
Beyond the puzzles:
🐈⬛ Pet Ren, the cat!
📜 Enjoy Ren's life philosophy (all text is skippable)
🎹 Use the sandbox to make music
🧮 Or explore turing complete contraptions
Make music by solving circuits. It took 13 years to figure how to do this well!
Beyond the puzzles:
🐈⬛ Pet Ren, the cat!
📜 Enjoy Ren's life philosophy (all text is skippable)
🎹 Use the sandbox to make music
🧮 Or explore turing complete contraptions
Reposted by The Funtastic
This is like those EDM songs with Alan Watts talks layered in
I reached the end with just a few bonus levels left, mostly through trial and error and intuition. It's not a long game in that sense, and I don't have the mind for the sandbox, but it's serene, uplifting, and beautiful
Do check it out
I reached the end with just a few bonus levels left, mostly through trial and error and intuition. It's not a long game in that sense, and I don't have the mind for the sandbox, but it's serene, uplifting, and beautiful
Do check it out
Cadence is out now!
Make music by solving circuits. It took 13 years to figure how to do this well!
Beyond the puzzles:
🐈⬛ Pet Ren, the cat!
📜 Enjoy Ren's life philosophy (all text is skippable)
🎹 Use the sandbox to make music
🧮 Or explore turing complete contraptions
Make music by solving circuits. It took 13 years to figure how to do this well!
Beyond the puzzles:
🐈⬛ Pet Ren, the cat!
📜 Enjoy Ren's life philosophy (all text is skippable)
🎹 Use the sandbox to make music
🧮 Or explore turing complete contraptions
February 12, 2026 at 8:21 PM
This is like those EDM songs with Alan Watts talks layered in
I reached the end with just a few bonus levels left, mostly through trial and error and intuition. It's not a long game in that sense, and I don't have the mind for the sandbox, but it's serene, uplifting, and beautiful
Do check it out
I reached the end with just a few bonus levels left, mostly through trial and error and intuition. It's not a long game in that sense, and I don't have the mind for the sandbox, but it's serene, uplifting, and beautiful
Do check it out
Cadence is out now!
Make music by solving circuits. It took 13 years to figure how to do this well!
Beyond the puzzles:
🐈⬛ Pet Ren, the cat!
📜 Enjoy Ren's life philosophy (all text is skippable)
🎹 Use the sandbox to make music
🧮 Or explore turing complete contraptions
Make music by solving circuits. It took 13 years to figure how to do this well!
Beyond the puzzles:
🐈⬛ Pet Ren, the cat!
📜 Enjoy Ren's life philosophy (all text is skippable)
🎹 Use the sandbox to make music
🧮 Or explore turing complete contraptions
February 12, 2026 at 9:06 AM
Cadence is out now!
Make music by solving circuits. It took 13 years to figure how to do this well!
Beyond the puzzles:
🐈⬛ Pet Ren, the cat!
📜 Enjoy Ren's life philosophy (all text is skippable)
🎹 Use the sandbox to make music
🧮 Or explore turing complete contraptions
Make music by solving circuits. It took 13 years to figure how to do this well!
Beyond the puzzles:
🐈⬛ Pet Ren, the cat!
📜 Enjoy Ren's life philosophy (all text is skippable)
🎹 Use the sandbox to make music
🧮 Or explore turing complete contraptions
Me: Spends 13 years making game.
Also me: Wakes up on release day to find the big RELEASE YOUR GAME button on Steam is no longer there...
AFAICT, I'm "missing" an image that I've had for six years?!? Waiting for a response to my support ticket and feeling very defeated right now...
Also me: Wakes up on release day to find the big RELEASE YOUR GAME button on Steam is no longer there...
AFAICT, I'm "missing" an image that I've had for six years?!? Waiting for a response to my support ticket and feeling very defeated right now...
February 11, 2026 at 12:44 PM
Me: Spends 13 years making game.
Also me: Wakes up on release day to find the big RELEASE YOUR GAME button on Steam is no longer there...
AFAICT, I'm "missing" an image that I've had for six years?!? Waiting for a response to my support ticket and feeling very defeated right now...
Also me: Wakes up on release day to find the big RELEASE YOUR GAME button on Steam is no longer there...
AFAICT, I'm "missing" an image that I've had for six years?!? Waiting for a response to my support ticket and feeling very defeated right now...
CADENCE HAS A RELEASE DATE!!
✅ Good shit puzzles!
✅ Makin' sick beats!
✅ Emotions & stuff!
✅ Pet the cat!
✅ 13 friggin' years in development! 🙀
Put it in your earholes 11 Feb 2026!
youtu.be/YIN-nrFr7EQ
Steam: l.madewithmonsterlove.com/wishlist
iOS: l.madewithmonsterlove.com/ios_preorder
✅ Good shit puzzles!
✅ Makin' sick beats!
✅ Emotions & stuff!
✅ Pet the cat!
✅ 13 friggin' years in development! 🙀
Put it in your earholes 11 Feb 2026!
youtu.be/YIN-nrFr7EQ
Steam: l.madewithmonsterlove.com/wishlist
iOS: l.madewithmonsterlove.com/ios_preorder
Cadence: Release Trailer
Solve Problems. Make Music. Feel Nourished. Cadence is a minimalist puzzle game about solving circuits to create music. This is not a rhythm game, but a zen music sandbox that rewards curiosity and…
youtu.be
January 29, 2026 at 9:08 AM
CADENCE HAS A RELEASE DATE!!
✅ Good shit puzzles!
✅ Makin' sick beats!
✅ Emotions & stuff!
✅ Pet the cat!
✅ 13 friggin' years in development! 🙀
Put it in your earholes 11 Feb 2026!
youtu.be/YIN-nrFr7EQ
Steam: l.madewithmonsterlove.com/wishlist
iOS: l.madewithmonsterlove.com/ios_preorder
✅ Good shit puzzles!
✅ Makin' sick beats!
✅ Emotions & stuff!
✅ Pet the cat!
✅ 13 friggin' years in development! 🙀
Put it in your earholes 11 Feb 2026!
youtu.be/YIN-nrFr7EQ
Steam: l.madewithmonsterlove.com/wishlist
iOS: l.madewithmonsterlove.com/ios_preorder
Localising Cadence made me understand I was influenced by the East more than I consciously realised...
But also we're getting real close to shipped now!
But also we're getting real close to shipped now!
November 16, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Localising Cadence made me understand I was influenced by the East more than I consciously realised...
But also we're getting real close to shipped now!
But also we're getting real close to shipped now!
Using Unity after several years absence: I've been pleasantly surprised to find state of most things is better than I remember it.
Unity's IAP Purchasing is not one of those. Message from my future self: Just use RevenueCat...
Unity's IAP Purchasing is not one of those. Message from my future self: Just use RevenueCat...
November 15, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Using Unity after several years absence: I've been pleasantly surprised to find state of most things is better than I remember it.
Unity's IAP Purchasing is not one of those. Message from my future self: Just use RevenueCat...
Unity's IAP Purchasing is not one of those. Message from my future self: Just use RevenueCat...
It only took 12 years, but I have just implemented THE most important feature in Cadence...
#PetTheCat
#PetTheCat
August 21, 2025 at 7:14 AM
It only took 12 years, but I have just implemented THE most important feature in Cadence...
#PetTheCat
#PetTheCat
Reposted by The Funtastic
We're excited to announce that applications are open for the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant 2025 🎉
The grant will award $15,000 to five thinky puzzle game developers from all over the world, and a year's mentorship with genre veterans.
Deadline: September 28th
More info 👇
grants.draknek.org
The grant will award $15,000 to five thinky puzzle game developers from all over the world, and a year's mentorship with genre veterans.
Deadline: September 28th
More info 👇
grants.draknek.org
August 8, 2025 at 2:12 PM
We're excited to announce that applications are open for the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant 2025 🎉
The grant will award $15,000 to five thinky puzzle game developers from all over the world, and a year's mentorship with genre veterans.
Deadline: September 28th
More info 👇
grants.draknek.org
The grant will award $15,000 to five thinky puzzle game developers from all over the world, and a year's mentorship with genre veterans.
Deadline: September 28th
More info 👇
grants.draknek.org
Them: Just release your game, it's done right?
Me:
Me:
August 7, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Them: Just release your game, it's done right?
Me:
Me:
Reposted by The Funtastic
If you like flies, this is for you. If you don’t, even more so. Either way, you should get it RIGHT NOW!
July 31, 2025 at 2:26 PM
If you like flies, this is for you. If you don’t, even more so. Either way, you should get it RIGHT NOW!
This is the most conceptually challenging tile in Cadence. Have been musing for years if I should even build it, and how on earth to telegraph it to users.
Fitting the last piece of content is my best work to date - really happy with the polish here.
Fitting the last piece of content is my best work to date - really happy with the polish here.
July 24, 2025 at 7:14 AM
This is the most conceptually challenging tile in Cadence. Have been musing for years if I should even build it, and how on earth to telegraph it to users.
Fitting the last piece of content is my best work to date - really happy with the polish here.
Fitting the last piece of content is my best work to date - really happy with the polish here.
Paid Dreamhost $1000 over the last five years for a broken wordpress website because I was too lazy to port my email away from them. They rubbed salt in the wounds by making me pay an extra $20 cancellation for a "free" domain registration from over 10 years ago 🙄
July 9, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Paid Dreamhost $1000 over the last five years for a broken wordpress website because I was too lazy to port my email away from them. They rubbed salt in the wounds by making me pay an extra $20 cancellation for a "free" domain registration from over 10 years ago 🙄
Reposted by The Funtastic
Announcing our first game...
Fool King
Please join our Discord community to find out more! (Link in bio)
#indiedev #gamedev #videogame
Fool King
Please join our Discord community to find out more! (Link in bio)
#indiedev #gamedev #videogame
June 27, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Announcing our first game...
Fool King
Please join our Discord community to find out more! (Link in bio)
#indiedev #gamedev #videogame
Fool King
Please join our Discord community to find out more! (Link in bio)
#indiedev #gamedev #videogame
Today I was brutally attacked by truth...
June 23, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Today I was brutally attacked by truth...
This has been a brutal leadership lesson:
Explaining an idea to a room full of 15 people, and getting 15 different interpretations back. Especially when nuanced.
And that was just 15, not 400! I have a lot more sympathy for the derivative nature of AAA now...
Explaining an idea to a room full of 15 people, and getting 15 different interpretations back. Especially when nuanced.
And that was just 15, not 400! I have a lot more sympathy for the derivative nature of AAA now...
Another HUGE factor is creative alignment and consensus on a large team.
One of the hardest problems in big teams is getting everyone working towards a shared vision, consistently. Doing this is the job of the creative director. And it's, just, logistically very hard!
One of the hardest problems in big teams is getting everyone working towards a shared vision, consistently. Doing this is the job of the creative director. And it's, just, logistically very hard!
June 21, 2025 at 8:50 AM
This has been a brutal leadership lesson:
Explaining an idea to a room full of 15 people, and getting 15 different interpretations back. Especially when nuanced.
And that was just 15, not 400! I have a lot more sympathy for the derivative nature of AAA now...
Explaining an idea to a room full of 15 people, and getting 15 different interpretations back. Especially when nuanced.
And that was just 15, not 400! I have a lot more sympathy for the derivative nature of AAA now...
Being an adult: having the money to buy fancy Lego.
Also being an adult: waiting a year before finding the time to start building it...
Also being an adult: waiting a year before finding the time to start building it...
June 7, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Being an adult: having the money to buy fancy Lego.
Also being an adult: waiting a year before finding the time to start building it...
Also being an adult: waiting a year before finding the time to start building it...
I need to get over the idea I'm only capable of "programmer art". But also pulling off something you have no rights to is pure magic... perhaps I should start believing I can't program to recapture that beginners joy?
Anyway, can't close Blender, because how cute is this guy I made?!? 🥹
Anyway, can't close Blender, because how cute is this guy I made?!? 🥹
June 5, 2025 at 7:14 AM
I need to get over the idea I'm only capable of "programmer art". But also pulling off something you have no rights to is pure magic... perhaps I should start believing I can't program to recapture that beginners joy?
Anyway, can't close Blender, because how cute is this guy I made?!? 🥹
Anyway, can't close Blender, because how cute is this guy I made?!? 🥹
An e.g. of how mad gamedev in 2025 is:
Great, look at this niche games festival full of my prospective audience...
...with 477 niche games. That's more than the entire number of games that launched on Steam in the 2013, the year I started working on Cadence. 🪦
Great, look at this niche games festival full of my prospective audience...
...with 477 niche games. That's more than the entire number of games that launched on Steam in the 2013, the year I started working on Cadence. 🪦
June 4, 2025 at 7:14 AM
An e.g. of how mad gamedev in 2025 is:
Great, look at this niche games festival full of my prospective audience...
...with 477 niche games. That's more than the entire number of games that launched on Steam in the 2013, the year I started working on Cadence. 🪦
Great, look at this niche games festival full of my prospective audience...
...with 477 niche games. That's more than the entire number of games that launched on Steam in the 2013, the year I started working on Cadence. 🪦
Cadence is a minimalist zen game about solving circuits to generate music.
To find out what that means, there's a brand new Steam demo available as part of the #CerebralPuzzleShowcase by @puzzleshowcase.bsky.social!
store.steampowered.com/app/362800/C...
To find out what that means, there's a brand new Steam demo available as part of the #CerebralPuzzleShowcase by @puzzleshowcase.bsky.social!
store.steampowered.com/app/362800/C...
Cadence on Steam
Relax. Solve Problems. Make Music. Feel Nourished. Beautifully simple, devilishly clever - Cadence is the experimental sandbox game that uses problem-solving to create music.
store.steampowered.com
June 3, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Cadence is a minimalist zen game about solving circuits to generate music.
To find out what that means, there's a brand new Steam demo available as part of the #CerebralPuzzleShowcase by @puzzleshowcase.bsky.social!
store.steampowered.com/app/362800/C...
To find out what that means, there's a brand new Steam demo available as part of the #CerebralPuzzleShowcase by @puzzleshowcase.bsky.social!
store.steampowered.com/app/362800/C...
Producing promotional material is my anathema, but seeing Cadence taking its final form is slightly thrilling...
April 25, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Producing promotional material is my anathema, but seeing Cadence taking its final form is slightly thrilling...
Always immensely jealous of the games Alan designs... This game builds on previous titles in a really satisfying way!
The Electrifying Incident is OUT NOW on Steam and itch!
Featuring the monster from A Monster's Expedition in a brand new sci-fi setting! Explore a mysterious facility, manipulate the electrical hazards and find a way to the source of the problem.
Featuring the monster from A Monster's Expedition in a brand new sci-fi setting! Explore a mysterious facility, manipulate the electrical hazards and find a way to the source of the problem.
April 24, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Always immensely jealous of the games Alan designs... This game builds on previous titles in a really satisfying way!
Reposted by The Funtastic
April 9, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Surprised things I've forgotten about are still making ripples: 10 years ago I participated in a game jam for, of all things, the Swedish traffic department. Someone recently got in touch with me because they are still using the game for youth outreach and they want to update it
April 4, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Surprised things I've forgotten about are still making ripples: 10 years ago I participated in a game jam for, of all things, the Swedish traffic department. Someone recently got in touch with me because they are still using the game for youth outreach and they want to update it
Another unexpected use for AI:
What colour is this random hex code?
No guarantees it's right, but it's probably more accurate than my colour blind arse...
What colour is this random hex code?
No guarantees it's right, but it's probably more accurate than my colour blind arse...
April 3, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Another unexpected use for AI:
What colour is this random hex code?
No guarantees it's right, but it's probably more accurate than my colour blind arse...
What colour is this random hex code?
No guarantees it's right, but it's probably more accurate than my colour blind arse...
Good idea:
Tell your discord you're working on game again after four years of radio silence.
Bad idea:
Do this yesterday, on Apr 1st. D'oh!
Anyway, expect to see more Cadence updates here... or hop on discord for marginally more frequent news:
Tell your discord you're working on game again after four years of radio silence.
Bad idea:
Do this yesterday, on Apr 1st. D'oh!
Anyway, expect to see more Cadence updates here... or hop on discord for marginally more frequent news:
Join the Cadence Discord Server!
The official Cadence discord. A game about solving puzzles to make music. Discuss development and follow progress. | 105 members
discord.com
April 2, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Good idea:
Tell your discord you're working on game again after four years of radio silence.
Bad idea:
Do this yesterday, on Apr 1st. D'oh!
Anyway, expect to see more Cadence updates here... or hop on discord for marginally more frequent news:
Tell your discord you're working on game again after four years of radio silence.
Bad idea:
Do this yesterday, on Apr 1st. D'oh!
Anyway, expect to see more Cadence updates here... or hop on discord for marginally more frequent news: