Nintendo Embraces Indie Developers: Retro City Rampage Dev Praises Support for Small Studios

Nintendo’s evolving relationship with indie developers is drawing industry attention, as evidenced by the accolades from Vblank Entertainment, creator of the acclaimed title Retro City Rampage.

Released for WiiWare on February 28, 2013, Retro City Rampage is widely recognized as one of the final major titles for Nintendo’s WiiWare platform.

Its developer, Vblank Entertainment, has highlighted the positive working experience with Nintendo, signaling a significant shift in the company’s approach to supporting smaller studios. In a public statement shared by Brian Provinciano, the founder of Vblank Entertainment, he emphasized that his interactions with Nintendo during development were overwhelmingly positive.

This constructive partnership marks a change from earlier years when independent developers often encountered stringent requirements and technical hurdles while bringing their projects to WiiWare. The landscape for indie creators on Nintendo platforms began to improve noticeably with the arrival of the Wii U and 3DS eras.

Developers started to report greater access, streamlined processes, and more open lines of communication with Nintendo’s internal teams.

Speaking on the advancements, Shin'en Multimedia, known for the Nano Assault series, previously described the 3DS eShop as a “big step forward” for small teams.

Likewise, Broken Rules, creators of Chasing Aurora, credited the Wii U eShop for being notably more welcoming and supportive than its predecessor. This sentiment has been echoed by other notable indie studios.

Frozenbyte, developers of Trine 2: Director’s Cut, remarked that Nintendo has granted independent creators greater autonomy and operational control on the Wii U eShop.

Gaijin Games, the studio behind BIT.TRIP Presents: RUNNER2, has also acknowledged the improvements in Nintendo’s policies, calling the new framework a major advancement over the Wii, even as they recognized that there is still room for further enhancements. Nintendo’s increased willingness to collaborate with smaller studios and dismantle previous barriers has led to a richer, more diverse library on the Nintendo eShop platforms—including the Nintendo Switch.

This expanded support has empowered indie developers to bring innovative and unique games to millions of players worldwide.

By continuing to nurture and partner with creative teams of all sizes, Nintendo is not only boosting the appeal of the Nintendo Switch and its digital storefronts but also reinforcing its reputation as a platform where fresh ideas and independent voices are celebrated. As industry observers look ahead, the consistently positive feedback from studios like Vblank Entertainment, Shin'en Multimedia, Broken Rules, Frozenbyte, and Gaijin Games underscores the lasting value of Nintendo’s evolving policies.

These changes represent a win-win for developers and gamers alike, fostering both creativity and commercial success on Nintendo’s hardware platforms.

Nintendo Vblank Entertainment Retro City Rampage WiiWare Wii U Nintendo Switch Nintendo eShop Shin'en Multimedia Broken Rules Frozenbyte Gaijin Games