Popular and well-loved 3D platformer games are often well-known for their iconic stages, such as epic boss battles or other encounters that showcase stand-out levels. Some of the most iconic platforming stages of all time often included features like multiple routes, open-level design, or moments that make the experience with characters like bosses memorable. Clive 'N' Wrench is a 3D platformer game that utilizes time travel so players can experience various differently themed levels across history as its wacky rabbit and monkey duo travel through time in a 1950s-style refrigerator.
In a recent interview with Game Rant, Dinosaur Bytes' developer Rob Wass described how Clive 'N' Wrench's boss levels put a unique twist on traditional 3D platformer boss battles through their mechanics. Wass also explained more about its varied level design and what this adds to the experience for players, including fans of retro platformers who likely grew up with the genre and newcomers.
Clive 'N' Wrench's Wacky Boss Fight Mechanics And Enemies
Wacky video game villains are often significant or even somewhat expected in the 3D platforming genre, as most fans often accept that their antagonists typically have silly qualities or motivations. However, that is often all part of their fun and appeal, and many iconic villains in 3D platformers utilize poke fun at various tropes in their character design, such as games that parody The Mad Scientist trope. Clive 'N' Wrench has a core boss Dr. Daucus, plus other bosses and enemies for players to encounter. When asked how Dr. Daucus compares to other iconic 3D platformer villains, Wass explained some bosses fit into tropes known in the genre, but other enemies can be different. As Wass put it,
Some of the bosses fit into familiar “tropes” of the genre, the mad evil scientist, the brooding vampire, etc, but I think their punny names, strange backstories, and often slightly left-field “fights” should keep them interesting!
The in-game enemies can take a few different forms, some are patrolling, others have weapons to fire at you; some even barrel around in vehicles like minecarts or carriages! The way you dispatch them could be by smashing them with Wrench as you spin around, firing a cannon at them or even dropping an anvil on their head!
In some video games, boss battles and enemies often take place in dedicated boss-style arenas, with various stages and many 3D platformers tend to follow this design. Wass explained how some boss levels in Clive 'N' Wrench are traditional in some ways, but others are more mechanically varied. As Wass described:
Some of the “battles” fit into the conventional idea of a boss fight, an arena with a specific mechanic and a boss with several phases. But more often than not, they’ll be a slightly different style of level from anything else in the game. For example, Captain Bluebeard has you running through a gauntlet obstacle course in order to reach him, Annie Oaktree has you dodging flying sheep in a race to stop the train you’re on top of, from plummeting into a ravine! The idea is that each boss has a challenge that matches their personality, with the player never quite knowing what to expect.
Clive 'N' Wrench's Varied Level Design For Modern 3D Platformer Exploration
Many platformer games with great world-building often give players different things to do, such as a range of collectibles, or multiple routes to take. Clive 'N' Wrench puts a twist on most retro 3D platformers in that it gives players various options in addition to things like shortcuts, such as side quests, and different types of collectibles to find in each level, such as Ancient Scrolls, which is something that features in many modern open-world games. Wass also explained how most levels in Clive 'N' Wrench are "fairly open", allowing players who want to use all of Clive 'N' Wrench's abilities to explore every corner of the levels or to move ahead as they wish. As Wass put it,
Most worlds are fairly open, there are some gated-off areas that you have to figure out how to unlock, but once you’re in a level you can absolutely 100% it before moving on, should you wish. Of course, if that’s not your style, you can totally just do the stuff that you feel is fun, help the characters you like and move on to the next era!
Clive 'N' Wrench also features many different themed levels based around different historical settings in time owing to the time-travel element of the game's story, and towards the end of 2022 Clive 'N' Wrench revealed a Christmas level. It's also known that the game contains many secrets and Easter Eggs from other franchises, so there is a big emphasis on fun and enjoyment for players to uncover all the game's secrets as they enjoy the story and progress through each level. As Wass explained,
The game is very much gameplay/fun first, and story second. As such, time travel is the perfect “get out of jail free” card to basically create whatever area I feel is fun to run around, and interesting to explore. The idea of the fridge is kind of a double barrel reference to the original design ideas for Back To The Future’s time machine, as well as the famous “blue box” featured in Doctor Who. Of course, knowing this from the beginning means I’ve been able to tie things together in such a way that some level’s stories will also fill in some of the gaps for other levels, even if they’re in completely different locations or time periods!
It will be interesting to see what Easter Eggs and references players can find in Clive 'N' Wrench, which looks to take players on a fun and nostalgic trip down the 3D platforming memory lane. Equally, the game appears to put a twist on boss battles, level design, and beyond with its wacky character duo. It will also be interesting to see how much the game stretches the capabilities of traditional boss encounters and level design in the 3D platforming genre.
Clive 'N' Wrench will release on February 24, 2023, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.