Interview: Talking Klang With Tom-Ivar Arntzen

Since 2012, the Media Indie Exchange has provided an excellent platform for indie developers to showcase their games. This year there were plenty of intriguing indie titles, one of them being Klang. A rhythmic platformer with a badass EDM soundtrack, Klang made a lot of noise during the MIX event. We recently got the chance to have a Q & A with Klang‘s one-man development team, Tom-Ivar Arntzen, to discuss how the game came about, and when we can get our hands on it.

You recently had the chance to showcase Klang at the Media Indie Exchange during E3 week. How was your E3 experience, and what was the reception like for Klang?

It was an honor to have Klang selected to be shown at The MIX during E3. Because this event is geared toward media, it was also also an incredible opportunity. Both bLiNd and I went and had an amazing time demoing the game to all the press in attendance.

Overall, the reception was very favorable. Press who played the game noted that they particularly enjoyed the challenging nature of the gameplay, unique aesthetic and, of course, bLiNd’s music. We even had Eurogamer Italy name Klang one of “the best indie games of E3,” and Matt Carr of Indie Games Searchlight call it “digital electrolytes” in his “Great Indie Games from E3 2016” video.

Klang looks incredible, especially for a one-man development team. Did you have any previous experience in the gaming industry before creating Tinimations?

I had very, very limited exposure to game development prior to Klang. While I was in high school, I worked on several cancelled student projects. I also did art for an RPG maker based on a visual novel called “Shadow of the Game.” The game was about a bunch of weed smoking MMO players and didn’t do well. However, the experience I had working on it was a big reason I went solo for Klang.

The music in the game from  bLiNd is incredibly well done. How did the collaboration between you two come about?

Thank you. Both bLiNd and I are happy with the way the music turned out 🙂

I first discovered bLiNd’s music on OverClocked ReMix. After listening to several of his songs, I knew his style was a perfect fit for Klang. I also knew I wanted to work with him, so I build a prototype of Klang set to his music and sent it to him. Shortly after, we started talking more seriously about the project. However, real work didn’t begin until I secured funding.

What platforms can we expect to play Klang on in the future, and is there a projected release date?

Klang will come to PC in 2016 (exact launch date is TBD). After its PC launch, we’re looking into bringing Klang to console.