I Made the Game I Always Dreamed of Playing

When I was ten years old, video games felt like magic.

I spent hours exploring worlds filled with impossible creatures, mysterious castles, hidden treasures and heroes who never gave up. I grew up playing games like Jazz Jackrabbit 2, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Mega Man X, Rayman, Commander Keen, Heart of Darkness and Sonic the Hedgehog.

Every game opened a door to another world. Every adventure made me wonder what might be waiting around the next corner.

And somewhere in that little boy's imagination, a dream began to take shape.

One day, I want to make my own game.

Not just a game to play, but a world of my own. With characters I created, adventures I imagined, and a story I could tell in my own words. A story inspired by the things I loved: the dark mystery of Dracula, the swashbuckling adventures of Treasure Island, and the wonderfully strange monsters of classic creature films.

Life moved on. I grew up, learned to create software, and followed my own path.

But that childhood dream never really disappeared.

Then, I became a father.

When my son was born, something changed.

I started thinking about my own childhood differently. I remembered the afternoons spent playing my favourite games, the excitement of discovering a secret passage, the satisfaction of finally defeating a difficult boss, and the feeling that a whole universe was waiting on the other side of the screen.

And I found myself wondering:

What if I could give my son something like that?
What if the worlds that shaped my childhood could become part of his, too?

Not by simply bringing back the games I grew up with, but by creating something new — something that carried the same spirit of adventure, humour, discovery and heart.

Something we could share.

A little rabbit. A brave sergeant. And a very special turtle.

That's where Rocket & Oliver began to take shape.

I started building a world inspired by the games I loved as a child, filled with colourful characters, strange creatures, dangerous adventures and secrets waiting to be discovered.

The Reptile Tribe was born from that imagination: a fantastical jungle civilisation of reptilian warriors and ancient mysteries. At its heart is a character especially close to our family — our own little turtle, Tea Pet, who inspired the tribe's chief.

It's a small personal detail hidden inside a much bigger adventure. But to me, that's what makes creating this game so special. Pieces of real life, childhood memories and a father's imagination all find their way into this world.

Every level, every character and every ridiculous little creature carries a piece of that journey.

And somewhere along the way, the dream stopped being just about making a game.

It became about making memories.

From my childhood to yours.

I'm making Rocket & Oliver for everyone who misses the feeling of discovering a great platformer for the first time. For those who grew up running through colourful worlds, fighting impossible bosses and believing that the next adventure would always be the best one yet.

But I'm also making it for a new generation of players — including my son.

I hope that one day, he'll sit down, pick up a controller and discover a world that his dad built with love. I hope he'll laugh at its silly characters, get frustrated by its toughest challenges, celebrate its victories and remember the adventures long after the screen goes dark.

And perhaps, years from now, he'll look back on Rocket & Oliver the way I look back on the games that inspired me.

That would mean more to me than anything.

Because some dreams are worth carrying with you from childhood into adulthood.

And some adventures are worth creating so you can share them with the people you love.