At PAX East, we had a possibility to take a seat down with the full of life Nico Papalia and Best Hat Studios – developer of Athenian Rhapsody, and its newly-announced prequel, Stories of Tuscany (freeing on “no matter you play video games on,” together with Transfer, in 2026).
We needed to be told a little bit extra about what impressed the sort of mad-cap universe, and the place the WarioWare / EarthBound / Pokémon-esque concepts all stemmed from. Whilst it used to be a little bit of a problem to speak over the raucous laughter coming from the gang collected on the demo sales space, we controlled to get an inside of glimpse at Papalia’s unexpected backstory and his paintings on each video games.
Here’s our interview with Nico, which used to be simply as entertaining and zany because the universe those video games are founded in…
Nintendo Lifestyles: So, let’s get started from the highest — what used to be the muse in the back of the universe of Stories of Tuscany and Athenian Rhapsody? There appear to be some Earthbound vibes in there…
Nico Papalia: Truthfully, I did not even play Earthbound till AFTER I began Athenian Rhapsody – amusing truth! I bit into it and used to be like, ‘I think like this meshes with me,’ and I felt love it gave the impression of what I used to be making. Surely impressed by means of Pokémon on Recreation Boy Advance, performed numerous that. I additionally performed numerous Fort Crashers – The Behemoth are my buddies, so I talked to them so much, and we are in fact discussing running on one thing in combination too — very slapstick-y, you already know — however they are so tight about their IPs, so… we are nonetheless speaking.
I had large concepts – however I by no means knew programming, I went to university for artwork, I used to be doing conventional pencil artwork and stuff – I did not know what I used to be doing. So it constructed through the years, and I am very lucky and fortunate that I used to be in a position to percentage this on the scale that I did, and switch it into my process. It is very non-public.
“Slapstick-y” is unquestionably the best phrase for those video games, they are hilarious.
Yeah, it does not take itself too critically, so the muse for the arena is solely mainly my lifestyles, my buddies, and what I believe is humorous these days. I’m going to simply throw humorous issues in there as I call to mind them – and the avid gamers appear to adore it. I am a solo dev, so I will more or less have the overall say and do exactly no matter I need. It is amusing. Within the first recreation, I took some dangers and had this ‘invisible grilled cheese’ within the map, like an merchandise, and I believed no person used to be going to search out it – however any person discovered it inside of 8 hours of release! I crashed out on social, I bugged out.
Will there be any secrets and techniques or easter eggs to search out in Stories of Tuscany?
There are not too many secrets and techniques but – I am nonetheless growing it, and I simply completed the primary tale, so now I’ve to do the ‘evil’ tale, and I’m going to more or less simply throw some additional stuff in there sooner than it releases, more than likely round spring 2026.
Let us know a bit of extra about how the 2 video games range.
, making Athenian Rhapsody used to be more or less gradual. I began with GameMaker, and it simply more or less snowballed. So I truthfully did not actually know what I used to be doing, going into the primary recreation. It used to be in 4:3 ratio, like Recreation Boy Advance – as a result of I am a large GBA man. So in the beginning I used to be like, “Yeah, that is superior!” Then, you already know, it involves porting it and I am like… “Oh no.”
So, Stories of Tuscany is within the RIGHT answer. It is also were given extra regulate customisations, quality-of-life stuff like that. Spherical 2: larger, higher, more potent. I really like to mention, Athenian Rhapsody is like Pokémon Emerald, and Stories of Tuscany is extra like Pokémon Black & White – in accordance with the battles and stuff, with the digicam motion, sprite paintings, stuff like that.
So you are obviously a large Pokémon fan too! What are one of the vital other video games you performed rising up?
I performed numerous Recreation Boy Advance video games – Madagascar, Energy Rangers Dino Thunder, Minish Cap, and such things as that. My grandma would simply move purchase them for me. Or I performed Crash Bandicoot at the PS2, and I’d just keep within the beginning space and mess with stuff – I by no means improved within the recreation, and that used to be in fact more than likely what I do with these kinds of video games. I by no means improved; I simply did issues. And I assume all of it more or less simply shaped that inspiration for me.
Fascinating – so are you a little bit of a completionist then? As a result of this recreation — with the entire other possible choices and storylines — turns out a little bit overwhelming for a completionist, like you have to by no means *in fact* whole it fully.
what, when I used to be an adolescent, I used to be extra of a completionist; I might 100% whole Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze and stuff like that. However numerous instances, I used to be simply more or less a silly man who did not know what I used to be doing. I could not advance throughout the plots, I by no means were given Rayquaza [in Pokémon Emerald] – so I’d just move and do random issues. And now, I am in fact more or less the other of that. So making Athenian Rhapsody and Stories of Tuscany, I desire a child so to simply move round and feature amusing.
The video games appear to be designed almost like a relentless dopamine hit. Gamers are allowed to only be mischievous and do no matter they would like. And there is more than likely no manner you have to enjoy each and every unmarried selection to be had to you within the video games.
That is precisely it! That is more or less what me and my buddies like. You more or less need to get in there a couple of instances, and how it labored out, some avid gamers like that, and a few do not. Some persons are that function, numeric, “I am performed, take a look at the field” factor – however with those video games, the enjoy is at all times going to be other, relying on who you have got to your birthday party and the decisions you are making. Any other factor is that, it does not really feel ‘best possible’, and numerous other people like that.
Did you at all times intend for the sport to be a ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ taste like that?
Yeah, I at all times supposed for it to be like that, however I did not precisely understand how to do it in the beginning. I could not determine it out. So, Athenian Rhapsody used to be now not programmed really well… Stories of Tuscany is programmed a lot better, I used to be in a position to drag it off higher. However I simply needed to get started small and construct off of it, as a result of I had large concepts – however I by no means knew programming, I went to university for artwork, I used to be doing conventional pencil artwork and stuff, I did not know what I used to be doing. So it constructed through the years, and I am very lucky and fortunate that I used to be in a position to percentage this on the scale that I did, and switch it into my process. It is very non-public.
As any person who studied artwork and went to university for it, did that lend a hand with the improvement of the sport itself – a minimum of, the artwork facet of it?
That is in fact a unwell query – it will have to have! I went to SUNY Oneonta, superior faculty, I had numerous nice academics. I used to be all into anatomy — transformational anatomy — and it took me more or less some time to determine it out, the usage of house and personality design.
So once I began Athenian Rhapsody, my pixel artwork used to be very deficient – I did not have those fully-saturated colors but, I did not determine that out but. My sprites, I used to be doing the pillow shading… so it took me some time to get it. There may be some more or less interlink, however that talent unquestionably wasn’t speedy; I needed to discover ways to get right of entry to that a part of my mind, studying the fundamentals of pixel artwork. Even in Athenian Rhapsody, whilst you play it, you’ll be able to see there are 10 issues occurring in a single room; that is as a result of I did not know what I used to be doing with the distance! That truthfully resulted in this sense of extraordinarily hyper tempo, issues round each and every nook…
However it works! The absurdism is what makes all of it so endearing. A part of it sounds love it used to be unintentional, trial-and-error, however that in fact was a actually cool factor.
Precisely! And I used to be simply doing what I sought after to do. I were given fortunate that folks preferred it. Some other people assume it is a little an excessive amount of, however I have additionally heard from numerous avid gamers who actually love it, pronouncing they love the tale. Any other e-newsletter, the reviewer stated he concept the tale “modified vibes an excessive amount of,” and that is the reason the place he wrote me off for issues. However I have were given folks — particularly more youthful children, however numerous adults, too — pronouncing they love that in regards to the tale!
And I in my view assume it is very wanted. A large number of instances on this business, other people can take themselves a bit of too critically, and I respect that you are simply doing what you wanna do. It kind of feels like persons are attracted to that.
Yeah, I try to get very non-public and display myself as I’m. That is how I constructed this, doing tutorials on-line and construction a following simply being myself. I simply took my telephone and filmed my display appearing “Lately I did this,” and I used to be simply being actual. However I am fortunate, I nonetheless simply get to do no matter I need. Like for Stories of Tuscany, the crew concept it used to be a bit of little bit of a possibility, making the primary personality a sheep…
Lambypoo – it jogs my memory of my canine’s toy, Lambchop!
Oh my god, YES! That is precisely it! I’ve 100 of the ones laying round my space, ripped up! That is the place it got here from, I am so satisfied you stated that! So I used to be identical to… yo, what if I had a button, the place the lamb simply began “baaa”-ing? And that’s the reason the place the theory for the ‘Baa’ button got here from. , it does not at all times should be this “Grasp X, rate your sword…” – you’ll simply have amusing with it. So the ‘Baa’ became an interplay software – you’ll smash vegetation and vehicles and stuff, as a result of other people simply wanna do amusing stuff, just like the dopamine hits we mentioned previous. So I am seeking to hone in on that.
I am nonetheless stunned you hadn’t performed the Earthbound / Mom video games previous to beginning your first recreation. It appears like the sort of non secular successor to these video games.
Proper? And with regards to the flavor textual content in the ones video games, just like the choices are: “Yeah”, or “I am lactose illiberal” – that is precisely how I write, too. It nearly unlocked one thing, once I noticed that. I used to be like, ‘Ok, so that is ok what I am doing, this irreverence.’
I watched a documentary on Earthbound, and the director used to be pronouncing he had an overly intuitive means – he did not plan all of it out, he simply did it block-by-block, and that is the reason precisely what I do, too. So I assume it is that very same mind sort, possibly? And I had buddies from my faculty who had been seeking to inform me: “Yeah, you need to block the entire recreation out” and all of these items, and I used to be like: “Dude, however I am converting it each day?”. So there are numerous variations between the 2 video games and what sort of I deliberate out Stories of Tuscany, however they are the similar spirit.
Talking of Earthbound, I have heard you refer for your video games as “JRPGs” a couple of instances – what does that label imply to you in particular?
Truthfully, I have been pronouncing “JRPG” in recent years simply because I call to mind a long-narrative-based recreation, and “RPG” is simply too extensive. However I do not know… I additionally name it an “IRPG” occasionally — “Italian RPG” — as a result of I am Italian, and Italians do like lengthy conversations.
For any person who is by no means heard of both of your video games, what is the something you can say to get them to try this sequence?
Out of the entire RPGs and JRPGs in the market, there are so much, and a excellent one who actually makes it to the end line is difficult to search out. This recreation has numerous love in it, there is something to like in it for everyone, that is a large a part of how I made the sport. I cherished Recreation Freak’s early philosophy of seeking to strike a stability between ‘lovable’ and ‘cool’, and the way everybody has a favorite pokémon. And with Athenian Rhapsody, I attempted to make one follower that everybody may just love. It is the recreation that conforms to what you favor, and everybody gets one thing out of it. The ‘rhapsodies’ are like Gen 1 buying and selling; I sought after everybody to get one thing out of it. In Pokémon, you’ll port your Pokémon throughout the entire consoles, and that is the reason more or less what I used to be seeking to do. We will see how that works!
So, the ‘munchkins’ are coming round again, too, best this time, the weasels are staring at you and ruining the entirety. This new characteristic turns out beautiful merciless, and I am questioning what took place to you as a kid that made you wish to have to torture other people?
HA! So, within the first recreation, I had a debug possibility within the ‘pause’ menu — only a placeholder — and it used to be referred to as ‘munchkins’, and these kinds of silly issues. And I used to be like, eff it, I am gonna make ‘munchkins’ an actual factor. So mainly, you need to wait, like, 8-10 hours to obtain them, and you’ve got a 50% likelihood of failing… and if it really works, it is only a image of a few artwork of mine that claims like, “Congratulations” – however I did not notice everybody used to be going loopy over that!
So with Stories of Tuscany, I believed ‘Ok, I would possibly not have a random 50% likelihood of failing on the finish… however there WILL be weasels… and the weasels come and slowly move around the display, and after they let you know, you need to press an enter, in a different way they’re going to corrupt the munchkin.’ I believed, ‘I will’t do exactly the similar factor once more’, so I modified it up a bit of bit. No one else is doing munchkins! No one else is doing one thing to the participant the place they are like, ‘No, you do it the way in which I need you to do it, or else you fail, and I am not making it more uncomplicated since you’re complaining.’
You might be simply going to make the sport you wish to have to make, and purposely reside outdoor of the field. Was once there anything else too loopy in Stories of Tuscany that ended up getting vetoed but?
Yeah, there are some things my publishers inform me I’ve to edit… I do know extra the best way to skirt the road now, however there have been a couple of portions that may have to modify. There may be this personality from Athenian Rhapsody referred to as Uncle Billiard, and he is on this one once more as a result of he is a super personality – and he has this scorching canine position, however all of them name the recent canine ‘wieners’… and there is this one personality who is like, “Oh yeah, my double wiener sandwich…” and having a look again on it, I am like, “I will’t simply be throwing ‘wiener’ round like that.” Or like, I sought after to have an enemy with a plumber’s crack, and a mechanic the place you need to throw issues in it. And I in fact vetoed that for Athenian Rhapsody, as it used to be more or less disgusting.
…Ask forgiveness, now not permission?
Yep, that is my motto!
Do you have got plans so as to add any further to this universe, or do you assume you’ll be able to move in a wholly other route?
Truthfully, I believe this IP used to be a excellent one, it is robust. I did in particular wish to do 3 RPGs.
Why 3, on account of Earthbound?
Oh, I did not even take into accounts that! I simply concept it might be a pleasing quantity.
You will have to do 3, and simply by no means free up the overall one right here.
HA, yeah, I’m going to simply say there is a 3rd! , I did firstly wish to do 3, however making this recreation, I am nearing the tip of the inventive construction, and I more or less wish to take a smash from RPGs for a little bit. We are doing the cell recreation, too – it is referred to as Goobie Lawn, and Thunder Goober is in it, he clearly hit one thing, so although I do make a decision to take a smash with the IP, I’m going to at all times come again to it. However I believe for my subsequent console recreation, I might cherish to do one thing a bit of extra easy, mechanic-based… possibly a battler? I might cherish to do a roguelike recreation. No longer certain but although!
This interview has been calmly edited for readability.
Thanks, Nico Papalia (@AthenianRhapso1 on X) and the crew at Best Hat Studios, for taking the time to reply to our questions. Stories of Tuscany will likely be coming to PC and consoles in 2026.
Will you be enjoying Stories of Tuscany when it releases? Did you play Athenian Rhapsody? Tell us within the feedback under.
