🐸 Developing Whimside: Interview with Game Dev Toadzillart
If you've ever wanted a cute, low-stress idle game sitting right at the bottom of your screen while you work or study, Whimside is perfect for you. Developed by the duo Toadzillart and Tadpoly. This cozy desktop companion blends creature collection, whimling breeding, and customizing little biomes into a seamless background experience. We did a Q&A with Taodzillart about their journey, the secrets behind the Whimling designs, and what it takes to build a relaxing idle game that fits right into your daily routine.
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Q.To start things off, could you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background? What inspired you to start developing games?
Toadzillart: Hi! I’m Toadzillart, a French indie developer and pixel artist with a background in backend Python development. I gradually taught myself pixel art and Godot as hobbies before making Whimside, my first commercial game.
Pokémon sparked my love of creature collecting, while Stardew Valley inspired me to create my own little world. I’m also inspired by DoDoot’s short games, which show how much charm and creativity can fit into a small experience.
I handled the programming, art, music, and sound, with my girlfriend, Tadpoly, helping shape the game through design, brainstorming, and marketing.
This is Toadz
Q. Where did the initial idea for Whimside come from? How did you come up with the name Whimside? What made you decide to build Whimside as a bottom-of-the-screen desktop companion game rather than a traditional full-screen game?
Toadzillart: Funnily enough, Whimside wasn’t supposed to be a game at all! It started as a pixel-art asset pack I planned to release on itch.io. But I grew attached to its cozy atmosphere and nostalgic feel, and wanted to give those little pixels a world of their own.
Then I discovered Rusty’s Retirement, and something clicked. A tiny world keeping you company while you go about your day felt like the perfect home for my creatures. I loved the thought of someone taking a little break from work and finding a new friend wandering across their screen.
The original name was Kimera, but a trademark issue meant finding another one. We landed on Whimside, which evokes a whimsical little world by your side. A fitting name for some tiny desktop neighbours!
Q. Whimside blends creature collection and cozy decoration themes. How did you approach balancing active gameplay (like capturing rare species) with passive, the background idling aspect?
Toadzillart: I wanted to balance quiet background moments with little bursts of excitement: spotting a rare Whimling, trying a new combination, or decorating your garden.
Some players have found it more active than they expected from an idle game, and I understand that. Personally, I like having things to do rather than just waiting, so that balance reflects my own taste quite well. Sometimes a tiny creature is simply too tempting to ignore!
But I also understand that hunting rare creatures can feel a little stressful when you want a peaceful desktop companion. Finding that balance was tricky, and it’s something I’ve learned a lot from through player feedback.
Look at all the mushrooms. 🍄
Q. The Whimling procedural generation system lets players fuse creatures to create new species. What was the technical or artistic process behind designing creatures that combine naturally while keeping their cute, pixel aesthetic looks?
Toadzillart: The Whimlings are built from pixel-art parts and color palettes that the game combines. The challenge was making those parts fit together naturally while giving each creature its own personality. At that scale, just a few pixels can make a big difference!
That modular approach did limit how much I could animate them. If I ever make a second Whimside, I’d definitely want more animations and interactions, and probably a higher resolution to make the different parts easier to distinguish.
With over eight million possible combinations, even I haven’t met every Whimling. I make the ingredients, but players get to discover their own little favourites!
Q. Can you share any interesting or fun behind the scenes moments that players may not know when it comes to game development?
Toadzillart: Tadpoly and I actually met through Animal Crossing! Our early dates involved stargazing and playing hide-and-seek on our islands. Nintendo even sent us gifts when they heard our story! So cozy games were part of our lives together long before we made one ourselves.
We also have two cats, Oscar and Tigri, whom we like to call our real-life Whimlings. Between them and the virtual creatures, we’re well surrounded by little companions!
Halloween themed biome.
Q. As a small development team, what were some of the biggest technical or creative challenges you faced during this whole game developing journey?
Toadzillart: The biggest challenge was wearing so many hats while also working a full-time job. Making a game is incredibly time-consuming! Some evenings I was drawing creatures or making music; others I was fighting with transparent windows and mouse clicks.It’s also difficult to judge when you’ve built enough for players to have fun. You play your own game so much that the surprises disappear, and you start wondering whether it’s actually any good. Sometimes you’ve simply spent too long looking at it!
Tadpoly and our playtesters helped me regain that perspective. Seeing someone enjoy a creature or feature I’d become completely used to was a lovely reminder of why I was making it.
Q. Designing a game that sits at the bottom of a user's screen comes with unique UI/UX constraints. How did you handle resolution scaling and audio cues so the game remains fun and helpful without becoming distracting for the players?
Toadzillart: The tricky part was keeping everything readable within a small slice of the screen. Resizing and zoom controls helped accommodate different setups, and we replaced the pixel font with a clearer font to make reading more comfortable.
For audio, the idea was a little “psst, there’s something interesting here!” when a Whimling with an uncollected trait appeared. Players can customize notifications and adjust the sound to suit their routine.
Of course, everyone’s tolerance for distractions is different. A sound that feels exciting to one player can interrupt another’s concentration, so giving players control was important.
Q. Whimside has earned a Very Positive rating on Steam! What has it been like seeing players leaving all the great feedback since the game was launched?
Toadzillart: It’s been incredibly rewarding. I’ve received some very touching messages from people saying Whimside helped them through difficult times. Knowing that something I made brought someone a little comfort means more than I can really put into words.Those messages also help me keep perspective. When you’ve put so much of yourself into a game, it’s easy to focus on the negative comments. One harsh review can really knock your confidence, even alongside lots of lovely ones.
I try to learn from criticism while remembering the people who found joy in the game. Their messages make me want to keep creating.
Whimlings enjoying the beach life. 🏝️
Q. Cozy indie games and idle games have seen a huge surge in popularity over the years. Why do you think players are resonating so strongly with this kind of genre of games?
Toadzillart: I think life can already be demanding, and sometimes you just want a game that lets you breathe. Collecting creatures or decorating a little space can offer that moment of comfort.
I also feel that gaming has often been a male-dominated space, with toxicity that can make people feel unwelcome. To me, cozy games are one answer to that: a little bubble where we can relax, have fun, and share lovely moments together.
I’ve really felt that warmth in Whimside’s community. People have been so kind and supportive, and developing games in such a welcoming environment is a real joy.
Q. Looking back on your journey with creating Whimside, what is the biggest piece of advice you’d give to prospective indie developers or creators starting their first project?
Toadzillart: Start small, and let people play your game early. Whimside only happened because I stopped putting pressure on myself to make a huge dream project and chose something I could realistically finish.You also lose perspective after playing your own game hundreds of times. Watching someone discover it with fresh eyes helps you understand what’s fun, what’s confusing, and what actually needs more work.
And find people you can share the journey with. Development takes a lot of time, and having support through the doubts makes a huge difference. You might make a game mostly on your own, but you don’t have to feel alone doing it.
Q. Is there anything else about Whimside that you would like to share with us that we have not touched, such as upcoming updates, or your future projects?
Toadzillart: I’m now working on my second game, One Coin Museum! You play as Toadz, a little frog who sails the seas, collects treasures with a claw, and brings them back to fill a seaside museum.It’s a slightly bigger adventure, but it carries the same love of collecting, pixel art, and little discoveries that went into Whimside. I’m excited to bring everything I’ve learned into this new project, and you can already wishlist it on Steam!
And thank you to everyone who has played Whimside, shared a kind message, or shown us their favourite creatures. It means so much to know our little world has found a place in your day.
Toadzillart: Funnily enough, Whimside wasn’t supposed to be a game at all! It started as a pixel-art asset pack I planned to release on itch.io. But I grew attached to its cozy atmosphere and nostalgic feel, and wanted to give those little pixels a world of their own.
Toadzillart: I wanted to balance quiet background moments with little bursts of excitement: spotting a rare Whimling, trying a new combination, or decorating your garden.
Toadzillart: The Whimlings are built from pixel-art parts and color palettes that the game combines. The challenge was making those parts fit together naturally while giving each creature its own personality. At that scale, just a few pixels can make a big difference!
Toadzillart: Tadpoly and I actually met through Animal Crossing! Our early dates involved stargazing and playing hide-and-seek on our islands. Nintendo even sent us gifts when they heard our story! So cozy games were part of our lives together long before we made one ourselves.
Toadzillart: The tricky part was keeping everything readable within a small slice of the screen. Resizing and zoom controls helped accommodate different setups, and we replaced the pixel font with a clearer font to make reading more comfortable.
Toadzillart: I think life can already be demanding, and sometimes you just want a game that lets you breathe. Collecting creatures or decorating a little space can offer that moment of comfort.
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