Teslagrad

Teslagrad is a 2.5D puzzle-platformer with action elements, where magnetism and other electromagnetic powers are the key to go throughout the game, and thereby discover the secrets kept in the long abandoned Tesla Tower. The game features minimal combat segments coupled with electric-based puzzle sections and precise platforming. Teslagrad is set in a steampunk-inspired version of old Europe, in a non-linear world with more than a hundred hand-drawn environments.

The player controls a young boy, who suddenly finds himself embroiled in a long-forgotten conspiracy involving the despotic king who has ruled the nation with an iron fist for several years. The game offers various upgrades and items as the game progresses.

In the Kingdom of Elektropia, a king rules with an iron fist, combating and destroying a sect of technological wizards who have a massive tower in the middle of the city named Teslagrad. The name Teslagrad is built from a name and a word, the inventor Tesla and the Slavic word Grad for City. One day, a young orphaned boy finds himself hounded by the King's guards, fleeing into the deserted tower and uncovering the history of the conflict.

Teslagrad was originally conceived as the world of Chroma evolved, derived from a casual-focused multiplayer game called Minute Mayhem. Rain Games stopped the development of the first game that the team was working on in order to focus on Teslagrad. Wii U, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 versions of the game were announced in June 2013, July 2013, and August 2014, respectively.

The game saw the launch of its first playable demo for the PC which was released in August 2013. Later that year, developers Rain Game showcased Teslagrad at various indie game events such as PAX Prime 2013 and Eurogamer Expo 2013, gathering invaluable feedback and being warmly received by players and press. The game uses the Unity game engine, making it easier for developers to reach cross platforms.

Teslagrad received generally positive reviews. Review aggregator website Metacritic gave the Wii U version 79/100 based on 15 reviews, the Microsoft Windows version 77/100 based on 15 reviews, and the PlayStation 4 version 78/100 based on 14 reviews.

Nintendo Life praised the game for its nostalgic music, hand drawn artwork and brain bending puzzles. Nintendo World Report also praised the game for its art style, though they criticized the game for its steep difficulty and minimal Wii U GamePad usage.