[PS4Blog.net Exclusive] Interview with Turtle Flip Studio About “Which Way Up”

I’m currently working on a review for Which Way Up: Galaxy Games, so I reached out to Turtle Flip Studio for some insights into the game and its creation. Let’s dive in!

PS4Blog: Good morning! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today. Could you introduce yourself to our readers and share a bit about your role?

Nick Cellini: Hi there! I’m Nick Cellini, the director of Turtle Flip Studio, a budding game development company based in Australia. We were fortunate enough to snag a grant from Screen Australia, which was instrumental in helping us bring our first title to life. That game is Which Way Up: Galaxy Games, a wild and gravity-defying multiplayer party game, slated to launch on March 27!

I’ve spent over 15 years working as a programmer and designer in both games and interactive media. This venture marks my first foray into starting my own studio and seeing a game through from concept to console release. It’s been quite an adventure, full of highs, lows, and plenty of ups and downs—quite literally, since gravity is a big theme for us!

PS4Blog: On that note, Which Way Up: Galaxy Games is set to make its debut on the Nintendo Switch. How would you explain the game to newcomers?

Nick Cellini: Which Way Up is a local multiplayer party game, drawing inspiration from the crazy gravitational antics found in Super Mario Galaxy, which hit the Nintendo Wii back in 2007. We’ve taken that topsy-turvy idea of gravity and molded it into a frenetic, competitive couch gaming experience. Players bounce around, run, and even bump into each other in a series of mini-games and challenging arenas.

Expect fast-paced action that’s super easy to get into, packed with laugh-inducing moments. Compete in mini-games that have you outrunning black holes, gathering comets, or frantically trying to offload a bomb by tagging other players on a planet. It’s perfect for game nights, sibling showdowns, or just having fun with friends while figuring out which way is up in space.

PS4Blog: How has the game evolved from the demo we saw during your Kickstarter campaign to the full version launching on March 27?

Nick Cellini: The demo—which is something we’ll always keep available because we want folks to try it first—offers 6 out of the 12 mini-games and lets players experiment with 5 of the 7 characters. It also includes a peek at the solo missions, so players experience some of the character dialogues, light platforming, and the unique personality of our universe.

The full release adds a total of 12 Galaxy Games, including 6 fresh mini-games not seen in the demo. For instance, there’s "Hole In One", where you shoot golf balls across shifting gravity fields. "Puff Panic" has players dodging fireballs while a mischievous baby dragon has a meltdown. In "Bumper Stars", friends will battle to bump each other into the gravitational pull of a searing furnace-star.

PS4Blog: What’s on the horizon for the studio after wrapping up the game? Are you taking a breather, or is there another project in the works?

Nick Cellini: We’re looking forward to taking a little breather—it’s been a hectic ride getting a game to launch, especially with a small team like ours. We’re also eager, albeit a bit anxious, to see how players embrace the quirky world we’ve crafted. Watching people laugh and compete, maybe even comet-pushing each other into space, is what we’ve been dreaming of.

As for what’s next, we have a few ideas simmering. We adore our Celestial cast and would love to dive deeper into their universe. We’re considering a new project in the same world but in a completely different genre, perhaps a single-player game focused on mining and building… It’s still in the early concept stage, but the enthusiasm is real.

For now, we’re savoring the release, looking forward to some party game chaos, and possibly catching up on some well-deserved sleep.

PS4Blog: Do you have plans to update the game with new content, like characters or mini-games, or maybe some more customization options?

Nick Cellini: We’re definitely open to expanding the game with new characters, fresh mini-games, and maybe some cool customization options. We’ll keep our ears open to player feedback post-launch and hope to continue developing the game if the opportunity arises.

PS4Blog: Does Which Way Up include bot support for multiplayer play?

Nick Cellini: Deciding on bots was a major discussion for us. With 12 unique Galaxy Games, crafting a specific AI bot for each one requires a significant amount of work. We chose to focus instead on enhancing the core appeal of a nostalgic local multiplayer experience meant for friends and family.

PS4Blog: That concludes our time. Is there anything else you’d like to add before we wrap up?

Nick Cellini: Just a big thanks for having me!