In the upcoming game Tanuki: Pon’s Summer, players take on the role of Pon, a tanuki burdened with debt, who must deliver parcels on a tiny bike to repair his shrine home. Developed by Kyoto-based studio Denkiworks, the game is described as an adorable slice-of-life adventure with a financial twist, offering a unique take on the familiar Animal Crossing formula.
From Freeloader to Postal Worker
Pon, an irresponsible critter, has drained the local shrine’s funds by buying video games and snacks instead of preparing for its semicentennial matsuri. With the shrine in disrepair and cultural artefacts like the ema stand and chōzuya cracked, Pon is pushed by his ancestor to take a job at the post office, delivering parcels for cash to fund repairs and festival finery.
“Even Japanese people ask why it’s a tanuki,” jokes Liam Edwards, a game designer at Denkiworks, highlighting the mythological significance of the creature. The team conducted extensive research to ensure cultural accuracy, even maintaining an internal encyclopedia of shrines and related items.
Communication and Community
Pon’s responses are limited to emojis, a metaphor for Edwards’ early years in rural Japan, where he struggled to fully communicate. “You can understand what people are saying to you, but the ability and depth of response is stunted,” he says. Yet, this doesn’t hinder the townsfolk from helping, reflecting the supportive nature of Japanese communities.
The game features a variety of mini-games, from sumo to pulling pints in an izakaya modeled after the team’s real Kyoto hangout, baseball, and fishing. “It became a funny joke that every time you deliver a package, there’s going to be an activity there,” Edwards notes, admitting the challenge of developing 20 different mini-games within one game.
BMX Core and Inspirations
At its heart, Tanuki: Pon’s Summer centers on BMXing, drawing inspiration from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, SSX, and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. Players can perform tricks like backflips and bunny hops using button presses and joystick flicks. “Pon is the vessel through which everything can exist,” says Edwards, adding that his small, dumpy appearance makes his BMX tricks hilarious.
To perfect the gameplay, Edwards enlisted Jacob Mills, developer of Rollerdrome, to ensure responsive physics and themed stunt obstacles like bamboo half-pipes. While the story doesn’t require intense finger dexterity, Edwards aimed to make traversal fun for all players, especially BMX enthusiasts.
Tanuki: Pon’s Summer is set to release on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch soon.
