New postal worker Tanuki game is a blend of cozy countryside adventure and extreme sports
TANUKI: Pon’s Summer was showcased for the first time in Japan at the BitSummit the 13th indie game festival, which is currently being held in Kyoto.
The game is being developed by Denkiworks, a new Kyoto-based studio founded by three former employees of Q-Games, and will be published by CRITICAL REFLEX.
The publisher is known for a portfolio that often includes low-poly horror and other intense genres, making this warm and gentle title a change to their normal releases.
In the game, players take on the role of Pon, a tanuki who must work at the local post office to earn money.
His goal is to rebuild the town’s dilapidated shrine in time for the tanuki festival, which is just one month away.
The core gameplay is a unique blend of a cozy life-simulation adventure and an extreme sports game.
Pon navigates the Japanese countryside town on a BMX bike, performing a variety of tricks like jumps and grinds on conveniently placed ramps and rails.
A high-energy soundtrack plays while Pon is riding, but cuts out abruptly if he falls, creating a unique sense of being snapped back to reality.
The game’s adventure portion was also playable, showing Pon working his job at the post office.
Since the tanuki cannot speak, conversations are handled through gestures and expressive illustrations that appear in place of dialogue.
After making a delivery, Pon will often engage in a mini-game or “activity” with the recipient.
The final game is planned to have between 15 and 20 of these activities, including sumo wrestling with a rikishi, a game of baseball, and helping out at a yakitori stand.
The game’s director was inspired to create the title based on his own experiences cycling around Kyoto.
Development on TANUKI: Pon’s Summer began in October of 2023 and is reportedly about 65 percent complete.
The game is scheduled for release on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
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