Back during the holidays I had a chance to visit the young, upstart company Fugazo Inc. I had met them at PAX 09, and snapped the picture to the left. Honestly, I was intrigued. A few months later they invited me down to their downtown Seattle office to try out some games and see what they were about. Not only did they let me demo their newest game that hasn’t even been released yet (spoiler – it’s fun), but they also sent me home with some of their PC games to give away to the readers!

Fugazo is still a young company – How did it get its start?

I think to answer this question properly I need to get into my background a little bit. My first real job in the games industry was at Sandlot Games back in 2004. I started in QA but quickly became a Designer and Producer. In 2006, I was the Lead Designer on Cake Mania which went on to become the best selling casual game of 2006. I decided to take a break from casual games and joined a company called Handheld Games where I produced DS and TV Plug N Play games. I had a great time building games for kids but missed working on casual games. So in late 2007 I partnered with my computer programmer friend Jonah to start making casual games again.

What kind of games do you make?

We’ve made all sorts of games at Fugazo. Here are a few examples: Cooking Academy 1 and 2 (Cooking Simulation), Flower Paradise (3 Match), Fashion Fits, (Clothing Time Management), and World Mosaics 1 and 2 (Logic Puzzle). We’ve tried to experiment making casual games in as many genres as possible.

What kind of impact does the current economic climate make on a business like yours?

To be honest, I think casual games are mostly unaffected by the recession. I think the low price point makes them even more attractive in bad economic times. For example, it’s cheaper to buy a casual game then go out to see a movie.

Coming from an area so thick with game developers (Seattle), do you see it as a hinderance or help to your own company?

I think it’s been quite helpful. It’s nice to be able to get other developer’s feedback on our games and it also makes it easier to find new hires when we’re looking.

 
Do you have plans to move from PC games onto other platforms, like consoles?

Actually, we’ve already started working on our first console game: Frobot for WiiWare! It’s a cross between the Legend of Zelda and Wii Play’s Tanks with a funky 70s robot theme thrown in for good measure. The game should be released on WiiWare in the first half of 2010. You can learn more about the game or try the PC demo on our site. 

Fugazo seems boast several cooking games – Will they make me a better chef? 

Sadly, probably not. While the cooking games have very accurate ingredients and preparation steps they still can’t replace real cooking. However, you might get a few ideas for some recipes you’ve never tried before.

Do you have any advice for anyone looking to start their own gaming company?

 
Start small, be quick, and remain independent! I’m happy to say that Fugazo has never taken a dollar of outside funding and that has allowed us to remain independent and work on what really motivates us.
 

What can we look forward to from Fugazo?

We started working on our first Hidden Object Adventure game last October. Look for it to arrive onto major casual game portals in March 2010!

Fugazo Inc., based in Seattle, Washington, is an independent developer and publisher of casual and indie games. Fugazo’s portfolio includes popular game titles such as the Cooking Academy series, the World Mosaics series, and Kitchen Brigade. Fugazo reaches millions of game players worldwide through multiple distribution channels including Online, PC, Mac, and Retail. In 2010 Fugazo, will release its first console title Frobot for WiiWare, PC, and Mac. For more information about Fugazo visit www.fugazo.com

Fugazo Giveaway!

As I mentioned earlier, the company sent me home with a bunch of games to give away to my wonderful readers. If you’re looking to snatch one up, just play one of the many free games on their site and e-mail me a quick comment about it. Super easy! Send your submissions to zoe@gamingangels.com . Games are limited to the first few people who send me a message, so act quick!