WayForward Games with Tomm Hulett and Voldi Way

What It Covers

WayForward founders Voldi Way and Tom Hulett discuss developing Contra Operation Galuga, a reimagining of the 1987 classic, covering design philosophy, accessibility features, maintaining authentic gameplay feel, and strategies for a 35-year-old studio.

Key Questions Answered

• •Accessibility without compromise: Operation Galuga adds 360-degree aiming, life bars, and unlockable perks while allowing players to disable these features for one-hit-kill classic mode. The results screen displays performance without penalizing or rewarding difficulty choices, letting players customize challenge level freely.
• •Studio sustainability model: WayForward maintains 120 employees by running five to six projects concurrently rather than one or two large titles. This strategy smooths cash flow disruptions from delayed or canceled projects, enabling 35 years of continuous operation without requiring blockbuster-scale budgets.
• •Player control replication: The Contra jump arc uses identical ascent, descent, and angle measurements from the original game. Fixed-height jumps eliminate variable control complexity, allowing players to focus on midair aiming—a deliberate design choice carried from understanding why 1987 hardware limitations created specific gameplay patterns.
• •Visual style rationale: The team chose stylized comic book aesthetics over photorealism to avoid uncanny valley issues and reduce budget requirements. This approach maintains the colorful palette from NES Contra while using 3D graphics that feel contemporary without attempting pixel-perfect retro throwback aesthetics.