Q&A with Shunsuke Miyaki - Director of PICO PARK 2
- Quest Team
- Feb 25
- 4 min read
PICO PARK 2 is the kind of game that turns friends into a well-oiled team or a chaotic mess of tangled strategies and laughter. Whether you're stacking on top of each other to reach a key or desperately trying to coordinate a perfectly timed jump, this cooperative action-puzzle game thrives on teamwork, communication, and just the right amount of frustration. Expanding on the original, PICO PARK 2 introduces new mechanics, fresh challenges, and even more opportunities for delightful mayhem, now with cross-platform play so no one gets left out of the fun.
The game caught the attention of big names in the gaming world, including SMii7Y and Markiplier, some of the biggest gaming YouTubers of all time, proving once again how much fun (and frustrating) cooperative puzzle-solving can be.
To dive deeper into the design and development process behind this charmingly tricky multiplayer experience, we caught up with Shunsuke Miyake, CEO of TECOPARK and Director of PICO PARK 2, to learn about the challenges of crafting a great co-op experience, and what it takes to make players laugh, shout, and strategize in equal measure.
Design
How did you approach level design?
"In each level, there are usually one to three places where you have to cooperate with each other, and you have to overcome them to clear the level. We basically designed the game with “conversation among players” in mind. I design the game by imagining what kind of conversations can be generated between players by placing things where they are placed."
Were there any mechanics that seemed fun and feasible initially but turned out too complex or didn’t fit the game?
"We rejected a level where we all had to operate the PicoCat robot while stepping on a giant controller because it seemed like a tedious task. There are many things that I came up with, but after running simulations in my brain before implementing them, they turned out to be no good."
Did you use any specific design pillars to guide level creation and overall gameplay?
"To reiterate our first question, we emphasize this: “What kind of conversation will take place?” We are conscious of not creating a level that is 'the value of the experience is not so different from the existing level.'"
How did you handle tutorials? Were simple text prompts and intuitive mechanics sufficient from the beginning, or did this require iteration?
"In some cases, intuitive obstacles are placed and nothing is done, in others, direct verbal explanations are given, and in still others, death makes people realize how to do it."
Testing
How did you conduct game testing?
"There was a combination of internal and external, with some closed test play with the public while the QA team did general test play."
Development
What were the biggest challenges in developing PICO PARK 2?
"PICO PARK wanted to surprise us every time we entered a new level, so we had a hard time coming up with ideas anyway. Basically, we were able to smoothly complete the levels we created, making improvements as we had them test-played."
How long did it take to develop PICO PARK 2, and what was the size of the development team?
"Two and a half years. A few months of that will be spent porting PICO PARK to Unity, so a little over two years in real terms. The maximum number of people is five. Apart from that, we commissioned outside composers to compose the music."
Code
Did you face any significant technical challenges during development?
"We wanted to achieve cross-play, so we adopted Photon Quantum for the first time. We had a hard time tracking down network-related bugs."
Art
What motivated the decision to maintain a minimalistic pixel art style for PICO PARK & PICO PARK 2?
"It is not the art style that is important, but the play. Later, people said this art style was cute, so I decided to keep it that way. (Of course, some would call it a cheesy art style.)"
Do you think indie developers sometimes focus too much on creating realistic or high-fidelity graphics?
"I do not know. It depends on the experience the developer wants to create. If it has to be realistic to be interesting, I would consider a realistic 3D game."
General
What other games inspired the team most when creating PICO PARK 2?
"The first PICO PARK was inspired by Saturn Bomberman and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords. Many ideas for PICO PARK 2 came from the idea of “what if we turned the various games of the past into a cooperative game?” There are so many games, there is no end to them."
What advice would you offer to indie game developers working on new projects in 2025?
"I don’t have a lot of advice to offer, but I would say, “With so many games out there, do you really want to pay for this one?” and I think you need to be able to explain why."
Are TECOPARK working on another sequel or a new project?
"We are considering both sequels and new projects!"
Tips for Indie Game Developers (Based on PICO PARK 2’s Development)
Test Ideas Before Implementing – Run mental simulations and playtests early to filter out mechanics that might be tedious or unfun.
Keep Tutorials Intuitive – Use a mix of implicit design (obstacles, trial and error) and minimal direct instructions to teach players naturally.
Expect Iteration in Level Design – Ensure each level provides a unique experience rather than repeating similar challenges.
Balance Simplicity and Depth – Minimalist art can work as long as gameplay remains engaging and fresh.
Plan for Technical Hurdles – Implementing features like cross-play can introduce unforeseen challenges, so allocate time for debugging.
Take Inspiration from the Past – Reimagining classic game mechanics with a new twist can lead to innovative designs.
Understand Your Game’s Value – With so many games on the market, be prepared to clearly explain why yours is worth playing.
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