Developer Flatter Than Earth and publisher Daedalic Entertainment are combining 2.5D platforming and the theater withOnce Upon A Puppet, a new game set to launch across all major platforms on April 23. Taking place in a magical kingdom built to resemble a marionette stage show,Once Upon A Puppetputs players in the starring role of two unlikely protagonists. Nieve is a disgraced Stagehand who finds herself bound to a young Puppet by the name of Drev, and the pair must journey to discover the mystery of their predicament and save the world from a consuming darkness.
Game Rant recently spoke to one of the developers ofOnce Upon A Puppetto learn more about how Flatter Than Earth first came up with the idea for a side-scroller that letsplayers control both a puppetand the hand literally pulling its strings. They also shared insight into how this symbiotic connection is reflected inOnce Upon A Puppet’s gameplay, how the theater influenced the game’s setting and characters, and the way that in-game collectibles are tied toOnce Upon A Puppet’s lore.This interview has been edited for clarity.
Once Upon A Puppet’s Theatrical Origins Explained
Q. Where did the idea for a puppet and theater-themed platformer come from?
A.The inspiration forOnce Upon a Puppetcame from a moment of realization. I was already exploring the idea of a game where a character marionettes a puppet, but I wasn’t sure what kind of world they belonged in. Then, I saw a photo of a theater stage. At first, I just scrolled past it, but something made me go back. That image stuck with me.
Suddenly, it clicked - puppets and theater are a perfect match. That’s their natural stage, both literally and metaphorically. From that moment on, everything made sense. I dove deep into researching both theater and puppetry, understanding how they work, their visual language, and how we could translate them into a game. Once that connection was made, there was no going back.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about Once Upon a Puppet’s development journey? What did “day one” look like, and what have the past few months looked like?
A.Once Upon a Puppetstarted as a small idea, just a rough concept of a game with a puppet controlled by another character. The early days were all about discovery, testing different mechanics, and understanding how puppetry could work in gameplay. A big focus was on movement - how do you make a puppet feel like a puppet, rather than just another platforming character?
As development progressed, we went through a lot of iterations. At first, not everyone on the team fully saw the vision. I spent a lot of time showing them references from theater productions, explaining why this direction was powerful. Once we aligned, the game really came to life.
The past year was about refinement, fine-tuning the controls, polishing the visuals, and making sure the storytelling was as strong as it could be. A lot of love has gone into making the world feel rich, immersive, and deeply theatrical.
Q. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when translating these puppet/theater themes into story or gameplay?
A.One of the biggest challenges was movement. A puppet doesn’t move like a regular character in a platformer. We didn’t want Drev to justfeel like another Marioor Hollow Knight - his movement had to reflect real puppetry. We studied how marionettes move, how the tension in strings affects motion, and how we could make that part of the gameplay.
Another challenge was selling the idea of a theatrical world. We wanted it to feel like a grand stage production, with lighting, set changes, and dramatic storytelling. That meant designing a world that flowed like a Broadway show rather than a confined stage and making sure our 2.5D cutscenes captured that theatrical magic.
Q. What would you say the overall theme of Once Upon A Puppet is?
A.Besides the theme of theater and puppetry, at its core,Once Upon a Puppetis a story about fate, redemption, and self-discovery, which is interwoven very deeply into the story of the King and his son, the Prince. Nieve is a visitor to this arc, yet Drev is part of it.
Speaking of them, Drev and Nieve are literally bound together and must learn to work as one. Their journey is deeply personal, yet intertwined with the larger world of the theater and the fate of the Prince.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about how the game takes advantage of the relationship between hand and puppet? Was gameplay natural in this regard, or did it take a lot of iteration to get right?
It definitely took a lot of iteration! The core idea - one character controlling another like a puppet, felt unique from the start, but making it feel good took time. We had to balance the feeling of control with the unpredictability of a puppet’s movement.
For example, Nieve doesn’t just control Drev directly, there’s a dynamic between them. Drev has his own personality, his own ambitions, and sometimes his movements reflect that. We wanted to make sure players felt like they were truly puppeteering BOTH characters, not just pressing a button to move.
Q. Similarly, can you talk a little bit about fitting puppet gameplay into platformer mechanics, like Drev being able to catapult himself?
A.This was another area where we had to rethink traditional platforming. A puppet doesn’t have the same kind of direct control over its movement, so we had to be creative.
Drev’s ability to catapult himself comes from the idea of manipulating puppet strings. Instead of just pressing jump, the player has to work with the physics of puppetry, pulling back, releasing, and using momentum to their advantage. It creates a different kind of challenge, one that feels more in line with the puppeteering-like theme.
Q. What would you say the overall puzzle ethos is in Once Upon a Puppet?
A.The puzzles inOnce Upon a Puppetare built around theatrical storytelling and stage mechanics. Players don’t just solve puzzles in isolation, they’re actively setting up a stage, arranging props, and performing actions that feel like part of a play.
The key idea is transformation: how do you change the stage to advance? That could mean moving backdrops, adjusting lighting, or even stepping into different roles through costumes. The puzzles are meant to feel like they’re part of a grand performance, where every action contributes to the unfolding story.
Also, beware hardcore puzzle players.Once Upon A Puppetismore of a casual puzzler. At FTE, we believe that puzzle platformers are fragile; you get stuck once, and you turn off the game. I did not want that forOUaP, I want the player to keep playing and not get stuck on one puzzle. The whole experience, from A to Z, is what we tried to help the player with.
Q. Promotional materials mention a colorful cast of supporting characters. How did you approach designing these characters?
A.A big inspiration was actual stage productions, how actors take on exaggerated personas, and how costumes and set design tell a story. We wanted every character to feel like they belonged in this world, from their design to their dialogue.
Each character has a theatrical flair. Some are dramatic, some are comedic, but all of them contribute to the feeling that you’re in a living, breathing theater production. And just like in a real play, every character plays a role in the larger story.
Overall, we put a lot of effort into our characters and their details. We really wanted to create a standout case.
Q. The Steam demo includes some collectible glass window shards to collect. What do the collectibles add to Once Upon a Puppet’s gameplay?
A.Collectibles inOnce Upon a Puppetserve a deeper purpose than just completionism. The Stained Glass pieces, for example, are tied to the game’s story, and each one reveals part of a larger mystery. Collecting them isn’t just about unlocking rewards; it’s about piecing together the hidden history of our theater world.
They also help in exploring the world, allow the player to be perceptive, look into the theater and notice the stained glass shards.
Beyond that, we have ideas that we would love to implement for the sequel. So keep playing and recommendingOUaPto your friends. The future of the sequel depends on it.
Q. What are Flatter Than Earth’s plans come Once Upon A Puppet launches in April? Can you share any ideas for your next project?
A.Right now, we’re fully focused on making sureOnce Upon a Puppetlaunches in the best possible state. We want players to experience the full theatrical magic we’ve worked so hard to create.
As for what’s next, we always have ideas brewing. Our studio is built on the idea of crafting unique, imaginative worlds, so you can expect something just as creative asOnce Upon a Puppet. But for now, we’re letting this game take center stage.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to add?
A.I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supportedOnce Upon a Puppet. This game has been a labor of love, and we can’t wait for players to experience it. Whetheryou’re a fan of platformers, theater, or just great storytelling, we hope you’ll find something special in this world we’ve created. And remember, every stage tells a story. It’s up to you to bring it to life.
Also - if you’re interested in more indie titles like this one, there’s a wealth of games out there in the retro space that are also doing some really cool stuff - like8-Bit Adventures 2,Chained Echoes, andQuartet!
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