Massy Calamai Interview (Founder of Smallthing Studios, Game Director, Designer)
It’s been over 30 years since Simon first stumbled into a magical world full of sarcastic quips, mischievous spells and delightfully absurd puzzles. Now, with Simon the Sorcerer Origins, the team at Smallthing Studios is bringing the iconic wizard back in a brand new prequel adventure. Set just weeks before the original 1993 classic, the game promises hand drawn 90s style animation, witty humour, and modern accessibility features—all while answering long standing questions about Simon’s beginnings. Today, we’re diving into the creative journey behind this revival, exploring why now was the right time to revisit Simon, how the gameplay has been reimagined for a new generation and what surprises fans can expect along the way.
Welcome to Impulse Gamer Massy (Calamai)
After 30 years, why did you feel now was the right time to revisit Simon’s world with a prequel?
Because no story should remain unfinished. I loved Simon; in 1993, I adored the first installment. It was unique, but I wondered: some answers were missing. I put it back on my shelf, and there it sat for 30 years, while my career continued, creating many titles for major publishers and smaller titles. But it was waiting for me there.
I met Mike and Simon Woodroffe and proposed an idea, a story, to bring back the most famous wizard in video games and answer the question of why he ended up in the magical world (!?). It was almost a promise-dream of mine, and Mike said, yes, let’s do it.
It was the right time; the industry is very stagnant and stuck in category A and AA products. I wanted something unique and important, and five years ago we began this adventure.
How did you approach balancing the classic 90s point‑and‑click humour with modern storytelling and accessibility features?
We worked literally over a year to find the right balance. It wasn’t easy, we had a 30-year gap.
I wanted something that honored the adventures of the ’80s and ’90s, the first Simon, but that was also fantastic for new players, who would discover a new character.
We took care of every detail, from the simplified, fluid yet complete point-and-click controls, a perfect extrusion-evolution of the classics, to the direct character controls with the pad. There’s an incredible amount of selectable preferences, from the on-screen filters that make it clean in 4K to vintage, like on an old TV, to the old-style subtitles to modern, and a still large number of options.
And then the heart, the puzzles, the humor: we kept all the original feel while bringing it to the present day, deepening Simon’s character, touching on chords that will move and that drive the narrative, without ever forgetting the original spirit.
I’m sure that “Origins” will be a timeless journey for players between yesterday and today, where comedy and emotion will touch everyone.
The game is set just weeks before the original 1993 adventure—what long‑standing fan questions or mysteries are you most excited to finally answer?
Why did Simon end up in the wizarding world in 1993? We answer this and other unanswered questions. The term “Origins” has a double meaning: the origins of the saga, hence this new prequel, which is actually a reborn, but at the same time we delve into Simon’s origins and also show why this boy is so bitter and irreverent. After all, he’s just a boy with a lot of insecurities who wants to prove himself and doesn’t know how to do it; maybe he’ll do it like Simon.
The art style is hand‑drawn with a late‑90s cartoon vibe. What inspired this choice, and how did you ensure it feels nostalgic yet fresh?
This was also a key aspect I wanted. I’ve been developing video games for 36 years, and since the ’80s, I’ve believed that the combination of style and narrative are two elements that go hand in hand. I wanted a style that allowed for great acting; it was essential for comedy and emotional moments. However, I wanted to remain rooted in the ’90s; the game is set in that era.
I didn’t want pixel art, as much as I love it; I find it a form that’s sometimes (not always) forcefully nostalgic. I didn’t want to exploit a technique that belongs to a period and that didn’t represent a style so much as a limitation of the technology of the time.
I therefore thought that recreating a fully playable cartoon, but with the style and flaws of the ’90s, would be a component, along with the narrative and other elements, that would transport the player to that warm, analog, and imperfect era.
It was a huge undertaking, both in finding the style and establishing the rules, and finally realizing it all: every piece of art, everything—backgrounds, UI, animations—everything is entirely hand-drawn. Origins contains approximately 15,000 frames of animation, plus cinematics created in the same style with the creators of KLAUS (Netflix).
It took years of hand-drawing, but we achieved what we wanted to convey to players: to transport them to a carefree era while playing something different.
Simon is known for his sarcasm—how did you update his personality for today’s audience without losing his original charm?
This is a secret, but we’ve managed to do it. Simon is still the same irreverent kid, ready to break the fourth wall, to throw out acidic and biting quips, but he does it with care and refinement in his language (still pre-teen-like, of course!). Then we have the acting in the animations and expressions, which plays a new and important role in the title, continually transforming everything into a theatrical form. And then Origins is full of references from the world of pop, nerd culture, and Northern European literature, all of which are easily understandable for players from all over the world.
The soundtrack even features Rick Astley’s Together Forever. How did that collaboration come about, and what role does music play in shaping the game’s tone?
In my titles, I’ve always thought of music as an element on a par with the graphics. I wanted it to be meticulously crafted, even down to the sound effects. We composed a soundtrack of over 20 songs (digitally included in the DELUXE EDITION and on physical CD in the SPECIAL EDITION), and I wanted to include a piece of music from the period, originally from England. We wanted it to recreate a moment (and more) of escape and reflection for Simon, something he listened to in 1993. I’ve always loved Rick Astley, and talking to Warner, BMG, and UNIVERSAL, owners of the music, opened up this opportunity. We explained what we wanted it for, and they were fantastic. They loved the project and the idea, and they convinced the authors and Rick Astley, and so we created some truly magical moments in the game.
What was the biggest creative or technical challenge in modernizing a point‑and‑click adventure for platforms like Switch and Steam Deck?
I wanted it to be perfect and at its best in all versions. I also play both portable consoles a lot, and I love them. I think they’re exceptional platforms for Simon, and I wanted them to have everything. The controls are the same as the consoles, so with direct control of the character, we carefully balanced them to make them fluid and ergonomic. We also had fun adding a selectable control, which allows you to control a pointer with the pad, like in a classic adventure game. Maybe someone will enjoy trying it out. We also supported the touchscreens of both consoles.
Technically, we wanted the same visual quality, and we spent a lot of time working a bit like we did in the past: visually optimizing manually, checking scenes, frames, and backgrounds, to optimize them for both consoles while keeping everything at the highest quality.
The Switch and Steam Deck versions are every bit as good as the other versions. I think when it comes out, I’ll replay Origins on Nintendo Switch (for the umpteenth time).
Can you share an example of a puzzle or Easter egg that you think will especially delight long‑time fans?
Wow, Simon is packed with references, hidden details to which (if discovered) we’ve dedicated significant space, and puzzles, or rather details, that come from the saga. What can I say? We’ll discover that “a certain archaeologist is recruiting for excavations,” that someone thinks he’s incredibly good at making soup, and then there are references and quotes from books, authors, and TV series of the time, and characters who intersect and come from Simon’s world (I think you’ve already recognized some of them from the various trailers released).
I could tell you for hours about how much we’ve hidden, but I think it’s more fun to discover.
With Chris Barrie returning as Simon’s voice, how did the voice acting process influence the humour and pacing of the game?
The days with Chris Barrie were fantastic! He’s a wonderful, creative person, he’s over 60, and we wanted him, the fans wanted him, but we didn’t know how he’d play a young boy.
He entered the studio and cleared his throat. We were attentive and excited, with the scripts in hand. He began, and we melted!
He set the pace, tweaked small details of the writing (just a few things), and made the acting even more in tune with the animation and that British style we wanted.
We feel honored to have worked with such a brilliant professional. Hearing Chris Barrie as Simon is truly fantastic, especially considering that he’s back for us for the first time 30 years later. It honors us even more.
He loved the storytelling, he was moved, and at the end, our entire studio came in applauding the incredible, passionate work he’d done.
If you had to describe the development journey of Simon the Sorcerer Origins in the form of a spell name, what would it be and why?
FLAMBERGO!
The power to control fire. We did this.
Simon was a legendary saga, difficult to bring back today, burning hot.
What we wanted to do was challenging: a ’90s-style cartoon drawn entirely by hand.
We wanted to make it comical yet profound; in Origins you laugh and the next moment you’re moved.
We had a burning passion for giving players something captivating that honored the saga.
We played with fire.
With the magic of fire and, like Simon, we learned to control it.
Simon the Sorcerer Origins is out 28 October 2025!
About the Author
Andrew Bistak When he's not trying to save the world, Andrew enjoys travel (although loathes turbulence), going to the movies, reading and being a dad to his two dogs (and now twins) with his wife.
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