Chime Sharp is a 2016 sequel to the 2010 puzzle game Chime. In this puzzle game, players rotate and place pentomino blocks onto an open grid, trying to form perfect quadrangles (squares and rectangles). As the the timer counts down, a beatline moves across the level, clearing completed quads and triggering musical tones that complement the techno soundtrack.

I spoke with designer Ste Curran about what rough edges he filed away from the original Chime to create Chime Sharp; how he chose the soundtrack for the sequel; why the game had two crowdfunding campaigns on two different platforms; and his many other interests, including video game karaoke.

Watch the video above, or download the audio edition from Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Chime Sharp


• Designer Ste Curran


• Developer Twistplay


• Publisher Chilled Mouse


• Original publisher Zoë Mode


• Chime Sharp on Kickstarter


• Chime Sharp on Indiegogo


• Agency Consulting w/Leigh Alexander


• One Life Left radio show


• Marioke — video game karaoke

Full disclosure: I backed this game on both Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

Update (May 29, 2019): This game is now available for Nintendo Switch!