Nyamyam co-founder Jennifer Schneidereit on creating pop-up book inspired adventure game Tengami

This month’s Free Games with Prime line-up includes Tengami, a stunning atmospheric adventure game from Nyamyam, an award-winning independent developer based in the UK. We spoke with Nyamyam co-founder Jennifer Schneidereit to learn more about Tengami’s unique pop-up book style and some of the inspirations behind the game.

Originally released in 2014, Tengami tells a dark fairy-tale inspired story in which players explore a beautifully crafted world and interact with the environment to solve puzzles and uncover secrets.

The game uses pop-up books not only as an inspiration for its gorgeous visuals, but as a unique gameplay mechanic in which players can interact with the world to both fold and slide landscapes to navigate the story. Jennifer was inspired to develop the game after the release of the first wave of iPad tablet releases in the early-2010s. “With tablets, I knew there was a special opportunity to use the hardware for games in a unique way,” she said.

Upon viewing a video of pop-up books, Jennifer and her former colleague at Rare Studios Phil Tossell realized that a game inspired by such books could actually work, and began experimenting with prototypes. During development, Jennifer and Phil started to incorporate elements of Japanese culture within the game’s visual style and story due to their shared appreciation of the country. “Prior to founding Nyamyam, I had worked for four years in Japan for developer Acquire and enjoyed the experience,” Jennifer said.

Development for Tengami took three and a half years, and upon release the game was positively received for its visuals and gameplay mechanics. The game’s variety of environments was particularly praised, and its music and emphasis on exploration made for a tranquil and calming gaming experience for players.

Since launching Tengami, Nyamyam has released its second game, Astrologaster, across several platforms. Astrologaster is a hilarious comedy game taking place in Shakespearean London and has received rave reviews for its funny and lighthearted story.

When asked about her advice for up-and-coming developers, Jennifer urged developers to reflect on their journeys in games. She specifically recalls being inspired to enter the gaming industry through her love of series such as Sierra’s King Quest series and seeing female developers like Roberta Williams on game box art. “Remember why you entered the industry and what sort of games you want you to make,” she said. “It’s important to have a sense of your creative ambitions and let those aspirations lead you through your journey in game development.”

Be sure to claim Tengami today by visiting gaming.amazon.com and follow Nyamyam on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for the latest on the studio!