Jose Pablo Monge, Founder of Headless Chicken Games — Interview Series

It’s time to fire up the engine and get behind the wheel — Costa Rica-based studio Headless Chicken Games has just launched NeoSprint—a love letter to Atari’s beloved Sprint series. To learn more about the latest expansion in this high-octane racing anthology, I recently caught up with HCG founder Jose Pablo Monge.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Could you kindly tell us a bit about yourself and your position at Headless Chicken Games? How did it all start for you?

Jose: The pleasure is all mine, thanks for having me. I am the director of NeoSprint and founder of Headless Chicken Games. We’ve been making games for over 11 years now, [and] the reason we started with this is because we love games, we love playing them, we love making them!

Tell us a bit about your upcoming isometric racing game, NeoSprint. What is it, and what can players expect to find in this latest reincarnation of the Sprint Series?

Jose: NeoSprint is a love letter to the original Sprint game. When Atari approached us, they had this idea of doing something with the IP, so we tried taking a hard look at what made the original stand out while also bringing a modern look and feel to it.

NeoSprint is a homage to Atari’s arcade-centric Sprint Series, which dates way back to the 1970s. What was it like returning to the roots of this fan favorite?

Jose: It was extremely fun! Studying the classic Sprint games was such a blast from the past, we looked at the track designs, how the cars felt, even how they approached to movement on the game.

Are we right in thinking that the upcoming entry may also feature a few Easter eggs for returning fans?

Jose: We’ve got dozens of Easter eggs in the game, some of them are hidden in plain sight! On a previous podcast, we got complimented because it‘s one of the most elegant Easter egg designs the host had seen, so we hope players like them too!

Aside from its core gameplay modes, NeoSprint will also feature a track-building feature, right? Could you tell us a bit about that?

Jose: We live in a time when user-generated content is king, so we wanted to make sure that our players could see our game as a playground to create things! Thus, the track builder was born as a way for players to show us their ideas and creations while also having the possibility to share them with the world!

Could, say, someone who’s never experienced a Sprint Series game before jump right in with this one? Are there any valuable tips for beginners that you wouldn’t mind sharing?

Jose: Haha, it’s a silly tip, but we’ve seen a lot of folks struggle a little with the perspective of the car, so my little tip is when starting the game, imagine yourself in the car cockpit and always play as if you were there!

🔴 LINK IN BIO

Our mailing list will keep you up to date with all the news related to our studio. We'll send you relevant news, product updates and any important changes you may need to know about.
You can also participate in raffles and many more surprises pic.twitter.com/nJNCjRkBHh

— 🕹️HeadlessChickenGames (@HeadlessCG) February 5, 2024

What’s the best way to support the team ahead of NeoSprint’s arrival on consoles and PC? Are there any newsletters or social feeds that we should be aware of?

Jose: Follow Headless Chicken Games on our social media channels, join the Headless Chicken Games newsletter, and wishlist the game!

What’s next for Headless Chicken Games, if you don’t mind me asking? Are there any important dates that we should be chalking up in our calendars?

Jose: Right up next, we have a really cool VR game coming in October. There’s also our little animal heist game called Night Raid, where players join a team of misfit animals that steal human things!

Any final words for our readers?

Jose: Thank you so much for being interested in NeoSprint, show us your love by reviewing the game on Steam after purchase, and show Atari that you want more from us, there’s a ton of IPs that we would love to work with so having your support will make it a reality!

Thanks for your time, Jose!

For more information on Headless Chicken Games’ NeoSprint, be sure to check in with the team over on their official social handle here. Alternatively, you can swing by the website for additional updates here.