Team Cherry (2014)
The Two-Person Adelaide Miracle That Reinvigorated the Metroidvania via Hollow Knight
Founded in 2014 in Adelaide, South Australia, by animator Ari Gibson and designer William Pellen, Team Cherry represents one of modern independent gaming's greatest triumphs. Assembling Hollow Knight (2017) on a modest $57,000 AUD Kickstarter budget, the microscopic team combined hand-drawn traditional 2D cell animation, Christopher Larkin's melancholic symphonic compositions, and the sprawling subterranean labyrinth of Hallownest to establish the gold standard of the Metroidvania genre.
Game Jam Roots to the $57K Kickstarter Phenomenon
Gibson, a veteran commercial hand-animator, met Pellen at a local game jam, collaborating under the Ludum Dare theme 'Beneath the Surface'. Launching a modest Kickstarter campaign in late 2014, they raised $57,129 AUD. Working out of an Adelaide cafe, the duo meticulously hand-illustrated every individual animation frame, fusing the structural non-linear discovery of Super Metroid with the atmospheric melancholy and spatial rigor of Dark Souls.
Hallownest Mastery and the Silksong Cult
Releasing in 2017 on PC and expanding via a monumental Nintendo Switch launch, Hollow Knight garnered universal acclaim for its responsive nail combat, tight platforming, and Christopher Larkin's evocative string arrangements. Team Cherry released four substantial free content expansions, cultivating an intensely devoted global fanbase. Its anticipated sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, stands as the most eagerly awaited indie title in modern interactive history.