About
Jonnil Games is a very small indie game studio where we improve our skills one project at a time, and try to make the best games we can with a small team and a big amount of passion.
Who We Are
Jonnil Games is mainly the work of Jonna Nilsson, and I'm a game developer who loves creating games that I love to play myself. I really enjoy platformers, so that's the kind of games I tend to make the most. I have a dream to be able to make my own platformer masterpiece one day, and I'm working towards that goal with every game I make. I have my friends to help me along the way, and I've been very grateful that they have been supporting my ideas and help me bring them to life! I do really love collaboration, so I do tend to listen to feedback from both my team members and players to help improve my understanding of game design and what makes a game fun to play, at the same time as I get to keep my own vision of what kind of games I personally like to make. We also have Cyan Thayn, helping with all of the complex programming, especially web development and backend systems. And we have Meghan Bledsoe, who is our manager basically, comping with ideas, feedback, keeping us in check and helping with all that stuff that I don't even understand myself :3
What Matters to Us
For me, making games is not only about having a cool idea, it is about how the game feels to actually play. I care a lot about the tiny details, like movement, controls, sound, and how understandable things are without needing a big explanation. I also care about being honest about where I am in my journey. I'm still learning and improving all the time, and I'm not trying to pretend I have everything figured out. But I do want every project to be a step forward, where I learn something new, and players feel like their time was respected.
Accessibility
I do tend to make my games with a focus on accessibility and options, so that as many people as possible can enjoy them! It's been a important focus for me, as I've had to watch friends struggle to play games that didn't have the options they needed to be able to enjoy them. So I want to make sure my games are as welcoming as possible to everyone. I remember when I myself had broken my wrist back in 2019 as I was working on Sticky Paws, and I had to play games one-handed for a while. It made me realize how important it is to have good accessibility options in games, as I struggled to play many games that didn't have options for one-handed play. So I made sure to implement good controls customization options in Sticky Paws, so that I could still play it one-handed while I was recovering! Since then, I've made it a priority to include extensive accessibility options in all of my games, because it's something I've been deeply passionate about ever since that experience. I know things are not perfect yet, and there definitely need to be more options that not just make the game easier, where the challenge is able to be what's intended, for those who want it that way. There needs to be more options focused on different kinds of disabilities one might have.
Player-Centric Design
I try to design my games around what the player actually experiences, not just what sounds cool on paper. Sometimes I get really excited about adding features, but I have learned that more features does not always mean a better game. I'm very proud of what kind of features I've been able to add to my games, but I understand it has lead to feature creep in many cases. I've learned to be more critical of what features actually add to the core experience of the game. I try to focus on the parts that players feel instantly, like movement, responsiveness, readability, and how fast the game teaches you what it wants. I also really respect the player's time. If a level is too slow, too unclear, or too repetitive, I want to fix it. I want my games to feel fun even when you are still learning them.
Community
I really want to hear what players think about my games, feedback is important to me! We do have a Discord server where players can join to chat with us and each other about our games, but I also am aware that I'm not always available there, as it can be difficult to engage with such a busy life that I'm living right now. I really want to implement a sense of community within my games as well, so that players can feel connected to each other while playing, even if I'm not always around. Things like level editors, custom characters, sharing creations within the game using servers, have been amazing ways to let players connect with each other through my games, and I want to keep exploring more ways to do that in future games as well! Been having ideas where you're able to leave feedback directly in the game for the developer to read later, as that would be a great way for me to get more direct feedback from players. I definitiely know it's not perfect yet, but that's why I have "Community" as one of my core principles, so I can keep working on it :3
Authenticity
I want my games to feel like they were made by a real person. I'm not trying to copy what is popular just because it sells, even though I do think about success a lot. I like making games that reflect what I genuinely love, and sometimes what I've struggled with too. That also means I'm not scared of being a little weird, or overly passionate about small details. If something makes me feel excited, cozy, scared, emotional, or motivated, I want that feeling to exist in the game as well. I think players can tell when something was made with love, even if it's not perfect. So I'd rather make something honest and memorable than something that feels safe and empty. I'm not perfect though. I absolutely take inspiration from other games, and sometimes I get really obsessed with a mechanic I just played and immediately want to try my own version of it. I think that's completely fine, as long as I make it fit the game I'm making and add my own twist. For example, Koopa Troopas in Mario are such dynamic enemies that I remember really wanting to learn how to program something similar. So yeah... the little bowling ball mice in Sticky Paws are definitely inspired by them :3 At the end of the day, my games are a product of what I love, what I care about, and what feels authentic to me as a developer.
Our Vision
My vision for Jonnil Games is to keep growing into a studio that players can trust. I want to be known for games that feel good to play, have tons of creativity, and give players real freedom. I especially love games that let people express themselves, like level editors, custom characters, and community creations. I want to create games that can become a little world of their own, where players can keep coming back and always find something new. Right now I'm still small, but I'm serious about improving, learning, and building something long-term. The goal is not only to release games, but to build something that lasts.
Our Journey Forward
Going forward, I want to keep making new games, improving older ones, and learning how to do things properly. I'm not perfect at planning, and sometimes I disappear into development mode for a while without posting updates. But I always come back to the same goal: make something I'm proud of, and make something players genuinely enjoy. I want to keep listening to feedback, testing ideas, and pushing my skills a little further each time. If you play my games, share something you made, report a bug, or even just leave a kind message, it genuinely means a lot. Jonnil Games exists because of passion, and because people believed in me enough to keep going. Thank you for being part of this journey!