Teslagrad

Lore & Background

Teslagrad is a 2.5D puzzle-platformer with action elements, where magnetism and other electromagnetic powers are the key to go throughout the game, and thereby discover the secrets kept in the long abandoned Tesla Tower. The game features minimal combat segments, electric-based puzzle sections, and precise platforming. It is set in a non-linear world with more than a hundred hand-drawn environments. The player controls a young boy who becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving a despotic king who has ruled the nation with an iron fist. The game offers various upgrades and items as the player progresses. The plot unfolds in the Kingdom of Elektropia, where a king combats a sect of technological wizards who have a massive tower named Teslagrad—a name built from inventor Tesla and the Slavic word 'Grad' for city. The young orphaned boy flees from the King's guards into the deserted tower, uncovering the history of the conflict.

Reader's Guide

Teslagrad was originally conceived from the world of Chroma evolved, derived from a casual-focused multiplayer game called Minute Mayhem. Rain Games stopped development of that earlier game to focus on Teslagrad. Versions for Wii U, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 were announced in 2013 and 2014. A playable PC demo was released in August 2013, and the game was showcased at PAX Prime 2013 and Eurogamer Expo 2013, gathering feedback and being warmly received. The game uses the Unity engine for cross-platform development. It was released on Steam on 13 December 2013, on Wii U eShop on 11 September 2014, and on PlayStation 3 and 4 in Europe on 3 December 2014. The North American PSN release was scheduled for 27 January 2015 but was postponed on the day of release. A retail version published by Soedesco appeared in several European countries in December 2014 and January 2015. A PlayStation Vita version was announced in February 2014 but no exact date was given. The game was released digitally in Japan on 18 February 2015, with a Steam update adding Japanese language. An Xbox One version was announced in February 2016 and released on 9 March 2016. Android and iOS versions arrived on 8 November 2018. A sequel, Teslagrad 2, was announced in September 2020 and released in April 2023 alongside a remastered version of the original. The game received generally positive reviews, with Metacritic scores ranging from 77 to 79 across platforms. Nintendo Life praised its nostalgic music, hand-drawn artwork, and brain-bending puzzles. Nintendo World Report praised the art style but criticized the steep difficulty and minimal Wii U GamePad usage. IGN reported in March 2016 that 1.6 million copies had been sold.

Did You Know?

• The game's name combines inventor Tesla and the Slavic word 'Grad' for city.
• The North American PSN release for PlayStation 3 and 4 was postponed on the day of its scheduled release on 27 January 2015.