Going to bed when it is late isn’t always what we want to do. Especially when we are kids, and we want to keep reading an exciting book or playing our favourite video game just a little longer. Maybe to finish that last level left incomplete or to achieve a new high score. However, we all know that when mom says it is time to get under the covers, there is no room for protest: it is time to go to sleep. Unless, of course, we decide to disobey her.
This is the premise behind Time for Bed, a video game developed by the indie studio Nerdy Penguin. The player takes on the role of a child who refuses to fall into the arms of Morpheus and instead prefers to secretly play under the covers with his small, Game Boy-like handheld console. Sounds fun, right? It is, until you realize that this is not a comedy game but a horror title. And the monster you must avoid being caught by isn’t a creature from the darkness, but rather the child’s mother, who enters his room with exasperating regularity to make sure he is actually asleep. With mechanical movements, an evil grin, and red eyes reminiscent of the worst killer robots, the once dear and sweet mom becomes the true and only enemy in Time for Bed. It is up to you, the player, to trick her by hiding the console under the pillow and pretending to be asleep at the right moment. Because if you don’t…
“Time for Bed is our first project as a team” explains Hayatoskie, one of the two minds behind Nerdy Penguin, in an interview with Excaliber. “Everything started while I was working on another game, the puzzle adventure game Kaleidola. However, developing a game solo presents many challenges, especially in terms of accessing and sharing technology and resources. To overcome these difficulties, I decided to collaborate with Damegane. ” Thus, Hayatoskie and Damegane combined their skills and ideas to create Time for Bed, an experience that has allowed them to participate in various events and connect with the indie game community to expand their network. With a clear goal in mind: “We want to release a game that offers a compact yet fulfilling experience. For indie teams, one of the biggest challenges is simply finishing a project. We want to complete this game to gain experience and keep creating. Rather than just publishing a standard product, we aim to make the most of our limited resources to create something unique, with the love and essence typical of an indie game. ”
It is well known that children often have trouble falling asleep because they are afraid of imaginary monsters hiding under the bed, behind the curtains, or inside the closet. They call their mothers for protection and reassurance. The irony behind Time for Bed is that this dynamic is completely flipped, transforming the reassuring figure of the mother into the monster the child must hide from. “This idea was born when I was attending a language school in Canada” says Hayatoskie. “While talking with other students about scary childhood experiences, a classmate from Chile told me about how his mother caught him secretly watching TV and, in anger, broke the television. Many of our classmates related to this story, and I realized that I had similar experiences myself. I thought that by drawing from these memories, I could create something that many people could relate to. ” And so, back in Japan, Hayatoskie began working on Time for Bed.
The game’s atmosphere blends nostalgia and fear, aiming to transport the player back to childhood moments but with an unsettling twist. The result is effective, thanks to the well-crafted setting and the starring presence of the protagonist’s console. “At night, I used to secretly play video games without getting caught by my parents, just like in Time for Bed” Hayatoskie recalls. “Of course, my mother wasn’t nearly as scary as the one in the game. But I remember feeling a lot of tension whenever I heard her footsteps. ” Hayatoskie and Damegane drew inspiration from classic horror elements to create shadows and lighting effects that convey a unique and realistic sense of fear that many can relate to. Even vintage horror movie posters influenced the overall style of the game. “Even the user interface was designed to evoke nostalgia” Hayatoskie explains. “For example, the level selection screen and the initial instructions were inspired by old user manuals.”
Two core mechanics define Time for Bed. One allows the protagonist to pretend to be asleep, forcing the player to manage anxiety when staying still for too long. “Initially, we hadn’t planned to add anxiety management to the game. However, during playtests, we realized that the game lacked tension if the player could pretend to be asleep indefinitely. ” The Nerdy Penguin team considered implementing a game over mechanic for staying in the sleep mode too long but found it made the game too difficult. Instead, they introduced a more fitting penalty in line with the project’s atmosphere: a gradual screen distortion that represents the child’s growing discomfort in disobeying his mother. Over time, this visual distortion becomes more intrusive, making the mother’s footsteps and the faint red light of her eyes even more terrifying. “The player must choose the right moment to get up and resume playing. The goal is not to punish the player but to introduce a unique challenge that creates tension. ”
The other crucial mechanic in Time for Bed is the need for the child to constantly play his handheld console, trying to complete three mini-games inspired by various classics from the past. “Since the player must finish these games without getting caught by the mother, we focused on simple controls to maintain a good balance. We avoided overly complex mechanics that could make the experience frustrating ” Hayatoskie explains to Excaliber. But don’t be fooled into thinking finishing these three games is an easy task. As the levels progress, their difficulty increases. “We introduced variety and creativity to keep the experience engaging without being overwhelming.” This seemingly simple idea demonstrates Nerdy Penguin’s creativity, especially considering the careful design put into each of Time for Bed’s environments. “The first location takes place in an attic, where the player must complete a trap-avoidance adventure. In the second location, they face an action-packed shooter mini-game. ” Completing certain challenges also unlocks decorative items to customize the console. These elements are not just aesthetic: they also increase the difficulty of the mini-games, making their challenges even more intricate.
As the interview comes to an end, Hayatoskie shares one last detail. “Time for Bed has a highly expandable design: it combines retro games, original settings, and horror elements to create a fun experience. Initially, we will release the game with three settings and three mini-games to balance the storyline. However, if Time for Bed is well received, Nerdy Penguin plans to expand it with additional content. So, all that is left is to wish the best of luck to Hayatoskie and Damegane.
Looking forward to playing Time for Bed soon. Strictly before bedtime. Because, as this game reminds us, you should never make mom angry. Ever.
