Small Beginnings to Hikari! Series: Interview with Toffer Team
Updated: Mar 19, 2024
*THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN ADULT CONTENT, PROCEED IF YOU ARE 18 AND OLDER.
On June 11, I had the great pleasure in having an interview with Toffer Team! Toffer Team specializes in adult visual novels such as Hikari! Clover Rescue and Hikari! Love Potion. However, there are two other games (My Neighbor is a Yandere, Aisu Paradise) that have been worked on under Maranyo Games, the sister studio to Toffer Team. We find out more about the studios upbringing and the development of their two current releases.
1. When and why did you start Toffer Team?
“I started out the team in May 2018, that same month, we started the development of Hikari! Clover Rescue. So it's safe to say that was the month that Toffer Team started officially. I had the idea of Hikari! Clover Rescue in mind for couple of years at that point, so I decided to form this new team in parallel to Maranyo Games after the release of two chapters of My Neighbor is a Yandere in 2017 and 2018.”
Maranyo Games is a sister studio to Toffer Team?
“Yes! It's the first studio I've ever started. We released Aisu Paradise last month, so we'll see what comes next on that end!”
2.What are your top priorities when it comes to both your games and your players?
“I always love to interact with our players and fans, and improve my current and future projects based on their feedback and opinions, so that's always a top priority for me, listen to what you have to say. Either it's good or bad. Although most of the time it's good, and that makes me happy. Regarding game development, every aspect is important, so I like to plan EVERYTHING as detailed as possible before starting a project, maybe I'm kind of a control freak, haha.
Then I gather the best fitting team for each project. I normally start with the main idea of the setting, story, character design and art, which are the core of a lewd adventure. But other aspects such as music, voice acting and coding are super important to give the player the best experience possible. It's really important to know our strengths and weaknesses as well. I learn a lot with each release and that's a really important thing to keep getting better.”
3. Did you work on some games before Hikari Clover Rescue?
"Yes, I directed My Neighbor is a Yandere?! chapter 1 and 2 with Maranyo Games before, but Hikari! Clover Rescue was the first project of Toffer Team."
Nanase from My Neighbor is a Yandere?!
4. As Hikari! Clover Rescue was your debut game for Toffer Team, did you have any worries before releasing it?
“Actually no, I had the story and characters in mind for a while, even before starting with Nanase. In fact, Kasumi is the very first character I've ever designed. You never really know if a game (even more when it's a new IP with a new development team) will be well received, but I always try my best to make an adventure that both the players and I would enjoy. I really focus on that because it's the very reason I started doing this.”
Kasumi from Hikari! Clover Rescue.
5. What motivated you to make Hikari! Clover Rescue?
“I think my main motivation is always the love for hentai visual novels that I have since a pretty young age. I always dreamed about making my own adventures, I always had that passion for world and character creation. It seemed impossible 5 or 10 years ago to make my own games, but now I have the chance to do what I love the most, so that's what keeps me going, I'm always excited to share what comes out of my mind with the fans, that's the best motivation in my opinion. For Hikari! Clover Rescue, I wanted to do something different from my previous stories, so I started out with a sci-fi/modern setting; a theme that I always wanted to work on.”
The heroines of Hikari! Clover Rescue from left to right: Urara, Akane, Kasumi, Shizuka, and Elizabeth.
The interior of Kasumi's ship, the C. R. S.
6.During Hikari! Clover Rescue's development, what was the most challenging part?
“I pay close attention the the character's details, personalities, backstory, etc. I always try to make each waifu unique in her own way, so I'd say that's quite a good and fun challenge for me, I really enjoy it. However, if we have to talk about the most difficult part, I think when doing a creative process sometimes it's hard to start it, first of all. There's so much stuff to plan and think about, it can be challenging without a doubt. Then you need to be consistent with it, and plan everything accordingly. Hikari! Clover Rescue was no exception.”
7. From My Neighbor is a Yandere?! all the way to your upcoming Hikari! Love Potion, what types of things did you learn after every release?
“I learned a lot of things in just the two years when we started developing My Neighbor is a Yandere?! and the present with Hikari! Love Potion. It's really hard to make a project come true, to make it all work together. First of all, I understood how the game industry works a lot better, I learned how to manage teams, projects and times, I met a lot of super talented people to work with, and super nice fans to share my content with, that's really important in my opinion. I always try to learn something from everything and everyone, every new experience counts, that's how it works for me.”
8. In Hikari! Love Potion's development right now, is there an obstacle that you are trying to overcome?
“We're in a pretty late stage of development with Hikari! Love Potion. I really hope to have some news about the release date very soon, so the most challenging obstacle I have right now is to test each aspect of the game a lot of times, to make sure everything works as planned. This new entry in the Hikari series will have a lot more character interaction -with both action and dialog decisions- in the main story and the H scenes as well, there will be more branching storyline, and a love meter for each girl that can affect the outcome along the adventure and how the heroines feels about us once we finish the adventure, so it'll require a lot of testing in that aspect. I really like how it's looking so far, so I can't wait to show you guys more!”
Sophia from Hikari! Love Potion.
9. When do you think you will be able to release Hikari! Clover Rescue and how much would it cost?
“I really hope to have news regarding the release date pretty soon. It will cost $4.99 and will be available in various platforms just like Hikari! Clover Rescue.”
10. As a developer with all these lovable characters, which one is your absolute favorite?
“Ohh that's the hardest question ever! To be honest, I don't think I could ever have an absolute favorite, since every one of the girls is like a daughter to me. I know it may sound cliché, but I do love them all. However, I always enjoy to see the who are the fan favorites, every waifu deserves a lot of love, so I'm glad there's a lot of different opinions regarding the best girl of each game."
11. To your current fans and potential ones, what would you like to say to them?
“Just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you guys who take the time to play my games, to interact with me in social media, share a tweet, etc. I really appreciate that so many people take a moment of their busy lives to take a look at what I do, I'm truly grateful to have this opportunity, and I promise to do my best with Hikari! Love Potion and all the good lewd stuff that will come after! We're just getting started!”
A HUGE thank you once again to Toffer Team for taking the time to chat with me, I certainly had fun with this! The following games are available via their respected stores:
Follow Toffer Team on Twitter/X
[Small Beginnings to Hikari! Series: Interview with Toffer Team]
June 11, 2019
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