Pen Ward is best known as the crazed mind behind the amazing show Adventure Time, which follows the adventures of Finn the human and Jake the dog.
Making a show and making a game are two different things. While Ward is a video game fan–as evidenced by many-a gag, reference, if not the character BMO–having the show get adapted into a video game still had a certain je ne sais quoi for him according to an interview with Kotaku.
A game is a different feeling. Because I love games as an adult. A game just feels like a challenge to me. When Adventure Time got picked up I wasn't excited as much as I was telling myself, "Ok, now I'm going to have to buckle down and work incredibly hard and not sleep and make sure this is as good as I can make it. It's more about anticipating a big, heavy task. That's what a game feels like to me.
Still, it's great to hear that so much thought and effort is being put into making sure tha the adaptation is worthwhile. You know how things can be when it comes to movie or show adaptations in games: they tend to be not-so-great. But Adventure Time has the benefit of being a show that was practically made to be a video game….though I suppose that just raises expectations for what the Adventure Time game delivers.
Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage? releases later this fall for the 3DS. Until then, the impatient can keep catching it on Nickelodeon.