Exclusive Interview: Toby Fox Discusses Creating Two and a Half 'Undertales'

Nintendo Life (Zion Grassl): In Chapter 3, Tenna’s game show segment faced an abrupt ending. Did you ever plan for that third round, or was it always destined to be cut?

Toby Fox: We did develop a lot of it. But ultimately, it slowed things down. To put it simply: “You’re taking too long” and “the game’s getting old.”

Deltarune — Tenna dominates the spotlight — *Image: Toby Fox*

What inspired the challenging boss fight with Elnina and Lanino? How do you playtest something so tough?

Yeah, that fight is tough! One playtester actually gave up. I didn’t mean for it to be impossible, though. If you hit a Game Over and you have no points or healing items, you get two free TV Dinners. After using “ILoveTV” a few times, you should be able to win by just defending and healing.

What music brings you happiness lately? Are you familiar with Porter Robinson? You two could make great music together!

I’m excited for the new anamanaguchi album, “Anyway.” I’ve heard of Porter Robinson. His music video “Shelter” really resonates with me.

Shelter Music Video — *“I’ll give them shelter, like you’ve done for me.”* — *Image: Toby Fox*

What’s it like developing for Switch 2? Could the new hardware inspire unique gameplay features?

It feels like a stronger version of the Nintendo Switch. I want to leverage the new hardware for future games, like a new Donkey Kong adventure. Funny enough, they spelled “Bananaz” wrong. It’s amusing they turned a rock into a character, too.

How has it been to release the story in chapters instead of as a full game? When do you expect the final chapter of Deltarune?

Calling them “chunks” could be fun, but I prefer “Chapters.” Each one feels like developing a mini-game. I’ve made the equivalent of two and a half Undertales so far. The final chapter will be ready when it is finished. I understand the wait can be frustrating, but quality takes time—everyone wants it done right.