Terry Cavanagh (developer)
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Terry Cavanagh (/ˈkævənɑː/, Script error: No such module "Respell".; born 1984) is an Irish video game designer based in London, England. He has created over two dozen games, most notably VVVVVV, Super Hexagon, and Dicey Dungeons.[1]
Biography
After studying mathematics at Trinity College in Dublin, Cavanagh worked briefly as a market risk analyst before moving to focus on game development full-time in 2007. While he received some attention in the press for his "serious and arty" indie games, Cavanagh faced significant financial difficulties in his early career. He was reportedly close to abandoning game development when VVVVVV (released in 2010) became an unexpected success, providing him with the financial means to continue developing games.[2]
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, he gave away 1000 copies of three of his games for free in the hope it would "offer a distraction" to those in need of it.[3]
Many of his titles share a primitive, minimalist retro aesthetic.[4] He is credited as a programmer for Alphaland, a platform game by Jonas Kyratzes.[5]
Cavanagh has stated that he prefers the personal nature of independent game development, its smaller scale enabling the personality of the creator to shine through in the final product.[6]
Influences
Cavanagh cites the 1997 Japanese RPG Final Fantasy VII as his favorite game, crediting it as his inspiration for becoming a video game developer.[1] In 2009 Cavanagh named interactive fiction writer Adam Cadre as his favorite developer.[7]
Awards
- Cavanagh's game VVVVVV won the 2010 IndieCade Festival in the category of "Fun/Compelling".[8]
- In 2014, Cavanagh was named to Forbes' annual "30 Under 30" list in the Games category.[9]
- In 2019, Cavanagh's game Dicey Dungeons won the 2019 IndieCade Grand Jury award.[10]
Ludography
| Game | Platform | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| XOLDIERS | Microsoft Windows | 2008 |
| Squish | Microsoft Windows | 2008 |
| Self Destruct | Microsoft Windows | 2008 |
| Transport Stories | Microsoft Windows | 2008 |
| Never Opened | Microsoft Windows | 2008 |
| We Love Mind Control Rocket | Microsoft Windows | 2008 |
| Judith | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | 2009 |
| Pathways | Microsoft Windows | 2009 |
| Airplane Adventures | Adobe Flash | 2009 |
| The Baron's Volcano Party | Adobe Flash | 2009 |
| DAS PÜZZELSPIELEN | Adobe Flash | 2009 |
| Nun Squad | Microsoft Windows | 2009 |
| Bullfist | Adobe Flash | 2009 |
| Nanny ZERO | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | 2009 |
| Deterministica | Adobe Flash | 2009 |
| Airplane Adventures 2: The Return | Adobe Flash | 2009 |
| The Best Years of my Life | Adobe Flash | 2009 |
| Bullet Time | Adobe Flash | 2009 |
| Don't Look Back | Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android, OUYA | 2009 |
| Radio Silence | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Unity | 2010 |
| N.O.T.T.U.B. | Adobe Flash | 2010 |
| Sumouse | Microsoft Windows | 2010 |
| Kozachok | Adobe Flash | 2010 |
| Vegetable Game | Adobe Flash | 2010 |
| Going Forward | Adobe Flash | 2010 |
| Bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronn tuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthurnuk |
Adobe Flash, OUYA | 2010 |
| memrrtiks, suashem | Adobe Flash | 2010 |
| Phobiaphobiaphobia | Adobe Flash | 2010 |
| Red Sky | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Unity, | 2010 |
| Bridge | Adobe Flash | 2010 |
| VVVVVV | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android, OUYA | 2010 |
| American Dream | Microsoft Windows, OUYA | 2011 |
| Hero's Adventure | Adobe Flash | 2011 |
| Oiche Mhaith | Adobe Flash, OUYA | 2011 |
| At a Distance | Microsoft Windows | 2011 |
| Super Hexagon | iOS, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Android, Blackberry 10, Linux, OUYA | 2012 |
| ChatChat | Adobe Flash | 2012 |
| Hexagon | Adobe Flash, OUYA | 2012 |
| Harmonilr | Adobe Flash | 2012 |
| Griefer | Adobe Flash | 2012 |
| Notsnake | Adobe Flash | 2012 |
| Collapse | HTML5 | 2013 |
| Fountain | Adobe Flash | 2013 |
| Naya's Quest | Adobe Flash | 2013 |
| Experiment 12 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | 2013 |
| Maverick Bird | Adobe Flash | 2014 |
| Moving Stories | Adobe Flash | 2014 |
| GRAB THEM BY THE EYES | Adobe Flash | 2015 |
| Copycat | Adobe Flash, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | 2015 |
| Constellation Machine | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Adobe Flash | 2016 |
| Tiny Heist | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, online | 2016 |
| Dicey Dungeons | Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 | 2019 |
| Climb the Giant Man Obby | Roblox | 2021 |
| Anyone Could Be Struck By Lightning At Any Time | Roblox | 2021 |
| Triangle Run | Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux | 2021 |
| Mr. Platformer | Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux | 2023 |
| Terry's Other Games | Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux | 2025 |
| Egg | HTML5, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux | 2025 |
| State Machine | Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux | TBA |
Additional works
Cavanagh also created Bosca Ceoil in 2013, followed by a version 2.0 in 2015.[11] Bosca Ceoil is a free and open source music making tool, designed for ease-of-use, particularly for beginners. A modern port, Bosca Ceoil: The Blue Album, was created in 2024 by Yuri Sizov.
References
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- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Edge staff (12 September 2012). "Terry Cavanagh on making fewer, more ambitious games". Edge. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Peel, Jeremy (14 September 2021). "How Terry Cavanagh bet it all on the simple joy of platforming". PC Gamer. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Heather Wald (16 March 2020). "Indie developer Terry Cavanagh is giving away free games to help those "in need of a distraction"". gamesradar.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.David Wolinsky (13 April 2010). "AVC at GDC '10: An interview with VVVVVV creator Terry Cavanagh". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Alphaland". jonas-kyratzes.net. 5 May 2011. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Cantoni, Chris. "Terry Cavanagh Can't Stop Making Games". International Festival of Independent Games. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Gallaway, Brad (18 April 2009). "Interview with Terry Cavanagh, creator of Don't Look Back". GameCritics.com. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2010 IndieCade Award Recipients". International Festival of Independent Games. 6 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Five Irish on Forbes 30 under 30 list". The Irish Times. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2019 IndieCade Award Recipients". International Festival of Independent Games. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bosca Ceoil v2.0 – distractionware". distractionware.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
External links
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- The Escapist interview with Terry Cavanagh
- The Spelunky Showlike — Making Generous Games with Terry Cavanagh
- Bosca Ceoil
- Bosca Ceoil: The Blue Album
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