We got a chance to chat with the gentleman that simply goes by Mhyre from Epic Minds. Their upcoming game, Midora, is set to release on multiple platforms, including the 3DS and Wii U. Check out the game's Kickstarter, which still has seven days to go.

Nintendo World Report (NWR): Hi Mhyre, thanks for taking the time to talk to us about your upcoming game, Midora, which currently has a Kickstarter campaign underway. Want to fill us in on what the game is?

Mhyre: Hello! Thanks for taking the time to interview me. Midora is a 2D action-adventure game with RPG elements, inspired by many classics such as The Legend of Zelda and Secret of Mana. You play as Snow, a young girl sent on a quest to prevent a war of the elements all the while discovering she can control water.

NWR: Okay, so it's a bit story-inspired, much like those classic games. And, also like those games, this is a game with pixel art, correct?

Mhyre: Absolutely, pixel art is vital for this kind of game. Midora is going to be 100% pixel art. We have a pixel artist working hard to make everything pixel perfect.

NWR: Yeah, I have to say it is looking quite good. Now, what exactly is this War of the Elements that Snow is sent to prevent?

Mhyre: The War of the Elements is a war that happened centuries ago in the game when evil entities tried to take control over four elements: water, fire, earth and air. Those elements were first used by a deity called The Architect to shape the world, then given to different guardians to maintain some sort of balance. Peace was brought to the land when the architect came back to seal the elements away in his staff, leaving everyone powerless. Unfortunately, centuries later, our hero will accidentally trigger a chain of events that will break the staff. Four elemental shards now have to be found to repair the staff before someone obtains full control, and Snow is racing against the clock to prevent that same war from happening again.

NWR: So you said Snow learns to control water. Will this be her primary ability to take on enemies, or how exactly will the combat system work?

Mhyre: When the elements are free again, Snow had no idea she had control over water. This comes from the fact that she is of Artezian descent. The Artezians are a tribe of white-haired and blue-eyed people, who were given control over water to push back the Inferno during the ancient war. Because Snow had no idea who she was, she will be very weak when trying to use water, but will eventually grow to become stronger, until she can unleash devastating attacks. Snow can fight using swords, shields and many other items, but water plays the most important part in the game as it interacts with pretty much anything (environment, enemies, items, etc.).

NWR: Gotta love that interaction. And yes, I see there are about 200 different items that can be alchemized, collected, and so on. What will be the different uses for all of these items?

Mhyre: A lot of these items were made to allow for even more roleplay. I personally always liked the idea of discovering the location of my next mission, then going back to sort my inventory and decide what items I needed for my quest. It's exciting, and really makes you feel like you're preparing for an adventure. We have a handful of items that come from side activities and side quests, such as ingredients for potions, crafting materials and more! While this may sound like we're trying to add too much to the game, all of these items will have an use in the game, either by interacting with water or creating interesting scenarios on how you can beat a certain enemy.

NWR: Nice. Will there be any currency system to buy items as well or will everything be obtainable through quests and creating through alchemy?

Mhyre: We do have a few shops in the game where you can mostly buy consumables, but also a few weapons and spells. Midora's currency uses 5 different coins. There is a silver and a gold coin, which are the two primary coins found in the game. The three other coins (royal, navy, crow) are high value coins that allow you to buy very expensive items you can't buy with regular coins. All three have to be crafted at the Inventor's workshop by combining existing coins with other items.

NWR: Oh, right on. So I see that contrary to your regular RPGs, Midora doesn't have leveling up system. Do the countless items act as a substitute for that?

Mhyre: That is true for some items, yes. We have swords and shields with different levels, that each allow you to attack or defend yourself for more. The combat system works using full hearts and half hearts, and swords and shields each upgrade your ATK/DEF by half a heart. For example a lv.2 sword will attack for 1.5, and a lv.3 shield will block attacks that deal 2 or less (or reduce the damage you take by 2, if the attack deals more than 2).

NWR: Awesome. So currently, the Kickstarter is only for a PC release, but the 3DS and Wii U are at the first stretch goal. Why did you choose Nintendo systems as the first stretch goal?

Mhyre: Popular demand! We actually had Wii U and 3DS ports as our last stretch goal, which didn't make sense for the kind of game we're making. A lot of people complained, so we decided to run a poll. The Wii U and 3DS ports came first with 712 out of 1168 votes (61%), so we decided to make it our first stretch goal. I would like to mention that all console ports listed in stretch goals will happen no matter what, so pledging for a console copy even if we do not reach the stretch goal is a viable option to get the game.

NWR: Oh my, that's awesome to hear. So with that being said, I assume you have a back-up plan if in case the game doesn't quite reach the Kickstarter goal itself?

Mhyre: We do! We added Midora on Steam Greenlight about a week ago, and the whole thing blew up! We never expected to be in the top #15 in a week, so chances are Midora will be Greenlit soon. A recent poll confirmed that most backers would be okay with pre-ordering the game on the Humble Store to support us directly, which would allow us to work on a vertical slice of the game, then add it on Steam Early Access to fund the rest of the game. We are incredibly happy with that option existing, but a successful Kickstarter would of course make us even more happy. All top tiers from the campaign (design tiers) were taken by incredible people. We would love to work with early fans on the game and make the best out of their ideas, some of which already influenced the way we will implement a few mechanics in the game!

NWR: Oh, sweet! But as you said before, you can safely say this will come to 3DS & Wii U. It seems like it would be a great fit on the eShops.

Mhyre: Yes, Midora will come on 3DS and Wii U as soon as possible, depending on the money we have, and when we have it. It's only a matter of time!

NWR: Great news, great news. I'm looking forward to it. Thanks very much for your time!

Mhyre: Thanks to you too.

Thanks to Mhyre from Epic Minds for the time and answers!