Vampire Survivors‘ 27 million player count proved that reverse bullet-hell is a surprisingly addictive and successful formula. But according to creator Luca Galante, adapting that gameplay loop for other projects is far from just doing a simple reskin. Speaking in Famitsu magazine issue No. 1955, Luca revealed that the Jujutsu Kaisen RUMBLE: SURVIVATON‘s biggest development hurdle wasn’t tweaking the gameplay mechanics — it was making sure that the whole cast is still recognizable in pixel art.
“The students of Jujutsu High all wear uniforms, right? So when they’re made as pixel art, it becomes difficult to tell them apart at a glance,” explained Luca. “Because of that, we focused on giving each character personality through animations (movement). Ultimately, though, all Jujutsu Kaisen characters are so iconic that even from just a small part of their pixel art makes it clear who’s who.” Luca continued that the VS Engine was also modified so the pixel art characters could be paired with high-resolution, anime-styled UI elements and flashy cursed energy effects inspired by the work’s brushstroke-like visuals.
But the visuals weren’t the only issue they had to tackle. The Vampire Survivors team also learned a lot about adapting anime music to fit the pace of a game. “In particular, a big discovery was realizing that anime music is made specifically for anime, if you use it as is, the pacing doesn’t match,” added Luca, who argued that developing a game starts with its music. “Average Vampire Survivors run lasts around 30 minutes, but Jujutsu Kaisen RUMBLE: SURVIVATON is designed for 15-minute matches with competitive rankings, so we made the soundtrack with that in mind.”
The team also didn’t want to create a straight-up Vampire Survivors clone with a Jujutsu Kaisen skin. One of the biggest differences is the addition of button inputs that let players activate Domain Expansion or deploy shields during the final one-on-one showdown. Meanwhile, the Rule Addition mechanic gives players in last place offensive comeback options and those in the lead more defensive abilities. Luca believes these systems introduce timing and ‘mind games’ into Vampire Survivors‘ signature movement-and-leveling gameplay, “[V]ictory isn’t determined solely by who has the bigger numbers,” he said.
In the interview, Luca also gave fans a peek at his own preferences. “[My favorite character] has to be Satoru Gojo,” he said, while calling Yuji Itadori and Aoi Todo’s fight against Hanami the series’ hypest battle. “[Gojo]’s one of the series’ most popular characters, so you simply can’t make this game without him.” He explained that the Jujutsu Kaisen anime caught his eye first before he eventually read the manga. “Jujutsu Kaisen has really exciting battles, and in the anime, the cursed technique effects and explosions are incredibly flashy.”
He also confirmed that Jujutsu Kaisen RUMBLE: SURVIVATON will receive post-launch updates, though he stressed the team isn’t planning to treat it as a live-service game. Instead, the focus is on releasing a polished game first before listening to feedback and adding content over time. Despite obviously using Vampire Survivors as its core, Luca said the team wanted the game to establish its own identity, especially with its PvPvE mechanic.
Jujutsu Kaisen RUMBLE: SURVIVATON is planned to be released sometime in 2026 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch 2. For more gaming news and interviews, keep checking GameObserver.
