Bad Tomato Games

Bad Tomato Games was an independent video game development studio based in Chiapas, Mexico. Formed in January 2018, it developed 2D games drawing on Mesoamerican history, Mayan culture and Mexican heritage. Its creative direction combined hand-painted artwork, atmospheric environments and action-adventure gameplay with a focus on regional storytelling.

The studio’s principal project, Balam and the Spirit Within, was conceived as a 2D atmospheric action-adventure and Metroidvania platformer. Its protagonist, Balam—a name meaning “jaguar” in Mayan—was a mute young warrior exploring a mythical Mayan jungle facing an existential threat. Development brought together environmental illustration, narrative design, platforming, combat and exploration.

The project grew out of an earlier internal prototype called The Dreamkeeper. After building an initial vertical slice, the team changed direction to ground the game more closely in the culture and landscape of its home region. That shift established the Mayan-inspired setting and identity of Balam.

Development and exhibitions

Balam and the Spirit Within was selected for the official IndieCade Festival showcase in Santa Monica in 2018. The team subsequently presented the game at Gamacon Mexicali that year. These appearances introduced its playable pre-alpha to audiences beyond the studio’s local development community.

Prototyping continued throughout 2019, but the studio struggled to secure long-term publisher funding. Active production ceased around mid-2020 without a full commercial release, and the studio had dissolved by 2021. A playable version of the IndieCade 2018 demo was subsequently shared on itch.io by a collaborating game designer with the studio’s permission, preserving a public example of its work.