Tako Boy Studios

Overview

Tako Boy Studios is an independent video game development studio founded on March 13, 2018, by co-owners Tom Ferrer and Phil Giarrusso. Operating as a remote-first, distributed team, the studio specializes in the creation of stylized 2D indie games, blending handcrafted pixel art with deep, tactical gameplay mechanics. The studio is recognized for its expertise in Unity-based development, character sprite animation, and the design of complex systems for deckbuilders and arcade roguelites.

Creative Approach and Pipeline

The studio’s development philosophy centers on expressive visual design and tight, responsive gameplay loops. Phil Giarrusso leads the art direction, focusing on character silhouettes and fluid sprite animation, while Tom Ferrer oversees technical engineering, system architecture, and cross-platform implementation. By maintaining a lean, core team, the studio effectively manages full-cycle production of proprietary intellectual property while also engaging in collaborative co-development projects with external partners.

Notable Projects

• Cross Blitz: A turn-based tactical RPG deckbuilder featuring an expansive campaign mode and a roguelite dungeon-crawl experience, released for PC via Steam.
• Creatures of Aether: A collectible elemental card battler developed in collaboration with Dan Fornace LLC, set within the Rivals of Aether universe.
• Candies 'n Curses: The studio’s debut arcade-style 2D action rogue-lite, which achieved significant success on mobile platforms with over 1.5 million downloads.

Industry Presence

Tako Boy Studios maintains a strong presence in the independent gaming sector, frequently partnering with established publishers such as The Arcade Crew and Gamera Games to bring their titles to global audiences. The studio continues to focus on expanding its portfolio of original IP while refining its signature aesthetic and mechanical depth across PC and mobile platforms.