“I actually think creativity comes from constraints.” That’s what Paul Giovannini, the solo indie dev at Blukulélé Studio, told Polygon in an email interview. In May, he released Gambonanza, a chess-themed roguelike where players need to forget pretty much everything they know about chess, besides how the pieces move.
Gambonanza is the most underappreciated game of 2026 (so far)
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It’s great to see a spotlight on Gambonanza! Highlighting creativity in game design is always interesting, especially when it comes from constraints. Looking forward to seeing how this game evolves throughout the year!