Cassette Beasts News

Happy new year, folks! This week we’re looking at some of the features you can make use of in Cassette Beasts to spice up your playthroughs.





Once you’ve beaten the game, Cassette Beasts has a number of options you can use to customise your next playthrough.

While we recommend playing the game through normally on your first playthrough, these options can also be unlocked with a cheat code--handy if you’re playing the game on a different machine at a speedrun competition! The cheat code will be shared after the game’s release.



Let’s go through these one by one:

First up, we have "Tapes Break Permanently," which means that any tape with 0 hit points can’t be repaired and will be unusable for the rest of your playthrough! But don't worry, as long as you have at least one usable tape in storage, you'll be able to keep going after defeat.

If you want to up the stakes even more, turn on "Defeat is Game Over," where a single loss in battle means game over – no matter how many tapes you have left. In Cassette Beasts, your party members take overspill damage when a tape breaks, so one big hit from an enemy could be enough to completely end your run!

Feeling adventurous? "Randomise Monsters" lets you mix up the habitats of monsters, as well as the starter and partner tapes. This is a great way to try out monsters you wouldn't normally use in your party.

With "Randomise Types," my personal favourite, you can randomise monster species' types, as well as their colour palettes and movepools to match. This isn’t the same as making everything a bootleg--each species will always be a particular type, just not the one you're used to!



If you want to mix up your opponents’ strategies, "Randomise Moves" is for you. This option can be used to randomise the default set of moves for monsters, as well as the moves you unlock by upgrading tapes. These moves are still compatible with the monster species, but the combinations can be surprising--a normally weak monster could become something to dread!

Finally, there's the "Random Seed" option, which can be used to control all the aforementioned randomisation options. It can also control the randomisation of certain variables in the game, even when no customisations are enabled – perfect for speedruns. With this option, sticker merchants will always have the same stock on the same day, and chests will always contain the same items.

These options are our answer to the Nuzlocke and permadeath features the community has been asking for. While there aren’t currently any options that enforce the first Nuzlocke rule (only one monster can be recorded per ‘route’), we’ll be keeping an eye on how players choose to interpret that rule in Cassette Beasts’ open world.





A small but dedicated speedrunning community grew around our last game, Lenna’s Inception, after its launch. We learned a lot from this community about what makes a game suitable for speedrunning and what does not, and factored this into Cassette Beasts.

On all platforms, you can enable an in-game timer in the settings menu at any time. This timer displays in the top left of the screen, and records how long you’ve been playing your save file for. It automatically pauses on loading screens and during character customisation.

While the in-game timer is enabled, you can hold the middle mouse button (or Y on a controller) to speed up dialogue, and automatically select dialogue options.

If you have LiveSplit installed (available for Windows only), you can connect Cassette Beasts to the LiveSplit Server component, and automatically send split commands based on certain in-game events. The game tracks numerous stats in your save file, for the purpose of achievements. These stats include which bosses you’ve defeated, how many species you’ve recorded, and so on. Any of these stats can be used to trigger splits.

The LiveSplit integration is fully configurable through an INI file, so you can create your own list of custom splits!

Example INI file on the left, and Tom's best time achieved with it on the right. Spoilery details are censored. Jay and Tom had tons of fun competing for the best time. Note that the time shown isn’t representative of the length of a normal playthrough--this one was achieved with a lot of dirty tricks!

The configuration file makes it very flexible. You’re not locked to beating certain bosses in a certain order, or even starting and ending your run at the usual places. If you want the timer to start when you beat the first boss, split after you’ve recorded 3 Traffikrabs, and then finish when you defeat a certain NPC, you can!

We hope that this will make speedrunning Cassette Beasts fun and easy for people to get into.

More information about how to configure the LiveSplit integration will be published on the wiki after the game releases.



That's all for this week, folks! If you want to know more, why not swing by the official Discord! As well as that, you can always follow us on Twitter for future updates!

Until next time!

[h3]Say hello to Fountess![/h3]


Created by Jenna Brown (Art Director for A Hat In Time!), and look how adorable they are! I can't wait to meet them in-game! ☔





Well, folks, it's time to take a moment to rest and recharge (or hey, if you're low on batteries, you can always twirl the tape back with a pencil!). Thank you all for your support this last year! We'll see you all in the new year with more exciting reveals into Cassette Beasts.

Also, more Pombomb because, of course...!

So from all of us at Raw Fury and Bytten Studio-"arf! arf!" oh, and Pombomb too. Have a great holiday and a Happy New Year!

This week, we're taking a look at "Bootlegs" in Cassette Beasts. What's all this about? Let's take a look!



Ocassionally, in Cassette Beasts, you'll stumble upon an odd-coloured monster in the world.

Hey wait, is that Squirey... green?

This Squirey here is usually beast-type, yet it's appeared here with the wrong colour and element! This is a "bootleg" - signified by its name in red above its health bar. This is different from a monster using a coating move to change its element, which can be done in battle as a temporary element swapping.

Any monster has a small chance to appear with any element as bootleg.

The colour even matches its new element!

Bootleg monsters don't just have different elements - they also have a new move pool to match. This means a monster may have access to a whole selection of moves they wouldn't normally have. On top of this, bootleg tapes have a slightly higher chance to learn moves with uncommon or rare bonus traits.

Squirey cannot usually learn Woodcutter, but this plant-type bootleg tape form can!



This sure leaves a lot of things to collect, huh? Tell us what bootleg monster tapes you'd like to collect! If you want to ask any questions, feel free to visit the official Discord and follow us on Twitter!

This week, we're taking a look at the element system in Cassette Beasts. How does it work? What is the Chemistry System? And how does fusion play into it? Let's find out!





Every monster in Cassette Beasts has an elemental type. These represent the nature of the monster, and can be seen next to the health bar on the battle screen.

Yep, those square icons right there!

What are the elements in Cassette Beasts, then? let's take a look at the list!

[h3]Beast[/h3]
Beast-type monsters don't have any particular elemental traits. Beast-type monsters include Bansheep, Candevil and Springheel.

[h3]Fire[/h3]
Fire-type monsters are creatures associated with fire, gunpowder, and explosives. Fire-type monsters include Pombomb and Salamagus.

[h3]Ice[/h3]
Ice-type monsters are associated with snow, winter, frost and mist. Ice-type monsters include Spooki-onna and Grampus.

[h3]Lightning[/h3]
Lightning-type monsters have traits related to electricity, circuitry, and thunder. Lightning-type monsters include Cat-5.

[h3]Plant[/h3]
Plant-type monsters are those with bodies made of plant matter, wood and flowers. Examples include Kirikuri and Dandylion.

[h3]Air[/h3]
Air-type monsters are often connected to wind, flight and sound. Air-type monsters include Sirenade, Dominoth and Cluckabilly.

[h3]Water[/h3]
Water-type monsters are associated with the ocean, lakes and rivers. Examples of water-type monsters include Undyin.

[h3]Earth[/h3]
Earth-type monsters typically have bodies made of stone, sand, clay or earth. Earth-type monsters include Pawndead.

[h3]Poison[/h3]
Poison-type monsters are connected to toxins, pollution, venom and other such nasty substances. Examples of poison-type monsters include Masquerattle and Nevermort.

[h3]Metal[/h3]
Metal-type monsters are often wearing metal armour, or have bodies partially made of metals. Examples of metal-type monsters include Allseer, Southpaw and Palangolin.

[h3]Plastic[/h3]
Plastic-type monsters? How did that happen?! I guess humans have spread plastic enough that monsters have now become associated with it too. These monsters often have bodies made of plastic, or similar artificial petrochemical substances. Examples of plastic-type monsters include Traffikrab and Mascotoy.

[h3]Astral[/h3]
Astral-type monsters are associated with space, the arcane arts or the cosmic unknown. Examples of astral-type monsters include Stardigrade.

[h3]Glass[/h3]
Glass-type monsters have bodies made entirely of pure glass. Examples of glass-type monsters include [REDACTED]

[h3]Glitter[/h3]
Glitter is unique in that there are no glitter-type monsters. However, the move Glitter Bomb can transfer this elemental type to a target, who then is able to pass that type on by contact. To make it simple: glitter gets everywhere and is annoying.

So we've looked at the elemental types - but what does it all mean?





So how do these elements interact with each other? Well, the chemistry system allows these elements to create reactions that can be positive, negative or neutral! Here is an example of the air-type Cluckabilly attacking the fire-type Velocirifile.



If hit with an air-type attack from Cluckabilly then Velocirifle will be Extinguished, a reaction that lowers its melee and ranged attack power. The attack won't do extra damage, but it will negatively affect Velocirifle's ability to deal damage! What about the reverse, then?



This reaction is Updraft, causing Cluckabilly to receive an Air Wall status, which absorbs up to 3 incoming hits. Pretty useful, huh?

There's many reactions that you can utilise in battle to give yourself the edge.





So how does fusion work with this element system? Well, a monster's fusion form inherits both elements from the two monsters that combine to form it! In last week's blog we looked at Mascotoy and Cluckabilly - so why not find out what their fusion looks like?

How terrifying!

So when Mascotbilly attacks an enemy with a move that doesn't have an elemental type of its own, it'll use both elements that Mascotbilly has.

Against Velocirifle it triggers both the Smoke reaction (which increases the target's evasion) on account of the plastic-type, but also the Extinguished reaction we explained earlier.


So whilst Velocirifle took multiple debuffs, it also gained one buff from the attack. Interesting, huh? Some fusions must create some very interesting reactions...



That's all for this week, folks! If you want to know more, why not swing by the official Discord! As well as that, you can always follow us on Twitter for future updates!

Until next time!

This week, we wanted to do a deep dive into some of the monsters of Cassette Beasts - including ones you've seen before, and ones you might not have! Let's get started, shall we?





[h3]Springheel #001[/h3]
Element: Beast

French: Ressortalon
Italian: Saltatore
German: Sprungfeder
Spanish: Botajack

The impish Springheel is a sight you will no doubt have seen if you played our Steam Next Fest demo! This annoying creature hides behind walls and trees where it is not easily spotted, only to leap out and attack those unlucky enough to pass by. In this form, however, the element of surprise belongs to you!



[h3]Tokusect #033[/h3]
Element: Air

French: Tokusecte
Italian: Tokusetto
German: Tokusekt
Spanish: Tokusecto

Tokusects have extremely aerodynamic bodies, aiding a fighting style that is focused around using their pointed legs to strike opponents and channel powerful currents of air. In this form, your swift kicks can strike foes several times in the time it takes a moth to beat its wings.



[h3]Southpaw #040[/h3]
Element: Metal

French: Loupunch
Italian: Lupomenaro
German: Linksausleger
Spanish: Lupdirecto

The mature form of the Puppercut, the Southpaw is covered in a light, flexible metal alloy that protects it without slowing it down. This wolf is a fast melee attacker - in this form, your strengths in battle will be your ability to hit fast and hit first.


[h3]Velocirifle #042[/h3]
Element: Fire

French: Fusiraptor
Italian: Fuciliraptor
German: Velociflinte
Spanish: Velocirrifle

The base of its skull has chambers full of gunpowder that it can use to cause explosions. It can fire objects out of its face this way, as well as quick blasts of fire and flame! Whilst weak in melee combat, it excels as a ranged attacker.



[h3]Grampus #066[/h3]
Element: Ice

French: Grampus
Italian: Adirampus
German: Grantpus
Spanish: Krampuñón

The fully matured form of Elfless. Having spent many years suppressing its emotions, the Grampus is a hulking brute with a desire to impart its own misery onto others, particularly during festive seasons. In this form, your melee strength will be very formidable!



[h3]Mascotoy[/h3]
Element: Plastic

French: Mascotrépas
Italian: Mascolocco
German: Maskottier
Spanish: Mascuguete

Mascotoy proves that plastic-type beasts aren’t all fun and games. Once some sort of character costume, the Mascotoy is now closer to a shambling corpse. Whilst it’s slow, you wouldn’t want to be on the pointy end of its oversized claw. Perhaps if one were to record it, however, this unnerving entity would make for a formidable form to take in battle.



[h3]Cluckabilly #100[/h3]
Element: Air

French: Cocorirock
Italian: Chicchirockì
German: Gackerbilly
Spanish: Cocabilly

Oh - this is new! Cluckabillies are defined by their antisocial attitudes. The force of their angry caws can be strong enough to create shockwaves. Whilst they may look unthreatening in their adolescent forms, it is said that they are capable of growing into something much more dangerous. They are well-rounded in battle, but their razor sharp blade tails give them a slight edge as melee fighters.



Last blog we teased a fusion between Domimoth and Nevermort.



What does that look like, exactly?

Well, they form Domimort!

Is it a bug or a bird?

Is that what you expected? Next time we'll show off a fusion of two of the monsters shown off here today. Which two? You'll just have to find out!

What is your favourite monster shown off today? Come and let us know on our official Discord! You can always follow us on Twitter, too!

Until next time!