Aidan Benjamin ’29 hopes to create indie games
Aidan Benjamin ’29 was browsing at a GameStop store in 2013 when he paused at a demo kiosk. The game on demo was Bit.Trip Runner 2, a side-scrolling platformer that invites players to explore five different worlds. Benjamin was hooked and had no idea that in a few years’ time, he’d be creating art for a new version of the game.
“I just got really into that game,” he says. “It is still possibly my favorite game of all time.”
Benjamin, an interactive media major on the 3D art track, learned during 2023 that the game’s developers were releasing an updated version called Bit.Trip Rerunner and had put out a call: They wanted fans to submit art. Benjamin jumped at the chance.
Ultimately, Benjamin created four art pieces that now appear in Bit.Trip Rerunner, placed as graffiti on the buildings in the game’s cityscape.
ClarkU News caught up with Benjamin to ask about creating art and his experience so far at the Becker School of Design & Technology.
What did it mean to create art for this game franchise that really spoke to you?
I want to go into the game industry, so it’s cool to be in a game, but much more than that, to be in this franchise in particular. It feels full circle to me because if I had never played Bit.Trip Runner 2 when I did, I can’t say for sure that I would be in this university, enrolled in the classes I am in.
What kind of art is your favorite style, and what do you want to make?
I strongly believe that video games are an art form in themselves, so I would say games are the art I want to make. I want to learn all aspects of game design so I can work with either a very small team or do stuff on my own.
I don’t want to stick to one niche or one genre, but I do want to make a roguelite game at some point. For the sake of creating, I want to try other art forms as well, like music and traditional art pieces.
Why did you pick the 3D art track?
It’s my favorite out of all the tracks (other tracks are 2D art, audio, production, programming, UI/UX, writing), but I want to be well-rounded and know them all.
When did you first realize video games interested you as a career option?
I’ve enjoyed video games pretty much my whole life. When I was younger, I had a Wii that I would play, but then the console that I really started playing more was the PS3. I’ve always had more of an interest in indie games and smaller games, and ever since I got that interest and saw the teams behind those games, I knew this is what I want to do.
What have you been up to during your first year at Clark?
I’ve attended talks from industry professionals. I joined the Clark chapter of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) and did a couple of game jams, where you make a whole game in 48 hours. I made a fishing game mixed with a cooking game — kind of like a simplified Overcooked, where you catch the fish and prepare them. It didn’t get entirely to the point I wanted it to in 48 hours, so I think I’m going to spend some time polishing what I did and get it to my original vision.
