From Angry Birds to Escape Rooms: The Game Design Journey of Johannes Ahvenniemi

02/11/25 • 38 min

Johannes Ahvenniemi, a seasoned mobile gaming industry professional with a diverse portfolio, including working on hits like Best Fiends and Angry Birds. Johannes shares how his interest in games started at a very young age, inspired by his brother. He discusses his passion for creating quality games without ads, his consulting work, and innovative projects like escape puzzle magazines and Sudoku solvers.

Johannes also shares his experiences working at top companies like Seriously Digital and Rovio Entertainment and founding Papukaija to make games for underserved audiences. Tune in to learn more about his unconventional journey and ambitious future projects.

Check out Johannes's Resources:https://adartis.fi/
http://tikola.com/
https://cluehound.com/
https://sudokugen.com/
https://adartis.fi/games-by-sam/

Socials:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannes-ahvenniemi-0b71ab19/

(00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast
(00:26) - Guest Introduction: Johannes Ahvenniemi
(01:18) - Johannes' Favorite Games
(02:40) - Escape Room Games and Market
(05:08) - Early Coding Journey
(07:39) - Transition to Professional Game Development
(08:31) - Experience at Rovio
(11:18) - Game Industry in Finland
(13:45) - Time at Seriously Digital
(15:18) - Starting Independent Projects
(23:12) - Games by Sam
(32:43) - Consulting and Future Plans
(36:53) - Conclusion and Contact Information

Check out our brainy games:

Sumplete - https://sumplete.com
Squeezy - https://imsqueezy.com/
Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.com
Mathler - https://mathler.com
Crosswordle - https://crosswordle.com
Sudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.com
Hitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.com
Wordga - https://wordga.com

Check out Johannes's Resources:https://adartis.fi/
http://tikola.com/
https://cluehound.com/
https://sudokugen.com/
https://adartis.fi/games-by-sam/

Socials:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannes-ahvenniemi-0b71ab19/

(00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast
(00:26) - Guest Introduction: Johannes Ahvenniemi
(01:18) - Johannes' Favorite Games
(02:40) - Escape Room Games and Market
(05:08) - Early Coding Journey
(07:39) - Transition to Professional Game Development
(08:31) - Experience at Rovio
(11:18) - Game Industry in Finland
(13:45) - Time at Seriously Digital
(15:18) - Starting Independent Projects
(23:12) - Games by Sam
(32:43) - Consulting and Future Plans
(36:53) - Conclusion and Contact Information

Check out our brainy games:

Previous Episode

Modern Game Design Using Paper and AI: The Couples Game Story

A masterclass in modern game development with Osebo, revealing his journey from sketching word puzzles on a flight to Jamaica to launching Couples Game using AI tools and smart design principles.

Learn how this former Tumblr and Facebook designer leverages LLMs to create engaging puzzles while building Castle's next-gen mobile game engine – proving that the best games start with pen and paper before embracing cutting-edge tech.

Check out Osebo's Resources:

https://castle.xyz/https://www.couples.game/
https://evenings.fm/

Socials:

https://www.osebo.blog
https://www.instagram.com/0sebo/
https://x.com/0sebo
https://bsky.app/profile/osebo.bsky.social

(00:00) - Introduction and Welcome
(01:24) - Interview with Osebo: Game Design Insights
(02:16) - Osebo's Favorite Games
(06:48) - The Resurgence of Chess in New York
(08:08) - Osebo's Gaming Journey
(11:32) - From Design to Programming
(14:38) - Professional Journey: Tumblr and Facebook
(16:33) - Exploring VR and Oculus
(21:13) - Castle: A Cognition Gym
(22:51) - Team and Vision at Castle
(24:57) - Game Creation and Monetization
(29:18) - Prototyping on the Way to Jamaica
(30:15) - Prototyping the Game Mechanics
(30:46) - Building and Sharing the Game
(31:39) - Community Feedback and Adjustments
(33:33) - The Role of AI in Game Development
(36:31) - Challenges and Innovations in Word Games
(39:03) - Organic Growth and Community Engagement
(43:33) - Future Plans and Monetization
(49:12) - Evening.fm and Independent Radio
(54:19) - Conclusion and Contact Information

Check out our brainy games:

Next Episode

Tetris, Chess, and Go: Martin Grider’s Indie Game Design Playbook

Martin's journey in game development, starting from his early days as a web developer to his current focus on iOS mobile applications. Martin shares his thoughts on AI in game development, his preferences for using Swift and Godot over Unity, and his experience with board game conversions and licensing.

Martin also delves into his design philosophy, the challenges of monetizing games in the App Store, and his latest game projects, including a Zelda-ish 2D story-based game.

Check out Martin's Resources:

http://abstractpuzzle.com/
http://martingrider.name/
http://chesstris.com/
Socials:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/livingtech/
https://www.facebook.com/AbstractPuzzle/about