Let POPUCOM Brighten Your Day

The reviews are in, and everyone is raving about the colorful new co-op kid on the block, POPUCOM. A sugar rush of mood-heightening hues and collaborative gameplay, it’s a feelgood hit for developers Countersurge Salient, a studio based within Hypergryph in Shanghai. POPUCOM invites gamers to an undiscovered world where color holds the key to an incredible, cooperative adventure; players use it to activate mechanisms, solve puzzles, alter the environment, and impact enemies. Countersurge Salient took time out from enjoying the reception of their brand of eye-popping playfulness to tell Intel Gaming Access more about the title. 

Starting Out Right 

“From the very beginning,” the team told us, “our vision has been guided by a simple philosophy: ‘Gameplay First, Players First.’ That mindset guides not only the way we design games, but also the way we work together as a team, encouraging creativity, open collaboration, and a constant focus on delivering joyful, memorable experiences for players around the world.” The world always needs joy, and gamers are getting their fill with POPUCOM, as well as a side of community. “We’ve seen a wave of creative co-op games emerge over the past few years,” Countersurge Salient continues. “Beyond being fun and entertaining, these games have shown how they can help players form meaningful bonds, proving that video games can have a real and positive impact on people’s lives. That idea really resonated with us and became the core inspiration behind POPUCOM. We wanted to take that spirit a step further by designing a game that encourages harmony, communication, and healthy collaboration among players. That kind of co-op dynamic, one that emphasizes working together rather than competing, has become a central part of what POPUCOM is all about.”   

Better Together 

Joy, creativity, communication? Color us happy. So how do we play? “POPUCOM is designed for two-to-four players and features two main modes,” Countersurge Salient explains. “There’s a narrative-driven story mode designed for two players, and a high-energy party mode for three to four players, perfect for chaotic fun and shared laughter. The game features match-three-inspired mechanics, color-based puzzles, and physics-driven interactions. On top of that, players use unique artifacts, each with different functions, to solve puzzles in creative ways, adding even more layers of variety and fun to the gameplay. We design the game for players who enjoy teamwork, creativity, and lighthearted fun, whether they’re seasoned gamers or newcomers. It’s meant to be approachable and inclusive, while still offering depth and challenge.” 

This range is expressed in multiple ways, including the mechanics. “One of the things we’re most proud of is how flexible and expressive the co-op mechanics are,” Countersurge Salient says. “Even though each player only has five abilities, combining them in creative ways can lead to all kinds of unexpected solutions—especially in Party Mode. With three or four players, things can get wonderfully chaotic. Early levels serve as a gentle introduction, and as the game progresses, the challenges evolve, from simple puzzles to more complex, multi-step scenarios. But at every stage, players are building on the same core mechanics they learned early on. We wanted to strike a balance between creativity and learning, letting players gradually discover what they can do, try out their own ideas, and come up with clever ways to work together.” 

“We approach level design the same way,” the team continues. “Running, for instance, is usually a solo activity. But a three-legged race where two people are tied together, completely changes the dynamic. It becomes all about rhythm, coordination, and communication. That inspired us to explore how traditionally single-player puzzle formats could be adapted into co-op form.” 

Making it Work 

That willingness to evolve, and to trust the process, wasn’t without challenges. “A big challenge was evolving the concept behind our core weapon, the Rainbow Popper,” Countersurge Salient recalls. “The initial direction of the game was to design some co-op puzzles centered around ‘special physics-based items’. When the team was just two people, we spent two weeks building the first gameplay prototype. It included some simple mechanics and an early version of our main weapon Rainbow Popper, which at that time didn’t have color properties and only provided a pushing force, which is why it was called a Push Popper back then. However, during internal testing, we felt the prototype still lacked appeal, so we took some time to brainstorm ways to improve the overall project. In our original concept, we envisioned a creature similar to Stacko in the current game: small, colorful monsters stacked on top of each other. Players could use the Push Popper to squeeze out specific parts of the monster, triggering a match-three effect. Based on the idea of the Push Popper, we added a color feature to it. With this color-based weapon, we then created different types of monsters and interactive elements. After testing some early versions and seeing how fun they were, we felt confident that this match-three shooting mechanic could be a key part of the game. It not only aligned with our original goal of making a co-op game, but also made it even more enjoyable.” 

Making it Work for You 

We know you really want to get your hands on the Rainbow Popper, but you also want to know that everything this game promises can be delivered on your system. “While the game is optimized to run well across a wide range of PC setups, a system that handles real-time physics and rendering smoothly will offer the best experience—especially when things get wild in Party Mode,” the team advises. “During the development process, we tested the game on a wide range of Intel-powered devices such as desktops, laptops, and even handheld consoles, which greatly helped us ensure smooth performance across different setups. This also allowed us to investigate issues that players using integrated graphics might encounter. Having access to these systems during the testing phase made it easier for us to identify and troubleshoot potential problems, and we benefited a lot from Intel’s tooling and ecosystem support in helping us locate and solve compatibility-related issues.” 

Having made a multihued hit, what’s next for Countersurge Salient? “Our focus after launch will be on closely listening to player feedback and continuing to improve the game,” the team assures us. “We’re looking forward to growing the game together with our community.” What can we say? The future of POPUCOM is looking bright. 

Buy POPUCOM on Steam