In this episode, we talk with Jason Todd—aka Timberlake—the faceless creator behind the YouTube channel Smart Hobbies. Jason shares how he turned Sudoku from a personal pastime into a thriving YouTube channel with over 900K views on a single video. We dive into the strategy behind his growth, why he stays off-camera, how he connects with an older audience, and the surprising power of Sudoku games in a fast-paced creator economy.

Check out Timberlake's Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/@SmartHobbies
https://buymeacoffee.com/timberlakeb
https://www.instagram.com/timberlakesmarthobbies

Games Mentioned:
Sudoku - Timberlake's favorite game to play
Wingspan
Scrabble
Chess

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Top Videos Overview
• (00:50) - Welcome to the Hey, Good Game Podcast
• (01:42) - Meet Jason Todd, AKA Timberlake
• (02:21) - Jason's Favorite Games
• (02:52) - The Birth of Smart Hobbies
• (04:34) - The Faceless Channel Strategy
• (06:55) - Jason's Background and Career
• (09:03) - The Journey to YouTube Success
• (11:05) - Content Creation and Audience Engagement
• (24:16) - Revenue Streams and Future Plans
• (30:02) - Balancing Work and Personal Life
• (30:21) - Overcoming Regret and Embracing Routine
• (30:50) - Collaborating in the Sudoku Community
• (34:07) - Growing Your YouTube Channel
• (34:46) - Choosing the Right Platform for Courses
• (39:47) - Understanding Your Audience
• (42:23) - The Importance of Quality Content
• (46:08) - Exploring the Benefits of Sudoku
• (52:39) - Future of Sudoku and Community Building
• (55:27) - Connecting with Timberlake

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

Kevin Glikmann, actor and creator of WordGlyph, joins us to share his wild creative journey—from voicing unforgettable characters in Red Dead Redemption to hand-building one of the most unusual word games on the internet.

We talk about the inventing spirit that started with childhood roller coaster blueprints, the challenge of onboarding players in a genre-breaking game, and how Kevin used AI to accelerate coding without losing control. He also shares scrappy marketing tactics, ASMR game videos, and why rejection just means you’re onto something original.

Check out Kevin's Resources:
https://wordglyph.xyz/

https://kevinglikmann.com

Game Mentions
Chess - Kevin's favorite game to play
WordGlyph

Red Dead Redemption

Scrabble

Upwords

Chopper (Apple II)

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• (01:20) - – Playing Bullet Chess and Getting Stuck
• (03:15) - – Inventing at Age 9: A Roller Coaster Pitch to Disneyland
• (05:00) - – Creative Parents and Early Exposure to Production
• (06:30) - – From Airplane Spoofs to Apple II Coding
• (08:00) - – Taking Apart the Rubik’s Cube to Make It Harder
• (09:30) - – Balancing Left-Brain Code with Right-Brain Performance
• (11:00) - – Vulnerability in Acting vs. Game Design
• (14:00) - – Why Seth Breyers Didn’t Return in Red Dead 2
• (16:30) - – Favorite Roles and Joy of Physical Acting
• (18:40) - – Why Game Creation Is So Much Harder Than Voice Acting
• (20:00) - – Kevin’s Failed Game Inventions (Scrap Ball, Word Race)
• (22:30) - – From Toy Agents to Hasbro Rejections
• (24:00) - – Where Word Glyph Began: Breaking Letters Into Segments
• (25:30) - – Toothpicks, Flash Prototypes, and the Original Word Glyph
• (27:30) - – The Wordle Wake-Up Call
• (28:45) - – Building Word Glyph with JavaScript and AI
• (31:30) - – The Frustration of Not Knowing Your Own Code
• (34:00) - – Marketing Scrappiness: Reddit, Y Combinator, TikTok
• (37:17) - – Creating Linguistic and Math Angles with AI-Generated Articles
• (40:02) - – Discovering ASMR as a Game Marketing Tactic
• (42:17) - – Why Influencers Cost $15K+ (and What to Do Instead)
• (44:02) - – The Power of DIY Press, Product Hunt, and Discord
• (48:02) - – Onboarding Through Experience, Not Instructions
• (51:02) - – Game Design Tip: Help Players Win Early
• (52:17) - – How Kevin Uses Community Boards for Learning & Retention
• (53:32) - – Why Bad Moves in Ads Might Work
• (55:02) - – What Kevin Would (and Wouldn’t) Do Differently

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

Samuel Johnston, co-founder of Bleppo and co-creator of Word Salad, joins us to share how a daily word game turned into a viral hit with over 50 million views. We talk about designing for TikTok, teaching new users game mechanics, building games that are fun (not addictive), and what it’s like growing a studio by betting on the right kind of sharing.

Check out Samuel's Resources:
https://bleppo.co.uk/
https://wordsalad.online
https://numbersalad.com/
https://steks.net/

Game Mentions
Morrowind
RimWorld
Diablo II
Day of the Tentacle
Red Alert
NYT Strands
NYT Connections

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• (00:29) - Meet Samuel Johnston: Founder of Bleppo
• (01:14) - Samuel's Favorite Games
• (02:07) - Nostalgic Gaming Moments
• (04:12) - Creating Non-Addictive Games
• (07:48) - The Birth of Bleppo
• (10:12) - Developing Word Salad
• (11:52) - The Art of Cryptic Crosswords
• (14:50) - Setting Puzzles: A Creative Process
• (23:34) - Reaching the First Thousand Players
• (24:21) - Challenges in Marketing and Monetization
• (24:48) - Pivoting to a New Strategy
• (25:07) - Leveraging Social Media for Growth
• (26:58) - Collaborating with Small Content Creators
• (27:31) - Unexpected Success Stories
• (36:12) - Refining the Onboarding Process
• (45:31) - Future Plans and Reflections

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

David Steinberg went from submitting crosswords to the New York Times at age 12 to becoming the editorial manager at Andrews McMeel. In this episode, he shares how puzzles captured his imagination, what makes a great daily game, and why accessibility, surprise, and player-first design are key to long-term success. We also dive into how AI, onboarding, and syndication are shaping the future of games for indie developers and solvers alike.

Check out David's Resources:
https://syndication.andrewsmcmeel.com/puzzles/category/puzzles
https://www.gocomics.com

Find David Online:
http://www.customcrossword.com
https://www.xwordinfo.com/Thumbs/?author=David+Steinberg
60 Seconds With David Steinberg

Game Mentions
https://beekeeperlabs.com/crossfire/
https://www.playbalatro.com/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2400510/Dungeons__Degenerate_Gamblers/
https://playthebazaar.com/
https://imsqueezy.com/
https://crosswordfiend.com/

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• (00:59) - David's Favorite Game Right Now
• (02:13) - Discovering Crosswords and Early Inspirations
• (03:54) - First Attempts and Early Rejections
• (04:46) - Getting Published and Shifting Focus
• (06:27) - The Appeal and Evolution of Crosswords
• (09:14) - Creating Crosswords: Tools and Tips
• (12:56) - Solving Strategies and Tournament Insights
• (14:58) - Crossword Tournaments and Competitions
• (18:49) - The Future of Crosswords and Puzzle Games
• (21:49) - Easy Mode for Friday Crosswords
• (22:03) - Evolution of Puzzle Creation
• (23:20) - Criteria for Syndicating Puzzles
• (25:12) - Measuring Puzzle Success
• (27:23) - Surprising Aspects of Syndication
• (28:28) - Trends in the Puzzle and Gaming Industry
• (33:04) - Merging Comics and Puzzles
• (35:42) - AI in Puzzle Creation
• (37:29) - Onboarding Players in Puzzle Games

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

In this episode of Hey, Good Game, we sit down with Jeff Doka — creative director, writer, and co-founder of World Seekers, a GPS-based deckbuilding game that fuses exercise and entertainment. Jeff shares lessons from building Chess Puzzle Blitz, why most daily games fail to create lasting habits, and how deep mechanics and storytelling can transform casual gaming experiences. We dive into the realities of bootstrapped game development, the art of crafting daily puzzle loops, and why designing for real-world benefit (not just dopamine hits) might be the future of gaming. Plus: why AI isn’t replacing good storytelling anytime soon, and how rolling a D20 perfectly describes indie life.

If you care about games that actually make your life better — you’ll love this one.

Check out Jeff's Resources:
https://www.4leaflabs.com/
https://www.finalbossediting.com/
https://www.worldseekersgame.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Distributor-Jeff-Doka-ebook/dp/B0DMPYTBGH
https://www.amazon.com/Running-Wlid-Novella-Anthology-Book/dp/1955062676

Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/worldseekersgame
https://www.instagram.com/worldseekers_game/
https://bsky.app/profile/finalbossediting.bsky.social


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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

Elyot Grant, CEO and Game Director at Lunar Studios. Elyot shares his prolific journey from academia to game development, highlighting his expertise in creating engaging puzzles and successful indie games like Prisma. He discusses his favorite classic games, including Tetris and StarCraft, and provides deep insights into the intricacies of game design and puzzle creation.

Elyot also recounts compelling stories about their Kickstarter campaign for Prisma and using Reddit to build an early audience. Additionally, he sheds light on the making and scaling of 'Islands of Insight,' a puzzle game known for its vast number of handcrafted puzzles, emphasizing the blend of artistry and algorithmic generation in game design. This episode is filled with valuable tips for indie developers and puzzle enthusiasts alike.

Check out Elyot's Resources:
http://lunarchstudios.com/
https://user-74792.artstation.com/

Socials:
http://twitter.com/lunarchstudios
https://www.facebook.com/Prismata/
https://www.youtube.com/lunarchstudios

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• (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome
• (02:17) - Elyot Grant's Gaming Preferences
• (04:41) - Deep Dive into Tetris
• (16:09) - Challenges and Weaknesses in Gaming
• (19:43) - Kickstarter and Game Development Journey
• (30:58) - Building a Community at Expos
• (31:55) - Building a Community Around a Game
• (32:49) - Challenges of Collecting Emails at Conventions
• (35:28) - The Reddit Story: Turning a Failure into Success
• (42:09) - Kickstarter Campaign: Seizing the Momentum
• (45:49) - Islands of Insight: Crafting 10,000 Handcrafted Puzzles
• (53:56) - The Value of Handmade Puzzles vs. Generated Puzzles
• (01:00:04) - Conclusion and Future Projects

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

Gabriel Stürmer, CEO of Clap Clap Games. Gabriel shares his remarkable journey from working in e-commerce at Dell to venturing into gaming with Cupcake Entertainment and eventually founding his own game studio. Despite facing the setback of being fired from Cupcake, Gabriel taught himself game development through Unity tutorials and successfully published two hit games, 'Submarine Jump' and 'Snow Patrol,' with renowned publishers.

He discusses the intricate process of game testing, the evolution of hyper-casual games, and the challenges of staying ahead in the mobile gaming industry with limited resources. Gabriel also offers insights into building a successful partnership and maintaining efficiency in a small team. Listeners get a glimpse into the dynamic world of mobile game development and the resilience required to succeed.

Check out Gabriel's Resources:
https://clapclap.games/
https://linktr.ee/clapclap.games

Socials:
https://www.tiktok.com/@clapclap.games
https://www.facebook.com/ClapClapGames
https://www.instagram.com/clapclap.games
https://www.linkedin.com/company/clapclap-games/
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• (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome
• (02:36) - Gabriel Sturmer's Background and Career Journey
• (04:43) - The Birth of Clap Games
• (07:18) - First Game Prototypes and Initial Success
• (12:21) - Scaling and Testing Games
• (16:31) - Current Development Process and Challenges
• (24:44) - Testing and Analytics Tools
• (27:45) - Iterating and Adding Complexity to Games
• (28:16) - Publishing Platforms: iOS, Android, and Web
• (29:02) - Challenges in Mobile Game Development
• (30:07) - The Importance of Ad Creatives
• (33:31) - Hiring and Team Dynamics
• (39:29) - Business Model and Working with Publishers
• (46:56) - The Story of Snow Patrol
• (53:12) - 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

John discusses his approach to creating music for video games, the impact of early involvement in projects, and how he integrates live instruments into his scores. He shares insights into his diverse body of work, including titles like 'For the King,' 'Tchia,' and 'Gunpoint,' and talks about his background in music education and film scoring. The interview also explores the role of sound design in enhancing gameplay and the importance of thematic consistency in game soundtracks.

Check out John's Resources:
https://www.materiacollective.com/
https://johnrobertmatz.com/index.html
https://soundcloud.com/John-Robert-Matz

Socials:
https://x.com/JohnRobertMatz
https://www.youtube.com/viper50bmg
https://www.instagram.com/johnrobertmatz/
https://www.facebook.com/JohnRobertMatz/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-robert-matz-a40b8a60/

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• (00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
• (01:07) - John's Favorite Games
• (03:05) - The Composer's Perspective on Game Music
• (05:50) - John's Studio Setup and Instrument Collection
• (09:24) - John's Musical Journey and Career Path
• (15:05) - Approach to Game Music Composition
• (18:39) - Budget Considerations in Game Music
• (23:05) - The Role of Music in Indie Games
• (25:49) - Enhancing Player Immersion with Music and Sound Design
• (26:11) - UI Sound Design and Its Challenges
• (30:12) - Inspiration from Fellow Composers
• (33:32) - Exploring Historical Music for Modern Compositions
• (42:23) - Creating Authentic Soundscapes for Video Games
• (47:11) - Common Misconceptions About Hiring Composers
• (51:16) - Current and Upcoming Projects
• (52:29) - Where to Find More About John Robert Matz

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