Shiny Shoe CEO Mark Cooke explains why Monster Train needed a sequel instead of more DLC

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Lately, roguelike games, especially those where you build a deck of cards, have become incredibly popular on Steam. While games like Slay the Spire were a big hit a few years ago, newer titles like Balatro are now receiving widespread acclaim. It’s clear that this genre isn’t just a trend – roguelike deckbuilders are here to stay.

Interview with Mark Cooke, CEO and founder of the studio behind Monster Train series

I recently spoke with Mark Cooke, the founder and CEO of Shiny Shoe, about the current popularity of roguelike games. Shiny Shoe is well-known in the genre, having created two major hits in the last five years: Monster Train and its recently released sequel, Monster Train 2. Monster Train 2 has been incredibly well-received, earning praise from both players and critics since its launch in May. Thousands of people are currently playing the game on Steam, and many more are enjoying it on consoles. A lively online community is also actively discussing strategies and gameplay.

I interviewed Cooke to find out what led the team to make a sequel, how they manage balance with over 400 cards in the game, and why roguelike games are becoming so popular. Here’s the interview.

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Matt Buckley from Gamepressure began the interview by asking the interviewee to introduce themselves, including their name and position on the team.

Hi, I’m Mark Cooke, the founder and CEO of Shiny Shoe. We’re a small studio with 19 people, and I handle both managing the studio and producing all of our games.

Monster Train 2 is a true sequel to the original game. These days, many games are continuously updated instead of getting new releases. So, what led the development team to create a completely new game, Monster Train 2, instead of just adding more downloadable content and updates to the first Monster Train?

With Monster Train 2, we aimed for a fresh experience and wanted to build on everything we learned from the first game. To really achieve that, we needed to revisit some earlier design choices. Because of this, we decided a sequel was a better path than simply adding more content to the original Monster Train.

What are the most significant differences from the first game? What proved especially difficult to create this time around? Were there any features or gameplay elements you originally envisioned for Monster Train but couldn’t include until now?

The game has been significantly updated with several key changes. These include new Equipment and Room cards, customizable Pyre Hearts that alter gameplay, special abilities for units, a new deployment phase at the beginning of each battle, and the ability to undo turns. Five brand new monster clans have also been added, and they all utilize these new features.

We fixed an issue from the first Monster Train where special “Expert Challenges” were locked behind completing the game on the hardest difficulty. While many players enjoyed these challenges, the requirement meant a lot of people couldn’t access them. In Monster Train 2, we’ve made them available much earlier in a new area called the Dimensional Portal, so more players can try them out.

We’ve made the game much better for handheld devices like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch, as well as for playing on TVs. This means improved controller compatibility compared to the original game, and text that’s significantly easier to read.

Adding and keeping the “undo turn” feature working in Monster Train proved difficult because of how the game’s code is structured. Unlike most games where undo simply reverts the last change, Monster Train works differently. The original combat system wasn’t built with undo in mind, so instead of tracking changes, the game actually saves a full record of every decision made in battle. When you undo a turn, the game precisely replays all actions from the start of the battle up to that point.

Many players wonder if they need to have played the original Monster Train before starting Monster Train 2. Is it helpful to have experience with the first game, and are there advantages to playing both?

You don’t need to play the original Monster Train before jumping into the sequel. While knowing the first game gives you a little extra story background, both games are mostly about mastering the gameplay mechanics – they’re roguelike deckbuilders at heart. Monster Train 2 has a complete tutorial, so you can learn everything you need to know without any prior experience. Actually, I’d suggest new players start with Monster Train 2! We really aimed to improve on the first game in every way, and I think we succeeded.

Even though there’s a sequel, the original Monster Train still has a lot to offer. The story is a little different, and it features unique gameplay content you won’t find in Monster Train 2. If you enjoyed the sequel and want even more to experience, the first game provides fresh content. A key difference is the The Last Divinity DLC, which introduces a gameplay mechanic called “unit synthesis.” This allows you to combine two units, blending their abilities. We felt this system was too complex for the core Monster Train 2 game, but it adds a lot of depth for players who enjoy strategic complexity and is exclusive to the original Monster Train.

With so many cards – over 400 – in the game, is it realistic to achieve a balanced power level for everything? In other words, can we avoid having some strategies being much stronger than others? What’s your approach to balancing the game and ensuring everything feels fair?

It’s tough to get everything in the game just right, so we take a lot of different things into consideration. A big part of that is playtesting – we do it constantly, both with our internal team and with a dedicated group of external testers. I’m really grateful for their help in refining and improving the game.

We also analyze overall player behavior, such as which rewards are most frequently chosen during a Celestial Alcove event. While this data doesn’t tell us everything, it gives us valuable insight into how players view and appreciate different content.

We don’t believe the game is perfectly balanced, but we’ve made sure that any combination of clans can be used to succeed, even on the hardest difficulty. In Monster Train, players combine different clans, which affect how a run starts and what cards are available. Each clan plays differently, and some combinations are more straightforward than others. However, we’re confident you can beat the game at its highest difficulty with any clan combination, and discovering those combinations is a key part of what makes the game enjoyable.

I’m a big fan of roguelike games, and I’ve noticed a running joke online that it seems like every indie game is a roguelike now. I’m curious – what do you think has caused this genre to become so popular recently?

I enjoy roguelike games for a couple of key reasons. First, they quickly present players with meaningful choices. The way these games are structured allows for fast-paced progression and a rewarding sense of power, without needing to spend hours grinding for experience. Second, my lifestyle has changed, and I don’t have as much time for long gaming sessions anymore. Roguelikes, with their run-based format, let me have a complete and enjoyable gaming experience in under an hour.

MB: Are there any plans for future updates or DLC that you can talk about?

On November 5th, 2025, we’re releasing a major free update called Echoes From the Void. It will add two new bosses to fight, new artifacts that aren’t tied to any specific clan, more Dimensional Challenges, and new events in the Celestial Alcove, along with other content. We can’t wait for players to experience it!

As a huge fan, I’m so excited to hear that they’re already planning even more content! They’re working on both a free update and a paid DLC, and they’re aiming to release it all in early 2026. I can’t wait to learn more details when they share them!

MB: Do you have a favorite clan or pair of clans that you like to play?

I really enjoy playing with the Luna Coven clan in Monster Train 2. It’s a lot of fun to figure out how to best use the moon phases to make your spells stronger, and the art style with the moon moths is fantastic!

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We’d like to thank Mark Cooke and Shiny Shoe for letting us answer your questions. Monster Train 2 is currently available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC through Steam. Be sure to check out the recently released Echoes From the Void update!

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2025-11-16 16:04