Terraria creators cameo in a new JRPG-inspired Pokemon and Stardew Valley mashup: "No game has better NPCs now"

Ova Magica reveal trailer screenshot showing a young female farmer with a straw hat and short hair resting against a wooden fence while a cow-like blob stands nearby
(Image credit: Skinny Frog)

Ova Magica, a charming new JRPG-inspired farming sim with strong Pokemon and Stardew Valley vibes, just released into early access - and it contains an adorable ode to Terraria.

After four years, Ova Magica has finally arrived and it's stunning. Headed by Claudia Gorsky and her indie studio Skinny Frog, the cozy gem boasts a unique blend of creature-collecting mechanics like those in Pokemon and elements from beloved farming sims such as Stardew Valley. It also features a fun little surprise for Terraria fans - a cameo appearance from the fellow indie game's own creators.

In a new post, Terraria lead Andrew "Redigit" Spinks shares a clip from Ova Magica showing two characters that resemble him and his wife, Whitney "Cenx" Spinks, as they appear in their sandbox game. Both Terraria devs are depicted in Ova Magica as fans would recognize them - Cenx with her vibrant wings and Redigit with his dark knight-like armor. He jokes, "There's something a little suspicious about this game."

The short video also features two blobs that look just like Terraria's King and Queen Slime bosses. "Someone took a wrong turn and landed in a strange blob game," Ova Magica's dev writes in response to Redigit. "It's still such an honor," she continues, "no game has better NPCs now." As a Terraria stan myself, I'm inclined to agree - although I'm most interested in snagging those sparkly slime-lookalike blobs myself in-game.

Players seem excited about the unexpected crossover, too - "Wait, you and Cenx are in the game," asks one fan. "How do I find you?" While it's not clear if Cenx and Redigit-themed cosmetics are available in Ova Magica for your own character or if you can obtain the slimes as blobs for your farm yet, there's only one way to find out - grab the game on Steam and explore.

Looking to check other cozy titles out? Here are our favorite games like Stardew Valley.

Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.