You know that feeling when you’re riding a bike downhill, wind in your hair, sun on your face, no destination in mind – just you, the road, and that weirdly Zen hum of your tires on the tarmac?
Wheel World is that feeling in game form.
Developed by indie darlings Messhof – yes, the developers behind Nidhogg, Wheel World is an open-world biking adventure that feels like it shouldn’t work but somehow works perfectly.
It’s both thrilling and tranquil, silly and sincere, chaotic and… cosy?
It’s a rare game that lets you chase down elite cycling gangs one moment and coast past surreal ruins the next – all while the synth-laced soundtrack keeps your vibes at a perfect simmer.
I had the absolute pleasure of chatting to Messhof’s co-founders, Kristy Norindr and Mark Essen, about Wheel World.
What unfolded was a passionate conversation about bike co-ops, ghost upgrades, and the surprisingly radical joy of riding a bike.
From Pixels to Pedals
Before you dive into the handlebars of Wheel World, it’s worth understanding how a game like this comes to life.
Spoiler: not with a 200-person team.
“We’re bad at counting at Messhof,” Kristy laughs when I ask how many people worked on the team. “At our height, we were ten-ish. Right now, we’re probably closer to eight. And that includes people we work with consistently but who aren’t full-time, like our sound designer, Tom.”
Mark adds, “We ramped up slowly as we figured out what the game was. It was nice to have a smaller ship when we were making big changes to the design. The early days were just a couple of us prototyping and figuring it all out.”
In fact, development technically began in 2019, but the version of Wheel World releasing today has evolved significantly over time. “It’s been the biggest project for most of us,” Kristy explains. “We had to ramp up both in terms of the team and the scope. Most of us come from indie backgrounds, so this scale was new.”
Why Bikes? Because Bikes Are Magic.
You might be wondering, “Why bikes?” It’s a question I asked too – because let’s be honest, the words open-world cycling game aren’t something you hear every day.
But for Mark, the answer is deeply personal.
“I used to have, like, seven bikes hanging up in my place,” he tells me. “Bikes were how I got around growing up in the suburbs. Before I had a car, it was just… bikes. Then in college, I discovered bike co-ops, and suddenly, I had access to every part, every tool. I could build, fix, and customise. I got really into the mechanics of it.”
He pauses momentarily, then continues: “It’s the same reason I love working with computers and programming – it’s fun to understand how things work and remix them. Like, I wanted to build an all-blue bike once. So I dug through parts bins just to find all the blue components. That limitation drove the design.”
Kristy jumps in with a smile, “And then, for years, Mark was doing these really long bike rides. Like, up actual mountains. I would join if it was flat. Only flat,” she laughs. “But yeah, those long rides, they became part of our lives. He’d come back from a ride and be like, ‘Okay, so I had an idea…’ And suddenly, we’re designing a cycling game.”
What began as a creative outlet for Mark’s real-world bike obsession eventually grew into a full-blown studio effort – complete with input from other cycling enthusiasts on the team. “Everyone brought their own bike experiences to the table,” Kristy says. “Different riding styles, different stories. And it all found its way into the design.”
The Joy of the Ride
At its core, Wheel World is about how good it feels to be on a bike. The world is vast, strange, and full of pastel-hued mystery, but the game’s biggest triumph is nailing that flow state of movement.
Mark explains, “We really wanted the bike to feel like riding a real one. That sensation of coasting, picking up speed on a downhill, gliding into a turn. It’s not the same as walking in a game or driving a car. There’s a unique rhythm to cycling.”
But don’t mistake realism for simulation.
“Early on, we had these super complex systems,” Mark says. “There was stamina. There was digestion. We had food, literal gears, and a whole thing with elevation. But it was hard to convey all that in a third-person camera. Eventually, we were like, ‘Okay, this is too much.’ So we kept the boosting and drafting, stripped out the rest, and focused on what felt good.”
That constant focus on feel is what makes Wheel World work. “We wanted it to be intuitive,” Mark says. “With Nidhogg, we focused on making the game react in ways players could internalise. That same thinking carried over here.”
Kristy adds, “We didn’t want a game where if you’re not ‘good at it,’ you’re punished. We wanted a game you could hand to anyone and they’d have fun.”
Race Hard, Ride Soft
One of Wheel World’s most delightful contradictions is how it balances high-stakes racing with utterly relaxed exploration. It’s like if Burnout Paradise was narrated by a yoga instructor.
“That contrast was intentional,” Mark says. “We didn’t want to make a game that’s just race after race. That gets exhausting. There’s this other side to cycling that’s just… nice. You’re in nature, you’re seeing the world, you’re just moving. We wanted to celebrate that too.”
The result? A game where you can challenge ghostly elite cycling teams and then chill out by riding along a scenic beachside trail while synthwave softly pulses in the background. No pressure. Unless you want there to be.
“We designed the world so players could define their own pace,” Mark says. “If you’re struggling with a race, you can go explore. Chances are, you’ll find a part that makes your bike better. Then you come back and try again. It’s all interconnected.”
Art That Moves You
It’s not just the mechanics that are tuned to perfection – the visuals in Wheel World are stunning. Bright, bold, and breezy, the art feels like a blend of retro cycling posters, pop art, and something you might hang in your dream garage.
“We were inspired by 50s and 60s Tour de France posters,” Mark says. “You know, those thick-outlined, vintage travel ads – ‘Visit Italy’ type stuff. We also looked at David Hockney, Jet Set Radio, and even some Miyazaki.”
But making it all work with a small art team was a challenge. “Some of our outlines are based on distance, some are hand-authored. They’re not uniform like in other cel-shaded games. We even colour the outlines. It’s subtle, but it gives the world this unique feel.”
The result is a game that’s almost hypnotic to look at – each corner of the map feels like a painting in motion.
Okay, But What’s the Game About?
Good question. And according to Mark, it’s one he still sometimes struggles to answer succinctly.
“I guess if I had to explain it to my grandmother,” he chuckles, “I’d say it’s a game where you explore a world on a bike and compete in races. You collect parts and upgrade your bike, and those parts change how the bike handles. That’s the short version.”
But spend a few hours in Wheel World, and you’ll see there’s more to it than that.
It’s a love letter to movement.
A celebration of small moments.
A quiet meditation on pace and progress.
A reminder that joy can come from the journey as much as the finish line.
And yes, it’s a game where your ghost companion gives you magical bike powers because, of course, it is.
Final Thoughts From the Saddle
When I ask what Kristy and Mark hope players take away from Wheel World, their answers are surprisingly heartfelt.
“I think bikes are important,” Mark says. “They’re efficient, fun, good for the environment… but also just joyful. I wanted to remind people that this 200-year-old invention is still kind of magical. You don’t need to put on spandex or do anything extreme – just hop on and go.”
Kristy nods. “We wanted to create something that feels good. That lets you set your own pace, feel empowered, and have fun. If people finish the game and feel even a little more curious about biking in the real world, that’s a win.”
In a world full of fast travel, instant gratification, and overcomplicated systems, Wheel World is a rare gem.
A reminder to slow down. To look around. To coast when you can, and pedal when it counts.
Whether you’re racing elite bike cults, upgrading your ride with off-road tires, or just vibing to synthwave on a glowing ridge at sunset, Wheel World doesn’t just want you to win – it wants you to enjoy the ride.
And honestly? That might be the most radical thing a game can do.
If you want to check out Wheel World for yourself, you can follow the link here.
