Adam Marshall spent over a decade developing Kingdoms of the Dump while working as a custodian at a school in suburban Philadelphia, cleaning floors and hauling trash bags from 3 PM to 11 PM each night. His childhood friend Matt Loiseau, also a janitor, joined him in creating this SNES-styled JRPG set in a fantasy world made entirely of garbage. The game launched on November 18, 2025, after years of development funded initially out-of-pocket by two people who literally sweep floors for a living. Bloomberg called it one of the year’s most charming RPGs, and players are comparing it to classics like Chrono Trigger and EarthBound.
From Mopping Floors to Making Games
Marshall, now 36, started developing Kingdoms of the Dump in 2016 while working full-time as a school custodian. After finishing his day job at 11 PM, he’d go home and spend hours building the game in RPG Maker alongside a small team of hobbyists who mostly worked for free. This schedule continued for five years straight before he finally quit his custodial job last year to finish the game full-time, nine years into development.
The decision to theme the entire game around garbage came directly from their real-life jobs. When you spend your days hauling trash and scrubbing toilets, you develop a certain perspective on refuse that most people never consider. Marshall and Loiseau turned that daily experience into the Lands of Fill, a world made up of five and a half kingdoms where everything from buildings to weapons to magical items is constructed from junk, discarded materials, and literal garbage.
The protagonist, Dustin Binsley, is a disgraced squire blamed for the trashpicking of King Garbagia. Players must journey across the kingdoms to rescue the king, clear Dustin’s name, and uncover the evil organization trying to destroy the Lands of Fill. Along the way, Dustin teams up with companions like his best friend Ratavia, librarian Walker Jacket, bard Lute, laundromancer Cerulean, and master of disguise Musk while battling the Toxic Grimelin Army.
The Kickstarter That Almost Didn’t Happen
After years of self-funding development through their janitor salaries, Marshall and Loiseau launched a Kickstarter campaign in July 2019 seeking $60,000 to hire a programmer full-time. The pitch was simple: this is an SNES-styled RPG with platforming elements set in a fantasy world of trash, created by two real-life janitors. The authenticity resonated. The campaign raised $76,560 from backers who appreciated both the garbage aesthetic and the underdog story of custodians pursuing their creative dreams.
One memorable reward tier offered backers an invitation to pick up litter at one of New Jersey’s finest roadsides, where the developers would talk video games while cleaning. Travel was at the backer’s own expense, but a custom T-shirt would be provided along with food. The description ended with a promise that even if nobody showed up, they’d do the litter pickup regardless. That kind of earnest humor perfectly captured the game’s tone and the developers’ personalities.
Then the pandemic hit in 2020, disrupting everything. Plans changed, contractors were lost, and the entire development approach needed rethinking. What was supposed to launch much earlier got pushed back repeatedly as Marshall and Loiseau adapted to the changing circumstances while still working their day jobs. The fact that Kingdoms of the Dump finally released at all is a testament to their persistence.
Gameplay That Channels SNES Classics
Kingdoms of the Dump doesn’t try to reinvent JRPGs. Instead, it lovingly recreates what made 16-bit classics special while adding modern touches. Combat uses turn-based, grid-based battles where positioning matters. Characters move around a 3×6 grid, encouraging tactical placement and strategic thinking rather than just selecting Attack every turn. The system includes timed hits for bonus damage, similar to Super Mario RPG, rewarding players who master the rhythm of combat.
No random encounters appear in Kingdoms of the Dump. Every enemy is visible on the field, and you can choose whether to engage or avoid them. This design decision respects player time and eliminates the frustration of getting repeatedly interrupted during exploration. The overworld features jumping, elevation changes, and platforming elements that add variety beyond typical JRPG traversal. There’s even a Mode 7-inspired world map and airship for traveling between kingdoms.
The game includes character swapping for special abilities, extensive side quests with NPCs who have actual personalities, and dialogue that captures the humor and wit of EarthBound and Mario RPG. Players have noted that the writing significantly exceeds recent SNES-inspired releases like Sea of Stars in terms of character development, narrative coherence, and comedic timing. The world-building is more detailed than you’d expect from an indie JRPG, with even minor NPCs feeling worth talking to.
The Modern Chrono Trigger Comparison
Multiple players have called Kingdoms of the Dump the closest thing to a modern Chrono Trigger they’ve experienced. That’s high praise considering Chrono Trigger is widely considered one of the greatest JRPGs ever made. The comparison stems from similarities in aesthetic, tone, gameplay mechanics, and that ineffable quality called charm. Like Chrono Trigger, Kingdoms of the Dump feels refreshingly original rather than just rehashing classic titles with a new coat of paint.
One Reddit user who’s played through most of the game stated it comes remarkably close to being a genuine modern Chrono Trigger, showcasing similar gameplay flow and attention to detail that made Square’s 1995 masterpiece special. Another player ranked it alongside Look Outside as their favorite indie RPGs of 2025, noting that while Look Outside received more mainstream attention, Kingdoms of the Dump deserves equal recognition despite offering a different experience within the genre.
The main criticism is that the game currently skews too easy for JRPG veterans. Players familiar with the genre can breeze through encounters without much strategic thinking. However, the developers acknowledged this feedback and are working on an update introducing a harder difficulty mode for players who want the challenge cranked up. If you prefer tougher RPG experiences, waiting for that update might be worthwhile.
Technical Issues Can’t Spoil the Charm
Kingdoms of the Dump isn’t perfect. Final Weapon gave it a 70 Metascore, praising it as a wonderful RPG held back by glaring technical issues. Players have reported bugs, crashes, and performance problems that occasionally interrupt the experience. These issues aren’t surprising given the game was built by a small team using RPG Maker, with most contributors working for free or minimal compensation during development.
Despite the technical rough edges, Final Weapon concluded that Kingdoms of the Dump still stands tall among other indie RPG throwbacks over the last decade, deserving attention from anyone looking for a cozy game to envelop themselves in this winter. The charm, humor, and heartfelt world-building overcome the technical limitations in ways that matter more than polish. You can feel the love that went into every trash heap, every garbage-themed weapon, every pun about refuse and recycling.
Marshall and Loiseau recruited help from other talented creators during development. Frank Coulomb, creator of Look Outside, another beloved 2025 indie RPG, contributed character and boss artwork. The collaboration between indie developers supporting each other’s projects adds another layer of wholesomeness to the story. This wasn’t a solo passion project but a community effort among people who believe in making games that matter.
What Other Authority to Oversee Trash Than Janitors
The official Steam page describes Kingdoms of the Dump as made with love, by those who sweep your floors. That tagline perfectly captures why this game resonates beyond just being another retro-inspired JRPG. Marshall and Loiseau had complete authority over a garbage-themed game because they’re actual janitors. They didn’t need to research what trash looks like or imagine what it’s like to haul refuse. They live it every day, and that authenticity shines through every aspect of the game.
The garbage theming isn’t just aesthetic. It’s philosophical. In a world that treats custodians as invisible, two janitors created a universe where trash becomes treasure, where discarded materials form kingdoms, and where the protagonist’s journey involves rescuing what others threw away. There’s something beautiful about turning your daily struggle into creative expression, about transforming the thing you haul away into something worth exploring.
Available now on Steam for Windows, Mac, and Linux, Kingdoms of the Dump proves that you don’t need AAA budgets or famous studios to create memorable gaming experiences. You need passion, persistence, and a willingness to spend over a decade mopping floors to fund your dream. Marshall and Loiseau did exactly that, and the result is one of 2025’s most charming and overlooked indie RPGs.
FAQs
Who made Kingdoms of the Dump?
Kingdoms of the Dump was created by Adam Marshall and Matt Loiseau, two real-life janitors working for Roach Games. Marshall spent over a decade developing the game while working as a school custodian in suburban Philadelphia, mopping floors from 3 PM to 11 PM before going home to work on the game.
When did Kingdoms of the Dump release?
Kingdoms of the Dump launched on November 18, 2025, on Steam for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Development started in 2016, making it a nine-year journey from concept to release.
What inspired Kingdoms of the Dump?
The game takes heavy inspiration from classic 16-bit JRPGs like Chrono Trigger, EarthBound, and Final Fantasy VI. The garbage theme came directly from the developers’ real jobs as janitors. They spent years hauling trash and cleaning floors, which inspired them to create a fantasy world made entirely of refuse.
How was Kingdoms of the Dump funded?
Marshall and Loiseau initially funded development out-of-pocket using their janitor salaries. They launched a Kickstarter in July 2019 that raised $76,560 from backers, exceeding their $60,000 goal. The money was used to hire a programmer full-time while the developers continued working custodial jobs.
Is Kingdoms of the Dump like Chrono Trigger?
Multiple players have called Kingdoms of the Dump the closest thing to a modern Chrono Trigger they’ve experienced. It shares similar aesthetic, tone, gameplay mechanics, and charm. The combat uses turn-based grid battles with timed hits, no random encounters, platforming elements, and a Mode 7-inspired world map.
What engine was Kingdoms of the Dump made in?
Kingdoms of the Dump was built using RPG Maker. Marshall and Loiseau worked with a small team of hobbyists who mostly contributed for free or minimal compensation during the game’s nine-year development cycle.
How long is Kingdoms of the Dump?
GameFAQs lists the game as unrated for length, but players report it offers a substantial JRPG experience with extensive side quests and exploration. The turn-based combat, platforming elements, and multiple kingdoms to explore suggest dozens of hours of gameplay for completionists.
Is Kingdoms of the Dump difficult?
The game currently skews easier than typical retro JRPGs, which some veteran players find disappointing. However, the developers acknowledged this feedback and are working on an update that will introduce a harder difficulty mode for players seeking more challenge.
Conclusion
Kingdoms of the Dump represents everything beautiful about indie game development. Two janitors spending a decade building a garbage-themed JRPG while working full-time custodial jobs, funding development through their own salaries, recruiting hobbyists to help for free, running a successful Kickstarter, surviving a pandemic that disrupted everything, and finally releasing one of 2025’s most charming RPGs. That story alone is worth celebrating regardless of the game’s quality.
But the game is legitimately good. Players who’ve experienced it compare Kingdoms of the Dump favorably to Chrono Trigger, EarthBound, and recent indie darlings like Sea of Stars and Chained Echoes. The writing exceeds expectations with humor and character development that captures what made 16-bit classics special. The combat adds tactical depth through grid-based positioning and timed hits. The world-building creates a lived-in fantasy realm where even minor NPCs have personality.
Yes, technical issues exist. Yes, the difficulty might be too easy for JRPG veterans until the promised update arrives. Yes, it’s made in RPG Maker by a small team with limited resources. None of that matters when the charm, authenticity, and heart shine through every garbage-themed location, every trash-based weapon, every pun about refuse and recycling. You can feel the love Marshall and Loiseau poured into this project across nine years of development.
The fact that actual janitors made the best trash-themed game imaginable is perfect poetry. What better authority to oversee a garbage RPG than people who literally haul refuse for a living? They didn’t just theme the game around trash. They built a world where discarded materials become treasure, where kingdoms rise from landfills, where what society throws away transforms into something worth exploring. That’s not just game design. That’s turning your daily struggle into creative expression.
Kingdoms of the Dump is available now on Steam for Windows, Mac, and Linux. If you love retro JRPGs, support indie developers, or just want to experience one of 2025’s most overlooked gems, this is worth your time. Marshall and Loiseau spent over a decade mopping floors to make their dream game. The least we can do is give it a chance. Sometimes the best games come from the people nobody notices, the ones who clean up after everyone else goes home. This time, two janitors created something that deserves recognition beyond just being a charming underdog story. They made a legitimately great JRPG that stands alongside the classics it was inspired by.