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Cavanagh first unveiled ''VVVVVV'' on his blog in June 2009. The game had been in development for two weeks, and Cavanagh estimated that the game would be finished in another two, "but hopefully not much longer."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/06/vvvvvvvv-preview |title=VVVVVVVV Preview |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2009-06-10 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2012-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308214845/http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/06/vvvvvvvv-preview/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A follow-up post published in July 2009 included screenshots of the game and an explanation of the game's gravity-flipping mechanic. Cavanagh wrote that ''VVVVVV'', unlike some of his previous work such as ''Judith'' and ''Pathways'', would not be a "storytelling experiment", but rather "focused on the level design".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/07/when-its-done |title=When It's Done |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2009-07-15 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2012-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308214859/http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/07/when-its-done/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The game was first shown publicly at the 2009 [[Eurogamer Expo]], which gave Cavanagh the opportunity to collect feedback from players.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/?p=1019 |title=Eurogamer Expo 2009 |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2009-11-05 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2011-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725230842/http://distractionware.com/blog/?p=1019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2009, a beta version of ''VVVVVV'' which had been given to donors was [[Internet leak|leaked]] on [[4chan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/12/final-push |title=Final Push |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2009-12-07 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2010-12-01 |archive-date=2012-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308215335/http://distractionware.com/blog/2009/12/final-push/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
The visual style of ''VVVVVV'' is heavily inspired by 8-bit computer games from the 1980s, especially ''[[Jet Set Willy]]'' and ''[[Monty on the Run]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/intervvvvvview-i-vvvvvv-i-developer-terry-cavanagh|title=Intervvvvvview: VVVVVV Developer Terry Cavanagh|access-date=26 September 2021|date=January 18, 2010|archive-date=25 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925232251/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/intervvvvvview-i-vvvvvv-i-developer-terry-cavanagh|url-status=live}}</ref> which is referenced by the element of collecting difficult-to-reach shiny objects and most notably the naming of each room; Cavanagh aimed to create a game "that looked and felt like the [[Commodore 64|C64]] games I grew up with." He eventually entrusted naming the rooms to ''[[QWOP]]'' developer [[Bennett Foddy]], who created every room name in the final version.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://distractionware.com/blog/2010/01/down-under |title=Down Under |first=Terry |last=Cavanagh |date=2010-08-01 |publisher=Distractionware |access-date=2013-09-08 |archive-date=2013-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821160246/http://distractionware.com/blog/2010/01/down-under/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The graphical style of ''VVVVVV'' is heavily influenced by games such as ''Monty on the Run'';{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}} similarly, the game's music is heavily dependent on [[chiptune]] elements. Swedish composer Magnus Pålsson scored the game, and released the original soundtrack in 2010, titled ''PPPPPP''.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}
Cavanagh also considered this game an opportunity to indulge in his "retro fetish". He has said because he lacks the technical prowess to make more modern-looking games, he instead focuses on making them visually interesting; additionally, he finds this to be made easier by "work[ing] within narrow limits".<ref name="indiegames" /> ''VVVVVV'' was the first game which Cavanagh sold commercially. While his previous games were all released as freeware, due to the size of ''VVVVVV'' compared to his previous work, Cavanagh felt that he "couldn't see [himself] going down that route."<ref name="indiegames" />[[File:Sad Elephant room in the game vvvvvv.jpg|thumb|right|The Sad Elephant near Space Station 2]]
''VVVVVV'' contains many strange visual elements, most notable of which being the sad elephant, sometimes also called the elephant in the room, which is a large elephant with a tear dropping from its eye. It spans four rooms near the Space Station area of Dimension VVVVVV, flickering constantly from color to color. If the player stands near the elephant for a short period of time, it will cause Captain Viridian to become sad. The elephant serves no function to the game, but has served to provoke much discussion about its meaning or symbolism amongst fans of the game. Similarly to many of the enemies in the game, the sad elephant originated in dream journals kept by creator Terry Cavanagh and not from ''[[Jet Set Willy]]'' as once believed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vvvvvv-wiki.wikispaces.com/Curiosities|title=VVVVVV Wiki - Curiosities|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214231154/http://vvvvvv-wiki.wikispaces.com/Curiosities|archive-date=2014-02-14|access-date=2016-07-13}}</ref>{{User-generated inline|date=October 2022}}
=== Release ===
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