 The game was the result of a week @-@ long game jam between McMillen and Himsl to develop a Zelda @-@ inspired roguelike that allowed McMillen to showcase his personal feelings about both positive and negative aspects of religion that he had come to discover from his Catholic and Christian family members while growing up . McMillen had considered the title a risk but one he could take after the financial success of Super Meat Boy , and released it without much fanfare to Steam in September 2011 , not expecting many sales . The game soon gained popularity partially as a result of various Let 's Play videos showcasing the title . McMillen and Himsl released an expansion " Wrath of the Lamb " in May 2012 , but were limited from further expansion due to limitations with the Flash platform . They had started working with Nintendo in 2012 to release a 3DS version , but Nintendo later backed out of the deal , stating controversy over the game 's religious themes . 
