Time: 5 Months
SQUISHY WORLD
PROJECT DETAILS
Semester project shooter-platformer hybrid that later on evolved into a bigger game. It initially
started as a platformer, but after I developed a better understanding of market demands & the
game's core a bit better, Squishy became a hybrid of both 2D shooter & platformer, and a great
learning experience for myself both in Unity technique and design.
The project faced many obstacles, but those were neutered using the game's style & engine
prowess.
For my Build A Toy class in the 3rd semester, we were tasked early with making two prototypes
to show off to the rest of the class. The challenge for me was making a prototype without having
any art skill, and still make its material stretchable over the course of the semester if I got to
work with it in the future.
The initial prototype was stylish, and players had fun messing around with the very primitive
physics engine I made, with some calling it "satisfying". The support this project got made me
know this was the prototype to go with, and so I started recruiting for teammates in my class and
the project attracted 3 more members. Work began from there.
My Role: Lead Designer, Lead Programmer, and more…
Featured in A MAZE. 2025 Open Screens
GAME IDEATION
GAME PILLARS
MAIN INSPIRATIONS
Our first question wasn't "what genre do we want to make?", but rather, what kind of game feels right for the satisfying, responsive Squish physics we had? Naturally, it had to involve movement, likely a platformer. We didn't want to drop these mechanics into any world, we needed a context that didn't just accommodate our system, but amplified it. We were set on collaborative co-op, but my team-mate Santi proposed we drop it because it would be hard to test. I agreed.
Initially, we wanted to use "Squishyness" as a metaphor for human emotion, in a surreal style inspired by Salvador Dalí, but from a market standpoint, it felt niche and possibly unrelatable. After brainstorming together, we shifted to a more inviting theme- a Candyworld, where each level was a new layer to explore. This let us harness player curiosity as a core driver, and we let the Candyworld be a primary pillar- something that fit our target audience better.
Then, I began asking what makes a platformer truly work in our very aggressive marketplace. Speedy, unpredictable and responsive movement like Celeste and Hollow Knight were the first thing we thought of. Games with sharp, expressive movement and systems that reward mastery.
Early on in development, we had some narrative goals, but they never materialized due to the lack of technicians on the team.
Squish physics & fun, responsive movement
Playful gameplay that allows for exploration of a fun Candyworld
Speedy, unpredictable movement & shooting- The feedback loops have to wow players to Squishy's movement or attack power.
Hard Hat Rebuild, Celeste, Mega Man X, Hollow Knight (Platforming, Movement)
Cake Bash, Wii Party, Happy Tree Friends, Fanboy & Chum Chum (Art/Style)
Intrusion 2, GTA Vice City's Adrenaline System (Shooting)
HIGHLIGHT INVOLVEMENTS
TWISTS & TURNS
Squishy World was not always the way it is. What started as a platformer later on evolved
into a shooter to add a sense of choice in the level design.
After the January 2025 version was finished (& submitted as a completed project), I did not like
the way things looked, the game looked like a generic platformer, & my professor thought the
project lost direction and just became "too functional" near the end of the semester. I spent the
off semester polishing this project.
With this phase of development, the tools (mechanics used for level design) became more
directed towards atmospheric goals (speed/flow state) and the shooting mechanic entirely
got revamped. Now, you have to right-click to shoot, and holding slows down time & makes
the screen smaller. This adds a choice-based system where you can adopt a play style & a
tempo as a player, and adds a cinematic / gangster element to the game's combat.
Below are early design planners & documents of the Feb 2025 Overhaul. This was the first
trial of the TTF (Toy, Target Audience, Fantasy) model I use to plan my games.
As an unexpected (but welcome) result, the Level Design began rewarding quick reactions.
Simply slowing down time brought very intense situations vs. flying, quick enemies- they would
come close, but players would take them down, quickly pushed into flow. Players loved this
element of the Level Design, and it matched my vision of game chaos.
I was personally worried players would intentionally slow down their movement, however, at
the end of each level, players are rewarded for their play style & time taken- which is based on
real time unlike the rest of the game's timers.
After weeks of grind, the game's direction completely changed, and feedback upgraded. The new
movement & shooting were extremely improved and feedback was visible when the game was
played at A MAZE. 2025. Players were visibly in flow, direct feedback was that the physics,
level mechanics, level design, movement and music were great.
It would be tough to trim this down to just a small section, but Squishy World was a huge learning experience for me, both technically &
design-wise. This game taught me to truly respect my limitations when they are visible, and to avoid brute-forcing through them unless
it really is worth it.
Early on, we realized that shooting mid-air, while dashing, dodging or jumping wasn't just fun, it was electric. We initially stripped anything
that got in the way of flow, but later on, I realized the fast-slow tempo shifts are what make this game so good. The pros will get out of the
shooting sections as fast as possible, while the newbies will still get some cinematic moments out of them. What I thought was magical
however was how we managed to truly put a lot of nuance to the players' decision making processes, as this is what flow state looks like.
The team lacked balance however. We had two artists (one of whom was mostly working on UI/UX), the other was still an amateur early on
and I personally had to guide through this project's art demands, one programmer, and music outsourced from my friend of 10+ years,
Kevin. I had to do all the programming work and my programming skills were nowhere near sharp enough at that point- I was trying to
custom-code the dashing trails early on! But the experience built from this project was enough to guide me through that killer shift in
February. Additionally, we hit a burnout near January. We didn't know how to work with our feedback, we didn't know what to improve, and
we never had the game in a fully playable state before the release of our first official demo in January.
The team dynamics were fun, however, they were nowhere near perfect at the start and we only truly started clicking after everybody
established what they are good at. This was my first time leading a project with people in the real world, so it was not easy understanding
what teams require to click, but luckily I learned & adapted as time went by, and our project did well- generally players visibly enjoyed it,
others compared it to games they liked (Geometry Dash, Slime Rancher), and it got featured at A MAZE's open screens.
Squish Physics
Initial goal was to create responsive, engaging movement with no art assets- just Unity default shapes. Out of this, my crew & I established our themes: Action, cuteness, and their child, chaos.
Shoot & Aim
I wanted to make a chaotic combat system where players felt skillful/lethal in contrast to the cute Marshmallow character, so I designed an experimental shooting system; with a small 2D screen size inspired by Intrusion 2, and a time slow down in mid air, making a silly Marshmallow look like James Bond.
Game Responsiveness
After early playtests, the Game Juice felt dry & repetitive for most players. Simply adding particles to the game did not feel enough. We wanted the game & its identity to stick out at all times, so I made the player's jump height affect particle size, emphasizing Squishy's body physics, and enemies were turned into burned toast on death for more world character.
Falling Platforms
After writing down what feelings & expectations came with the game, I began designing the first level mechanic: Falling Platforms. The goal was to force players to move fast, and to push players into flow state by punishing hesitation. The Level Designers had a lot of fun working with this, creating multi-task situations & rhythm-based sections.
Hat System
To offer a sense of customization and further player connection, we added hats to the game. I worked with my teammate Toni to design the hats to match the game's narrative. I told her my aims, and she came up with ideas & drew them. Players loved them! Some even replayed the campaign to try out the hats.
WHAT WENT RIGHT/WRONG
Download Prototype (itch.io)
View Gameplay Video
Engine: Unity
Time: 5 Months
Team: 5 Members
