Hey folks, do you have the controls listed to play without a controller? I was able to figure out that arrows move and spacebar fires, but only until you pickup the orb. I couldn't figure out how to drop it and I couldn't figure out how to continue after game over without quitting the game. EDIT: Figured it out. On Mac use spacebar or control to shoot, option to drop.

I like the look of the game and I like the idea, but the difficulty curve is really high from the outset. Maybe I'm just terrible at this kind of game, but I couldn't make it past one loop of the music. I stayed on the death screen just to hear the music finish. The look and sounds are awesome, but the gameplay is a little frustrating.

Wow. The "way to go buddy" was a great touch. This game was fun and interesting but really easy to get into it. Good entry

Loved this take on a bullet hell but found it annoyingly tricky dying to the first couple of waves each time. I found most fun flinging the universe up and defending it as it bounced around. Although I kept trying to knock it off course without picking it up by hitting it but just ended up picking it up and dying. Loved the theme!

Really good fun, not much to add. I like the art style a lot.

the game idea is good, the game is fun but its not that challenging as someone said above. It could be a great game to continue working after the jam. great entry and see you in the next jam!

Thanks for playing and for the comments. @yodog - On the keyboard, pressing [Alt] drops the "universe ball", which allows you to shoot enemies. To re-dock the ball, just hover over it.

Love this.
Nice graphics, nice sound, fun gameplay.
Hard as nails though.
Perhaps there could be another penalty from holding the universe rather than not being able to shoot?

What fantastic art! Just beautiful. Once I figured out I could play it long pong meets bullet hell I had a lot of fun with it :D

Great game mechanic, used well, with excellent graphics. High fives all around!

A neat combination of graphics and sounds to bring together something classic! Fond it easier to beat the game by simply never letting go of the whale though, but still great fun!

Nice art and touch of humour!

Interesting concept and good art style. The pacing of game is good and challenging, I like this game.

Really enjoyed the game mechanic to this! I didn't really find it to be that humorous, but that aside, gameplay/design/art were all spot on! Fantastic work, team.

My biggest critique:

1. Color change on the 'universe' when it has been disengaged. I was playing a close game (releasing it right in-front of the ship) and would be unable to tell if I could quickly get out a shot or not. Sometimes I was sure I had disconnected, when I hadn't, or that I had picked the orb back up, when I hadn't.

That's a good idea, @jasmine-cooper , thank you!

Very cool concept but I found it to be insanely difficult, Nice art style and smooth controls though, good job!

When I first saw the screenshots, I started singing in my head the theme song of Whale Trail from ustwo games, because of the whale :) But after playing, it is very different from that game. I loved the art style and I think the controls were just right.

Idea is good.
Gameplay is fun but it's extremely difficult.

The art was real. It was fun bouncing the universe off of the walls, but ultimately the best strategy was just to shoot when standing still. I think it might have been fun to encourage the player to throw the universe around a little bit, maybe if it took damage from the player's bullets for example.

Played using keyboard and mouse. I found it hard to control bouncing the universe, so I ended up doing pacifist runs. Once the big baddies move behind you they can't move forward easily so you can take your time baiting them into the the kill wall.

The universe felt too hard control *and* fragile. Might be neat if the universe ball could be used as a weapon becomes vulnerable after a few seconds.

Great wacky art and music!