Do-roidhicky by Jacobloon

[raw]
made by Jacobloon for Ludum Dare 59 (JAM)

cover.png

You have been sent to explore Planet-E4R1H for an unknown reason. Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, your robot probe has... some room for improvement.

Traverse multiple levels, use a variety of mechanics and movement options, and use strategy to avoid a variety of hazards in this puzzle platformer where learning the controls is part of the challenge!

robohicky.gif

Controls:

Mouse - Interact with your spaceship

If you get stuck, try messing with the controls. Something's gotta help...

Made With

Gamemaker
FL Studio
GIMP
Paint.net

Ratings

Given 52🗳️ 34🗨️

Feedback

schizoid2k
Apr 21st · 01:38 UTC
I gotta admit... it took me a bit of time to figure out these controls, but it was worth it. Great puzzle game with unique graphics. Lots of fun!
LDJam user 424198
Apr 21st · 01:42 UTC
I enjoyed turning the steering wheel
Reverdie
Apr 21st · 01:44 UTC
The idea is very interesting, but I couldn't get past the pit, and I don't understand how to drive. I need a tutorial 😭😭😭
Adam Gallina
Apr 21st · 01:46 UTC
Really like the control scheme - it's a good balance of jank and control, especially the "release valve". There were a couple times where I'd get stuck up against walls and not be able to jump, but just walking back got me unstuck so it wasn't a huge problem. Overall great job!
LDJam user 342640
Apr 21st · 02:38 UTC
clocking in for my shift at the droidhicky corporation (really cool game!)
takhomasac
Apr 21st · 02:43 UTC
very interesting concept! nicely done
Rise12600
Apr 21st · 10:03 UTC
once you get passed the learning of mechanics with no guide the game is really charming and a ton of fun !
I relay felt like an aliens pulling out my nav bot for the first time but with no instructions. lots of nice art. i like the one where you see yourself in the reflection. gave me a good laugh
music was a lot very fun and catchy all in all very fun game
bergotronic
Apr 22nd · 02:52 UTC
Incredible concept! Really enjoying this!
debugman18
Apr 22nd · 03:15 UTC
Very creative game. Making the controls the puzzle was really clever.
Podrez
Apr 22nd · 03:36 UTC
I love the unique control design a bit hardcore, but a fun, cool game :robot:
DAYA
Apr 22nd · 03:36 UTC
It's a pure and fun game. Magical chemistry happens when you learn and combine different mechanics. This is truly an excellent game.
LDJam user 428646
Apr 22nd · 03:54 UTC
I really love games that use unique controls! If you haven't tried out Mooncat from the UFO50 collection, you really should, it'd probably be right up your alley. I think I would have preferred less levels though, and a little more polish with the controls. I feel like the detection hit boxes on the plugs were way too small, which led to some very frustrating deaths when I barely missed it. Especially with how big the custom cursor icon is, it can be hard to click it as precisely as it needs you to. Other than that, great job!
Link270
Apr 22nd · 03:56 UTC
This was rally cool. Super inventive and fun. Cool little seemingly simple puzzles made crazy with weird controls. Nice work!
LDJam user 428140
Apr 22nd · 04:51 UTC
Easily one of my favorites of the jam! It's unique, it's charming, and I'm completely hooked. The delightfully janky controls, the adorable art, the music that just grooves, it all comes together. Amazing work, and I'd play the heck out of a full release!!!
Gecko64
Apr 22nd · 04:59 UTC
I love this game so much, I love how it really feels like using a super rudimentary control scheme for in this case a small little robot. Little flashes of the reflection of the stoner alien we were playing as. Really cool game, good job :)
mofox
Apr 22nd · 05:32 UTC
It is a perfect game for gamejam. It redefines basic platformer movement controls. This way extraodinarily fits the feeling of controlling robots. The music and scary allien make the game more humorous. Good job!
Placeholders
Apr 22nd · 05:48 UTC
sweet litte puzzler! i really liked the tactile feel and the little animation!
squimmy
Apr 22nd · 06:15 UTC
This is a clever idea for a game. Unfortunately it froze for me and there were too many levels for me to bring myself to replay them all to see the ending.
Stalemeat
Apr 22nd · 07:28 UTC
Wow, do-hicky indeed. This was fantastic! So many frantic controls, it was very funny. This game captured a real nonuser friendly cartoon-like contraption built by a mad man, or in this case an alien. Fantastic work!
Caelestial
Apr 22nd · 09:22 UTC
Cool game idea, the panel is insane!
Kit Gorn
Apr 22nd · 10:24 UTC
It looks amazing. I really enjoyed playing it and made it to the Iron level, but that’s where I hit my limit. I don't like how the character clings to the walls, making it impossible to jump properly. That said, I loved the music and the overall atmosphere.
Vnuk_Kenobi
Apr 22nd · 10:36 UTC
We wanted to make the same game, but with a ragdoll doll, but the idea was abandoned. Your game has a cool interface and original style, and nice sound.
LDJam user 423872
Apr 22nd · 11:39 UTC
This is a very funny idea. The visual style really complements this idea.
Nikorych
Apr 22nd · 12:36 UTC
Very fun
Alpaca
Apr 22nd · 22:11 UTC
So much fun!
uvwar
Apr 22nd · 22:37 UTC
Very interesting controls, it was fun patching things around, although I did get stuck mid-air here early on (my jump stopped working initially)
![Screenshot 2026-04-22 183709.png](///raw/b1a/z/7262f.png)
FLemming1k
Apr 24th · 01:19 UTC
The sickest controls I've ever seen (in a good way), audio design also top notch, really fun experience
LDJam user 371030
Apr 26th · 05:51 UTC
Ha! This idea of "sending signals" to control is a very signal-y one!
Had a similar ephemeral thought of instead of using actual controls to draw a joystick and let player click it to move stuff, but yours is so much more cohesive!

Definitely trying this game, GIF looks awesome!
Archaeognathus
Apr 26th · 07:13 UTC
I love the controls in this game! I got very hooked and played for more than half an hour. I managed to get to the level where you start on the small pole, but after many tries, I never managed to finish it. I failed three times at the final jump with the ice, but either fell or got a random alien covering my screen at the worst time. These were very fun at the beginning, but got very annoying at the end.
It's a lot of fun to learn the controls, and I quickly had the feeling of improving on the mechanics, being able to switch fast, and exactly knowing how much charge is required. Very well done! :)
Also... Thank you for your SFX guide @jungledorf. That's what brought me here, and I desperately needed this.
LDJam user 371030
Apr 26th · 07:54 UTC
Just played the game for a few levels and had some good fun with the experience! Music/SFX and graphics are very cohesive and as mentioned above - this *is* the theme - you got 5/5 on the theme from me!

It takes skill and effort and some planning to pass levels. However, it staarts to feel a bit too punishing too fast. I got to the first ice level, and due to being a 2026 person (LoL) my nerves betrayed me and I had to leave the game. Great concept, though!

A few ideas to lessen up the difficulty or make it more fun: the power level can go beyond 100 (why not), e.g. for players not to have to push it all the time (it becomes a bit annoying). The gaps require quite a lot of precision. Though I LOVED the steering wheel XD . And thank you for using GM - my first-ever tried software for making games so there is some nostalgia here for me...
Verbante
Apr 26th · 10:56 UTC
Wow! Looks great! Gonna try soon
Verbante
Apr 26th · 18:14 UTC
Cool, I love games with alternative controls! I think difficulty was fine. I relied on dash a lot but I used all controls at some point. Also sounds were nice! I got stuck here tho :(


![Screenshot 2026-04-26 at 21.12.14.png](///raw/f79/31/z/72c4f.png)
Verbante
Apr 26th · 18:15 UTC
I also liked random alien images, real creepy
VenomousMouse
Apr 27th · 06:32 UTC
Very nice idea for controls, great mood and well made puzzle. Good job!