Play Zeldish

This was the first game jam that I’ve completed. I’ve wanted to submit a game before, but things never fell into place. This has been really fun. I just wanted to thank the people that have taken the chance to play my game, and the community here in general, for being awesome supportive people.

Also, I wanted to thank people who make open source art, without whom I would only make games about geometric shapes.

THE GOOD:

The game definitely pushes the nostalgia button for me. When I play it, I half expect the hidden shops and everything to be there; I’m just too busy being chased by skeletons.

One thing that I didn’t even think about, though, is that people might not have played The Legend of Zelda. I have so many fond memories of that game that I just assumed it was a universal human experience, like love or hunger. So it’s hard for me to tell if the game would be as fun if I didn’t know the map. Although, since you can just tile swap your way through things, it’s not like getting lost is a problem.

I’m happy with how the mob of skeletons to seems like an overwhelming, but not to be in impossible threat.

I feel like the mechanic works well with the world that it takes place in. When I play Metroid, and there are those crawly things on the floor, and I can’t shoot them because I can’t shoot while ducking it is a limitation that I really notice.(Really, I can’t even duck without turning into a ball, which seems like a bigger problem, but I digress.)  I feel like the skeletons are such a such a numerous threat that getting away seems like the sensible thing to do, even if I had a sword. That the tile swapping help me do what I want to do. Then again, I did make the game, so I can’t guarantee this is a universal experience.

THE BAD:

I would have liked for you to have to make it some sort of event that made it clear why you were collecting the orbs. Maybe making back to the starting screen for some video game catharsis. Even a better font would be nice.

The game has no sound or music. I should have made the game take place in a vacuum. Admittedly, this would have made it harder to beat the game.

I would like to get the controls down to one button; maybe holding down the button would swap the front and back tiles as you walked.

The red witch changes tiles that are near to her in a random way. I think I’ll make her a more refined threat.

IN CONCLUSION:

All in all, I am happy with the result. I feel like, though the game doesn’t do much, what it does do, it does fairly well.

Thanks again,
spike.house.games