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Neon Nemesis is a synthwave-inspired side-scrolling platforming arcade racing game for 1-4 players with a twist... Inside the arcade machine hides a mastermind who controls the level itself, the 5th player - Hellbent on eliminating all other players. Created as my 1st-year project at Uppsala University's GAME program.
Genre: Asymmetrical Racing Platformer
Time: 7 Weeks (2018)
Size: 7 Developers
Engine: Unity C#
Game Length: 1-4 min / round
Awards: Alt.Ctrl.GDC 2019 Exhibitor &
Public Choice - Gotland Game Conference 2018
Team Website
The Booth (GDC, 2018)
Genre: Racing Arcade
Time: 7 Weeks (2018)
Size: 7 Developers
Engine: Unity
Game Length: 10-15 min each
Awards: Alt.Ctrl.GDC 2019 Exhibitor &
Public Choice - Gotland Game Conference 2018.
Coming Soon
Stay Tuned
My Contributions
Game Designer & Programmer
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Core concept designer.​
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VFX Designer & Programmer.
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Scripted Character Controller & More.
Gameplay Video
The Arcade Booth
As a part of Game Design 1 - Arcade Game course at Uppsala, we were inspired by the song "Cabinet Man". A song describing the experience of a man becoming one with an arcade machine and terrorizing those who dare challenge him. The thought of building a booth big enough for another player to fit inside and control drove us to create Neon Nemesis.
The Arcade Cabinet
On the outside, each player has a joystick, jump, and power-up button. On the inside, the Nemesis has a rope, crank, lever, two pedals, and various buttons - each activates a specific type of weapon or trap within the level.
Gameplay Loop
Neon Nemesis is played in quick, 1 to 4 minute rounds. Described below are the important components that create the typical gameplay loop and some of the design choices made to keep it exciting, fair, and dynamic.
Hover on buttons below to learn more.
Testing Room
A neutral space where player(s) and Nemesis can experiment with all interactable facets of the game. To begin, the Nemesis must press the Start Button to kick off a ten-second countdown. Now it begins...
Beginning
Transitioning to the core level, the players and Nemesis are given 3-seconds to adjust before the race begins!
Respawning
The death of a player is common, luckily each start with 3 lives. To return from the dead, another player must reach a Respawn Gate. A player with expended lives will remain dead until the end of the round.
Final Room
After a daring journey through the level, the remaining player(s) must survive 20-seconds in the Final Room. A deadly chamber filled with all varieties of tricks, old and new. With the timer elapsed, the player can proceed.
Who Wins?
The Nemesis wins once all players are dead, regardless of how many lives unspent.
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The player who first reaches the apex of the level and shoots out the top is the winner.
Start Screen
As an arcade game, Neon Nemesis defaults to a simple idle screen - prompting nearby players to press any button to begin. Any input will move the players to the Testing Room.
4-v-1 or Free-For-All?
A Collaborative Competition
By design, Neon Nemesis is played as a (1v1v1v1)-vs-1. The 4 players compete against each other, and the insurmountable Nemesis. To overcome every obstacle, the players must progress together while simultaneously assuring they're the first to finish. Acting as the lifeline, distraction, and rival for each other.
A Flawed Design From the Beginning
In early versions of Neon Nemesis, players only had a single life. Once the player died, they'd be out of the round with no second chance. Playtesting revealed this was unsatisfying, resulting in players developing tactics that turned the game from free-for-all to a 4-vs-1. The Nemesis was a force too overwhelming. To amend the difficulty of the game and allow room for failure, I developed three new systems: Lives, 1-Up power-up, and a Respawn Gate. This gave the players more opportunity to reach the Final Room, and lessen the over-collaboration between the racers and bring back the competitive nature of the race.
The Results
The iterations were a colossal success. With initial issues resolved, playtesting began anew and immediately we noticed a shift back to the free-for-all mentality. This new system influenced the level-design process tremendously. Respawn Gates had to be placed strategically to allow dead-players proper preparation time before respawning and in safe enough locations where the Nemesis Cannon couldn't immediately destroy them again. 1-Up power-ups are located where a player would have to divert off the optimal path or into the clutches of the Nemesis to gain it, adding in an element of risk assessment. All the changes resulted in more dynamic and tense moments of play that were more enjoyable to our playtesters.
During playtests, we observed that the best player dominated the weaker players. Thus, to mix things up and add colossal tension, we created the Final Room. A last chance for weaker players to overcome the advantaged best player.
Player Mechanics
The Players
To succeed, the player must utilize their ability to run horizontally, jump, double jump, wall jump, and activate power-ups.
Power-ups
Dash a short distance based on direction faced.
Upon use, draw a line between self and a random player, after 3 seconds the two swap places.
Activate to reverse personal gravity for 10 seconds.
Replenish missing life upon pickup.
Press once to spawn an arrow that circles the player.
Press again to fire a bouncing bomb in the direction the arrow points, on player hit or 6 bounces, it explodes, stunning all players in a small area for a few seconds.
Nemesis
Nemesis Mechanics
The Design Process
Before designing the trap mechanics, we had to decide on what type of inputs the booth should possess - to properly elicit the feeling of playing as a moustache-twirling mastermind. Each trap designed with synergy in mind between the input and effect.
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​Rope Pull - Drop Bomb
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Crank - Rotating Platform
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Button - Starting Game
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Button - Flying Fist
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Lever - Moving Platform
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Button - Fire Cannon
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Pedals - Control Cannon
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Hover on buttons below to learn more.
Testing Room
A neutral space where player and Nemesis can experiment with all interactable facets of the game. To begin, the Nemesis must press the Start Button within their lair which kicks off a ten-second countdown.
Drop Bomb
On the pull of the rope, the bomb drops, exploding on impact - killing any player in the nearby vicinity.
Rotating Platform
Turning the crank will cause these platforms to spin on their axis. Primarily used to bottleneck and trap players.
The Nemesis Cannon
A weapon present throughout the entire level. Use pedals to change horizontal position and a button to fire a shot that knocks players back. The booth is equipped with a camera to broadcast the Nemesis' onto the cannon.
Flying Fist
At the push of a button, the fist of the Nemesis shoots out at breakneck speed, knocking back any player upon impact. Strategically places to push players into spikes, pits, and into the blast zone.
Traveling Platform
With the pull of a level, the platform moves, creating uncertain terrain. Other traps can be combined with the platform to create diverse and complex tools for the Nemesis to utilize.
Effectively Evil
The Nemesis mechanics are simple in both design and execution - easy to use, easier to master. In later segments of the level, we combine/overlap mechanics to allow the Nemesis to experiment with their options.
Iteration Evolution
Photo Album
Finished Arcade Cabinet
The Lair of the Nemesis
The Portable Arcade Cabinet
Finished Arcade Cabinet
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