One Button Jam_SP25

Press Space Bar to swim faster! ( it will use your stamina)

When the game start pay attention to your stamina.

And the fish only can swim up and down.

Try to Survive 30 second!

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Technical Details

• Submission Form Link

• GitHub Link

Lecture Details

My prototype is a "timing-based one-button game".  players must carefully press the spacebar to keep their swimmer afloat while avoiding sharks. I chose this mechanic because it creates a tense and engaging experience. Initially, I planned for a reaction-based game, but after testing, I found that timing added more depth and challenge.

In this game, you play as a fish trying to survive for 30 seconds while avoiding sharks. Press the spacebar to swim, but be careful—your stamina depletes quickly, and if you run out, you’ll also lose! I wanted to create a game that’s easy to pick up but hard to master. The main challenge was balancing the stamina system, but after several iterations, I found a sweet spot that feels fair and fun.

• Gameplay video

Design Details

Balance

I focused on balance by carefully tuning the stamina system. Swimming faster depletes stamina quickly but helps avoid sharks, creating a meaningful trade-off.

I've been tweaking things like stamina drain, swimming speed, shark speed, and challenge time—putting a lot of time into testing. I wanted to make it really challenging, so I ended up failing the game a bunch of times before I found the perfect balance. I hope players feel the thrill of almost winning when they play.