Game Design

Parkour! is a 2D side-scrolling platformer inspired by the charm and challenge of retro games from the ’80s and ’90s. Players traverse through whimsical, trap-filled obstacle courses, collecting cherries to boost their score while avoiding instant-death hazards.

The game targets players who love precision platformers, fantasy aesthetics, and beating their own high scores.

Design Goals

• Deliver a stressful-but-fun obstacle course challenge.

• Create a fantasy world that feels nostalgic but fresh.

• Encourage exploration by hiding collectibles and rewards.

• Introduce progressive difficulty across levels.

 Gameplay Mechanics

• Classic directional movement with spacebar jump.

• Each level contains traps (saws, false terrain, pitfalls) and cherries.

• Hidden cherries offer higher reward—but carry risk.

• One-hit death system: fail, and restart the level.

Playtesting & Player Feedback

Three distinct player types tested the game—ranging from casual to hardcore:

What they liked:

• Aesthetics, sound design, and color palette.

• Unique level design and obstacle variety.

• Increasing challenge across levels.

What needed work:

• Camera was too close to the player.

• Timer added unnecessary pressure.

• Mazes felt restrictive compared to an open obstacle course layout.

Iterations Based on Feedback

• Transformed levels from maze-based to linear obstacle courses.

• Removed the countdown timer to support free-form exploration.

• Added a collectible counter and more cherry placements.

• Adjusted level difficulty and added traps to hidden areas.

Takeaways

This project taught me how important iterative testing is to align game mechanics with player enjoyment. I also learned to let go of rigid design ideas (like mazes) in favor of more intuitive and engaging gameplay—and how to use feedback constructively to build better player experiences.