Retro Ride

RetroRide (Previously RetroRun) started off as a short development challenge to create an infinite space runner. The idea behind the game is to be relaxing but have rising tension as the game goes on.

This game started as a simple concept but naturally grew through user feedback and playtesting. Initially, the game started with the player increasing speed over time and having to avoid boxes that came from the opposite direction, however, as I kept working on the game I found that having variety in obstacles in the form of different AI made the game significantly more challenging and entertaining.

The music chosen for this game has a fantastic rising tension which adds to the overall atmosphere of the game and as the game was styled after the ‘synthwave’ aesthetic the synth music adds to the experience.

While initially there was a powerup in the form of a shield, players who tried the game on Newgrounds had suggested a way to fight back against the enemy ships. Going off the feedback of the players I created several extra powerups, firstly the Rocket powerup which would shoot 3 rockets from the ship, allowing the player to continue in the same lane they are currently in; the addition of rockets was well received by players of the mobile port, with feedback coming back in the form of “It’s my favourite powerup because I feel invincible when I pick it up” and “its a nice easy 300 points which make it the most useful powerup”.

Another powerup that I added was the speed boost which only appears at the start of the game. The speed boost was something that I felt would be most beneficial to veteran players as they could skip the part of the game that they may feel way too slow for them, however, I found that this is rarely used.

Lastly, a feature that is present in the android version but not in the Newgrounds version is the use of leaderboards to show the player their score alongside their friend’s scores. I feel like this addition has created a lot of competition among the players who have tested the game and is amazing for user retention.