I discovered this device three days ago, browsing jams in itch.io. I found the Java Compo and I thought it was cool to develop something for this little handheld.
The Game Idea
As I discovered the jam a little late and I don’t have a lot of time to make a complex game, I decided to make a really simple one. It’s single screen and the mechanics are based loosely on one 8-bit homebrew game I like a lot: Ninja Savior.
I’ve made a little prototype with no sound and many (many) bugs to see if the idea is doable (GIF speed is slower than the speed I get on the emulator):
Yes, that’s a pig, and that explains the title of the game
The idea is to jump to get money to increase score, coffee to be able to attack, and destroy enemies so you don’t die. I’ve to balance all the factors so the game is fun. And the graphics are mostly placeholders.
The problems
I don’t have a Pokitto currently, so I’m emulating it using the integrated emulator in femtoIDE.
I’ve uploaded the bin of the prototype and I’d be very grateful if somebody with a Pokitto tests it on a real device. Does it feel good / responsive (A: jump, B: attack)? Is it fast or slow?
Welcome aboard , I have play test the game on the hardware the controls feels good and responsive, i uploaded a video for you so you could see it your self.
There is also a Discord server for more real time discussion if you’d like to join there. It is a little more ad hoc and general discussion but great fun.
Thanks for the info torbuntu. Maybe I’ll join later when the game is almost finished and I have more info to share. I’m still learning about Pokitto’s posibilities and femtoIDE.