What makes a platformer feel good
Whether a platformer is fun is decided in milliseconds. Designers call it game feel, and three small tricks do most of the work. They are built into our engine, so you never have to think about them:
- Coyote time: if you run off a ledge and press jump a hair too late, the jump still works. It feels fair even though physics would disagree.
- Jump buffering: press jump just before landing and the hero jumps the instant it touches down. No button press gets lost.
- Variable jump height: a tap makes a small hop, a long press a big leap, so you can thread precise gaps.
Levels that can always be beaten
Levels are built from a random seed but by strict rules: gaps and heights always stay within jumping range. Patrolling enemies, moving platforms, coins and checkpoints are added so nobody has to restart from scratch after one slip. A flag marks the end of each level, and on request the last level ends with a boss fight.
The AI chooses pace, difficulty, enemy density and whether there is a double jump, all to match your idea. Write “for a six-year-old” and the game slows down; write “for players with fast reflexes” and it speeds up.
How big should it be?
| Size | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mini | 1 level | 50 credits |
| Small | 3 levels + menu | 125 credits |
| Medium | 5–8 levels, power-ups | 315 credits |
| Large | 15+ levels, story, saving | 875 credits |
A platformer has a slightly higher genre factor than a runner because levels, enemies and physics are more work. In return you get a game you can finish: not endless running, but levels with a beginning and an end.
Controls for every device
On a computer you move with the arrow keys and jump with the space bar or the up arrow. For phones, add touch controls (10 credits) and on-screen buttons appear. Controllers work with the gamepad extra (10 credits). Everything runs in the browser, with nothing to install.
A platformer makes a great gift, because the message appears at the end of the last level. See birthday game for ideas. If you prefer to just keep running, look at the endless runner under make your own game.