Spongeshine Post-Mortem

Spongeshine Project Post-Mortem

Spongeshine is a 2D tile-based high score game that I created for the 30 Days of Summer 2025 Game Jam. To create the project, I used Gamemaker Studio 2 and sourced music/sounds from opengameart.org. I brainstormed and created the project over the course of a week, with the Game Jam theme being “high-score & summer”.

What Went Well:

1. Game Concept - Usually I find that coming up with a game’s concept and mechanics is the hardest part, but thanks to the guidelines provided by the Game Jam, brainstorming became easier. I began thinking about arcade games, with Pac-Man and Q*bert coming to my mind first. I came up with the concept of a “collection” mechanic (hydrating the tiles) which progressed into the idea of the player being a Sponge. The setting came naturally as a result, since beaches are perfect for a summer aesthetic.
2. Graphics - I don't consider graphics to be my strong suit, but I'm pleased with how they turned out for this project. I chose to give them depth so that I could create variance in the terrain and give the player the ability to see Sponge's expression. This choice alone gave the game more of a visual identity than if it was just top-down.
3. Scoring Mechanics - I like how the basic scoring mechanics add strategy to the game and make it satisfying to hit high scores. The bonus points add incentive to be strategic in your approach and how the level is completed. I tried to balance point distribution in a way that made sense, with the addition of the timer forcing the player to think fast.

What Went Wrong:

1. Gameplay Variety - As with any Game Jam, you are constrained to a time limit and must plan your game accordingly, focusing on the core mechanics before flourishes and small details. In it's current state, the game only has 4 levels with none adding additional mechanics or items. For a high-score game especially, tedium is something that must be avoided. Mechanics like buttons, bridges, and enemies are all things I had a desire to add, but ultimately could not. Additional mechanics and levels would have added greatly to the gameplay.
2. Handling Player Movement - Without showing the code, I'll just say that creating the tile-based movement was a difficult task and one that could be optimized in the future. As is, the current system for tracking player movement doesn't allow as much dynamic level design as I wish it could've. Combine this with the previous point, and it's easy to see where the level design can become tiresome.
3. Player Rewards - Although the main incentive for playing a high-score game is to get the highest score possible, I still think there could have been more player feedback/rewards included. Things such as items that added to the time or boosted player speed would create more gameplay variety and give the player more objectives other than "get the highest score".