I have finally completed and shipped a game.
The Wallslider is my attempt at the kind of mobile game I've loved the most. Difficult but fair, short repeatable play sessions, bonus points if playable with one hand so I can hold on when on a moving train. Something that seems impossible at first but can be mastered over time. Something from an age before "free-to-play" and endless micro transactions.
It's essentially an endless runner except rather than just reacting to obstacles, you propel yourself upwards and will slide back if you stop, so it requires more constant input but it also maybe requires a bit more deliberation and planning than just pure reactions.
A couple of friends' first reactions were "it's the next Flappy Birds", which is flattering despite my reservations about that game. I understand, it has that endless tapping energy, but I like to think The Wallslider is a bit more subtle than that. You've got control over your jump height, your sliding speed and a grappling-hook you can bail out, all by varying the rhythm and length of your presses. Also Flappy Bird was free, early and made people feel that Nintendo warmth, so I'm not exactly expecting that kind of cultural relevance.
Other things people have said include "it's a really fun game" and "I hate you", and one friend got so good at it he obliterated my high scores throughout the beta, all of which makes me feel warm and fuzzy and like I've achieved my goal.
Another common reaction is "I love the music", and if that's yours, I'm right there with you! I knew my colleague Adam had done some chip tunes so I asked him about his music, but when I heard his track Sentry, I was blown away. It feels to me now like it was written especially for The Wallslider, though it predates it by 7 years. I'm so grateful he let me use it.
My favourite games in this space include Canabalt, Alone and the masterpiece that is Super Hexagon. All of them have a strong identity, great gameplay and awesome sound and music. If you like them too and you enjoy a retro aesthetic paired with some 8-bit inspired drum and bass, I like to think you'll get something out of The Wallslider.