SquareRacer

Controls

Use WASD or Arrow keys to move.

The Game

Square Racer is a  game about getting a shape    around a course in as quick a time as possible. Each time the player turns, the  shape builds in speed, which resets on a crash. The faster the shape moves, the faster the music plays and the colours change, eventually layering in different instruments and screen shake.  Turning also plays a noise, with the intention being to help build to a sort of fever dream like jazz. I'd love to layer in some people laughing.

The crash detection  also gets a little fuzzier the faster you are. You can 'graze' an obstacle but keep going, with the game recognising that as your trail reseting.  

The core idea was to create a 'racing' game focussed on flow, removing menus whilst keeping the game coherent.  It's inspired by a minigame in 3D Dot Game Heroes.

You can play the original idea here.

This core idea is the basis for three different ideas.

Version1

This version would involve having nine levels , each with their own  palettes, soundtracks and layouts. Beat a target time on the first level to unlock the next etc.  After five or so levels have unlocked, the player must best a target time across all levels  added together to unlock the next one.

The levels would be arranged in a 3x3 grid, with the centre one greyed out. Once you've beaten a target time across the previous 8 levels, you'd unlock the centre 'final' level, which would be the only level to take part across more than a single screen.

The meta progression is inspired by    Motorstorm RC.

Version2

This version would have 7 or so levels, and each time you completed a lap you'd end up on a different level. The goal would be to complete all levels in a row without crashing - as demonstrated by the second screenshot/GIF.

After this the game  would essentially become as above, with the player being able to set times on each individual level. Once a target time has been beaten across all 7, a final level would unlock.

Version3

This version is the one I  like the most, and also the least traditional.

This version would have one level. It would remove the music and palette swapping of the above prototype, so it looked more like the bottom two screenshots. You'd still be setting a highscore by going around as fast as you could, this time on a larger leaderboard.

Eventually you'll crash, and smoke will come out of the shape (which might be a less abstract car). Keep going and you'll get an offer to fix it. This will start a short branching narrative, involving  race fixing and becoming a champion.

At the culmination of the story,  (where you could be on the run, living a life of luxury or under the thumb of the mob - another leaderboard will appear giving you your 'true' score based on the decisions you made.

I  think it'll be funny.