Wall Smash

Wall Smash is an async PvP skill game for Android, based on the squash sport, developed for
Broken Arms Games.
It was the third project made in Digital Bros Game Academy.

Engine

Unity

Role

Lead Designer

Team

5 designers, 3 programmers, 3 artists

Development Time

5 weeks

My Role: Lead Game Designer

As the Lead Designer, I played a key role in shaping the game’s mechanics, level design, and overall user experience while ensuring smooth coordination between teams. My main contributions included:

  • Game Design Leadership: Managed the design team and collaborated with other department leads to maintain development progress and design consistency.

  • Level Design & Implementation: Designed all 6 levels (3 Beginner, 3 Veteran), handling everything from blockout to Unity implementation, fine-tuning obstacle placement and difficulty curves for an engaging experience.

  • Casual & Mobile-Friendly Gameplay Design: Adapted mechanics for one-finger controls, ensuring smooth and accessible gameplay suitable for short, casual play sessions.

Challenges & Solutions

Developing for mobile presented unique challenges, especially in designing engaging yet simple mechanics that worked with touch controls. Our approach was to focus on intuitive gameplay with asynchronous PvP elements, making the game ideal for quick sessions (for example during a commute), given then our . By refining level structure and pacing, we ensured a rewarding experience that kept players engaged.

However, the biggest struggle came from the art team, which faced serious difficulties throughout development. The inconsistency and delays in asset production forced us to rethink the game’s visuals entirely. Instead of relying on complex animations or detailed environments, we pivoted toward a minimalist design approach, focusing on clarity and functionality over artistic polish. While it wasn’t the original vision, this shift ultimately worked in the game’s favor, keeping it clean and readable for mobile players.

Tools & Software Used

  • Unity (Game Engine)

  • Photoshop (Blockout & Level Planning)

Outcome

Wall Smash successfully delivered a fast-paced, accessible PvP experience designed for casual mobile players while maintaining depth through competitive scoring and level design.
Additionally, Broken Arms Games recognized the project’s potential and offered mentorship for further refinement and possible publication, highlighting the game’s promise in the mobile market.

Video game scene with a player character holding a tennis racket on a red pathway surrounded by mountains and lava. The display shows a score of 6600 and three hearts indicating lives. A large "BOOM!" effect is visible, and there are rocks, question
Illustration of a video game scene with a character holding a tennis racket on a path surrounded by purple barriers and a swirling storm in the background. The interface shows a pause button, score of zero, and three heart icons.
Drawing of a tennis game with player and obstacles
Gameplay of a running game featuring a character with blue hair and a racket, running on a path between cliffs. There’s an explosion effect with the word 'BOOM,' a score of 4300, a combo bonus of 200, and three hearts indicating lives.