Design Statement
The opening reminded me of twinkling stars. When the music grew faster, I imagined a meteor shower, full of colors, with one little star falling into an unfamiliar world. I wanted to capture both the uncertainty of being lost and the hope of finding a way home.
The climbing mechanic was inspired by sea stars “dancing” around kelp. I liked the idea of a fallen star mistaking sea stars for its own kind and learning to dance with them along its journey.
I wanted players to feel comfortable exploring and experimenting, so I chose not to include death or respawning. Missing a jump simply means falling somewhere lower, where the journey continues. Collectible seashells gradually reveal fragments of a poem, adding a small narrative reward to exploration.
My team and I built this prototype to test these ideas. The underwater setting is the first of three planned chapters, with the little star eventually travelling through forests and mountains before returning to the sky and finally returning home to the universe.

Game Instructions (launch steps, controls, and gameplay overview)
Launch
Click Run Game on the itch.io page. Play in a desktop browser with sound enabled. You can enter fullscreen using the button in the bottom-right corner.
Select Start to begin. English and Chinese are available in Settings.
Controls
* A / D — Move or navigate menu options.
* Hold Space — Spin around nearby seaweed to climb.
* While holding Space, press R — Launch from the seaweed.
* Enter — Confirm a selection or advance dialogue.
* Tab — Open or close the in-game menu.
* ← / → — Adjust volume when the volume control is selected.
How to play
Help a fallen star climb from the ocean floor toward the sky. Spin around seaweed to gain height, time your launches between platforms, and ride moving fish. Watch out for jellyfish along the way.
The demo has five underwater levels and six seashells to collect. Each shell unlocks a line of a story, which you can read in the collection page of the in-game menu.
There is no death or respawn. If you miss a jump, you fall and continue from wherever you land.

Gameplay walkthrough video
https://youtu.be/SIzvoA46YP8

Trailer / Other Additional Video Material (Optional)
https://youtu.be/zyQBRfcl4OM

Did your project use any AI tools or assets? If yes, please specify.
Yes. We used ChatGPT/Codex to assist with programming, debugging, English translation, and copy editing. All pixel art, animations, and the original Chinese narrative were created by our team. No AI-generated visual assets were used.