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真夜中コーラ - MIDNIGHT COLA's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Production Velocity | #1 | 4.000 | 4.000 |
| Overall Enjoyment | #2 | 3.900 | 3.900 |
| AI Direction & Adaptability | #3 | 4.000 | 4.000 |
| Theme Fidelity & Creativity | #3 | 4.300 | 4.300 |
Ranked from 10 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
The Biggest Challenge
The hidden COFFEE theme was the biggest challenge. Rather than adding a separate coffee route, I turned an existing syrup into Roast Syrup and wove it into the sweet route—so coffee remains a quiet note inside the cola.
AI Tools Used
ChatGPT
Areas Where AI Was Used
Game design, JavaScript/Canvas code, rule balancing, debugging, bilingual Japanese/English text, UI layout, visual direction, and thumbnail/background image exploration.
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Comments
The visual design and sound are fantastic.
I generally prefer more traditional games, like those where you compete for points or clear stages, but I still enjoyed this game!
Thank you so much for playing! I’m very happy that you enjoyed the visuals and sound.
I think Midnight Cola is quite an unusual kind of game, compared with ones that focus on scores or stage progression. That’s why it means a lot to me that you still enjoyed it.
Thank you again for the kind comment!
Given that I am not fluent in Japanese beyond 2 years of high school Japanese in America and one quarter of it in college at Seattle University, it is a strong positive for this game that I was still able to roughly navigate around and have a great deal of fun.
The nodal structure and the choices available made it possible to guess at what was going on with a high degree of certainty. The graphics are pleasing and there is an understandable progression even with the language barrier.
Gave this game high marks and yourself an Itch follow, if you like the thing(s) on my page(s) consider doing the same.
Cheers!
--D
https://exedexes1.com/
Thank you so much for playing and for such a thoughtful comment!
I’m especially happy to hear that you were able to navigate the game and have fun even without being fluent in Japanese.
There is actually an English mode in the game, but the language button is probably too easy to miss — I’m sorry about that! It is a small button in the top-right corner.
At the same time, your comment gave me an unexpected and very encouraging discovery: perhaps the game does not need every word to be understood in order for the player to follow its flow. I tried to make the board structure, ingredient icons, and route choices communicate as much as possible through the visuals, so I’m very glad that came through.
Thank you as well for the high rating and follow! I’ll be happy to take a look at your page too.
It’s so much fun! Whether I’m aiming to craft a rare cola or just want to tap away at a leisurely pace, the game always welcomes me with delightful sound effects—it’s just incredibly cozy.
I’d actually had the idea of making a craft cola game myself, but looking back, it’s embarrassing that my first thought was about how to battle enemies with it.
To think it would mesh so perfectly with a Sugoroku-style game... Before I knew it, I’d added it to my favorites.
Thank you so much for playing and for the lovely comment!
I’m really happy that you could enjoy it both when aiming for rare colas and when simply relaxing and watching a bottle come to life. I also hoped the sound effects would make it feel a little like being in a late-night workshop.
A craft cola game where you battle enemies sounds fun too! I wanted to make cola-making feel like a small journey, so I chose a Sugoroku-style structure.
Thank you so much for adding it to your favorites!
This is easily one of the most unique Game Jam entries I've played. 🌟
Unlike most games, it doesn't ask for quick reactions or fast decision-making. Instead, you simply sit back and quietly watch your cola gradually come to life. There's something incredibly relaxing about that process.
One detail I especially appreciated is how each ingredient feels meaningful. At first, the combinations might seem a little random, but as you continue playing, you begin to recognize different "families" of cola flavors—such as ginger, sparkling soda, and other variations. It almost feels like the game quietly rewards you with a bit of real-world beverage knowledge, which I thought was a really fun touch. 🥤
The overall theme is fantastic. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but the Japanese text immediately made me feel as if I were sitting inside a cozy Japanese izakaya. Yet, instead of ordering beer, I'm carefully crafting my own unique cola. 🍶✨
What makes it even more satisfying is the production process itself. Rather than feeling like a simple crafting system, it feels like you're operating a real industrial pipeline. Watching ingredients travel through long chains of interconnected machines before finally producing your own one-of-a-kind drink is incredibly satisfying. The pipes even reminded me of large-scale brewery equipment, making the whole experience feel surprisingly authentic.
Oddly enough, the game also reminded me of those personality quizzes or daily fortune readings. You don't really do much—you simply watch the random process unfold and quietly wonder, "Maybe this is today's cola that represents my mood." 😄 There's something unexpectedly comforting about that.
Because of that, I almost see this less as a traditional video game and more as a tabletop experience or an interactive toy. It invites you to observe rather than compete, and that's exactly what makes it stand out among all the other Game Jam entries.
Overall, I think this project has a wonderfully distinctive identity. It isn't trying to be loud or action-packed—instead, it creates a calm, charming, and memorable experience unlike anything else I played during the jam. I genuinely loved it. ❤️
Thank you so much for playing so carefully and for putting your thoughts into words!
I really wanted this to be a game where you can quietly watch a cola gradually come to life, so I am very happy that you felt that.
I also put a lot of care into the way the different kinds of cola gradually begin to reveal themselves as you play more.
The “Extra Ingredient” roulette adds some randomness, but the routes are arranged so that ingredients with similar flavor directions tend to appear together.
Rather than simply collecting anything and everything, I wanted each run to become a bottle that reflects that night’s choices and small moments of chance — almost like “a cola for today’s mood.” I was genuinely surprised and happy that you felt that in the game.
I personally love retro Japanese izakaya, as well as beer and whisky-making equipment, so it is a wonderful discovery to hear that some of that atmosphere may have found its way into the game.
When I make games, I do not want to rely on “anything is possible because it is a game.” I try to make the world feel physically believable whenever I can.
That is why it means so much to me that you experienced it as something like a small interactive object or toy.
Thank you again for such a warm and thoughtful comment!
Fun! I'm a bit confused about how to control the numbers, or is it supposed to be random? GG!
Thank you for playing!
The numbers are not completely random — they are influenced a little by the pressure meter and by the direction you send the bottle cap.
You may find that, by experimenting with the timing and where you tap, you can control it more than it first seems!
You are right that this may not be very clear at first. I also had my wife, who does not usually play games, try it, and at first she wondered, “What is this going to turn into?”
I would like to find a way to make both the controls and the idea of eventually creating your own bottle of cola feel more natural and clear.
Thank you very much for the feedback!
It's the kind of game that makes you want to play it over and over again.
The sound effects—without any background music—really craft such a wonderful atmosphere ✨
I made the MIDNIGHT COLA 🥤 It looks so good... I'd love to try it for real♪ 😋
Thank you so much for playing! I’m really happy to hear that it made you want to play again.
I wanted to create the quiet atmosphere of a late-night workshop using only sound effects, so it means a lot that you felt that.
Your COLA looked delicious too! Hearing that you would actually like to drink it is probably the best compliment I could receive!
You perfectly captured that quiet, magical atmosphere of a late-night workshop.
Making a game with zero background music is incredibly high-risk, and most projects fail to pull it off. But in your game, that silence is a masterpiece of design—the sound effects alone craft a precious, immersive experience. It's truly a rare and beautiful achievement.
I’ve already replayed it so many times, and I know for a fact I’ll keep coming back to this wonderful world. Thank you for creating the best late-night escape! 🙂
Kind regards,
Michyo