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Lunker's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Theme relevance | #45 | 3.789 | 3.789 |
| Fun | #86 | 3.263 | 3.263 |
| Overall | #86 | 3.368 | 3.368 |
| Sounds | #88 | 3.211 | 3.211 |
| End-of-life plan | #114 | 3.526 | 3.526 |
| Graphics | #151 | 3.053 | 3.053 |
Ranked from 19 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
End life plan
LUNKER is one self-contained HTML file. No server, no account, no build step, no dependencies, no assets to fetch. Download the file and it plays offline in any browser, forever. The only online feature is an optional global leaderboard, and the game detects when it is unreachable and plays on without it. The download stays up permanently and free. The file ships unminified, so the complete source code is inside the one file you download. Preserving the game and preserving the source are the same act.
Transparency note
Code written with AI assistance (Claude), directed, designed, and playtested by a human. Built on our own generic single-file engine (pre-existing and non-themed: fixed-timestep loop, seeded RNG, synthesized audio, input helpers), extracted from our earlier games. All mechanics, content, art, and audio for this game were made during the jam window. Everything in-game is procedural code, no asset files. The page cover art is AI generated. Title music is our own synth arrangement of the traditional public-domain sea shanty Drunken Sailor.
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Comments
This is really cool, I would gladly spend more time playing this game for relaxation!!!
TYVM! Glad you like it. This game is one I am targeting for more development.
TYVM! Glad you enjoyed it. Please share it around, and keep chasing the top spot. As far as keeping the game alive, I have updates planned for launch already.
This was fun! What wasn't fun was merely clinching the #5 spot on my first try, knowing that Rob in a comment down below me is better than me. I had to replay it. I'm more happy with the #2, #6 and #7 spots. Ere! I will get you! One of the few games that was bite-sized and simple enough this jam that I actually had the patience to
The frogs and turtles annoyed me at first, but once I learned to ignore them I started appreciating them from a design perspective. Like you mentioned below, it's nice to force the player to pay attention to what you're doing. I will say that it felt a little arbitrary or unclear which fishes you could instantly tap-to-fish and which you had to do the tug of war (which felt really nice!) to catch.
I have to give massive props to your EOL plan text, it shines bright in a massive sea of "the game will remain available on itch.io" and "the source code might be released when it doesn't look fug ugly because my ego is more important than game preservation" (I am a very bitter and spiteful man). It's very clear that you put a lot of thought into it.
I'm curious about what updates you have planned, this was really nice as is and I can definitely see myself coming back to play this!
One thing I have to praise is how similar the fishing system feels to real-life fishing.
I placed fourth on the leaderboard on my first try. I'm definitely coming back later to aim for first place.
This might be a stupid question, but I was curious: is it actually possible to catch the turtles, or have I been trying for no reason? 😂
The turtles and frogs are red herrings. They are there to force the player to discern which silhouettes to cast at.
I'm glad you liked the game! I have some planned updates for after the jam.
This was a very fun game! Due to my screen glare I was unable to actually see the shadows of the fish for some time, but I was able to figure it out by the end! The controls for fishing felt both intuitive and satisfying! Great job!
That's good feedback. I'll see what i can do about contrast. Thanks for playing, and the compliment!
I liked the idea and the gameplay, its very addicting, like a true highscore chaser! The only thing I disliked is that you ride away from the fish you are currently reeling in, I would presume that this should either release the fish, or help with the reeling. Overall I could imagine this game as a full fledged release with different environments and gimmicks for each. Mainly for mobile platform. Best of luck!
You're right about riding away. I'll look at it after the jam.
This game is sick, love the mechanics, art and sounds. Pretty much a full concept that i hope to see made into a full game. (that i would def buy)
TYVM. I am thinking maybe different lakes with different trophy species and some things like that. Work on the graphics and animations a little more too.
A very simplistic nice game. I love fishing games and this reminded me of Stardew Valley in a way with it's simplistic fishing mechanic. I know your fishing mechanic is not like Stardew Valley at all, but it has the parts of it where it's easy to learn smooth and simple and really fun. Also the sound effects where really nice. Congrats on this game!
My submitted game doesn't show but if you want to check out the game Scalebreakers I worked on with my friend that would be great.
TYVM! That is a heck of a compliment, to be compared to such a game. I have already played your game, when it was up in the jam. I thought it was really interesting.
Lunker kinda reminds me of a Friskies game that the cat food company designed for cats to use on iPads! lol
I quite liked it!
TYVM!
The fishing mechanic works as expected (while the fish is running away the "tension" grows faster).
The end of life plan doesn't cover the leaderboard, the only thing gamers can download is the HTML file but if they want to have a custom "friends-only" leaderboard they would have to implement it from scratch.
Not to mention, the "Download now" button just shows an error for now ("can't be bought", I guess the game is paid but the author hasn't set a payment method?), and doesn't download the game.
Sorry about the download button. Two things were going on: the pricing config was wrong (fixed, it's free), and itch locks file uploads while jam voting is running, so I can't attach the downloadable file until voting ends. It goes up the minute the lock lifts. Until then the whole game is the page source, one HTML file, view-source and save it and it runs offline.
On the leaderboard: the global board is the only online piece, and the game is built to lose it gracefully. When that server eventually dies, the game keeps playing, forever.
"Challenge a Friend" is the peer-leaderboard you are talking about for eol. The code carries the lake seed and my pace, your friend races my ghost on the same water, and no server is involved at all. Those codes will still work when the leaderboard is long gone.
Thanks for playing it and for the real feedback.
This was a fun little fishing game. Overall the vibes, type of fish and the reeling in bar (similar to SDV) were very satisfying. At the end, I could not submit my score because the screen says "Bot check required" but didn't tell how. Overall a good game.
I'll have to fix that after the jam. For now, I turned off enforcement on the back end (did not alter game code). So, you can try again. Thanks for playing. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for doing that!