itch.io

Thank you so much for taking the time to play it completely cold and write such detailed feedback.

First-time impressions without any prior knowledge are probably the most valuable kind of feedback for me, and your notes gave me a lot to think about.

I definitely want to add a clearer control prompt after the captcha screen.

I also want to revisit the initial language selection. You're right — if someone confirms it reflexively, they can suddenly end up reading text in a language they don't understand. I'm not sure yet how far I can take it technically, but I'd like to find a smarter solution. It actually feels like a fun design problem to work on.

As for the first bug fix: once you're transferred to the village, you'll see that one of the old NPCs has become enormous. That's the first bug you fix.

I don't want to explain too much because it gets into spoiler territory, but that particular bug can be fixed in about a minute if you go straight for it.

And again, thank you. This kind of detailed first-time feedback is incredibly useful.

Thanks so much for the invitation!

I’m really glad you found SEN and enjoyed it.

I’ll definitely check out the jam page. Thanks for reaching out!

Thank you very much for playing through to Day 3 and for the detailed feedback.

It was especially helpful to hear that the overall flow and tonal progression felt natural. Your comments about the forest, keyboard, mouse, the castle section, and the movement sound also gave me several things to review carefully.

Thank you again for playing and sharing such thoughtful feedback.

I tried the updated tutorial, and it feels much better now. What I especially like is that it gives the player just one thing to do at a time. Instead of showing all the rules at once, it guides you through the first few moves step by step, so you can learn how the clues and placement work while actually playing.

That makes the game much easier to understand at the beginning, and I think it also lets the player reach the “solving the puzzle” part much faster instead of spending time figuring out how the game itself works.

I also really appreciate how quickly you responded to the feedback and implemented the change. It was great to come back and actually see the difference in the game. Thanks for taking it so seriously!

Thanks a lot for the feedback!

I’m really glad you enjoyed the game.

I’ll take your comments about the opening and the bug-fixing sequence into account and take another careful look at both.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!

I like that the title screen lets the player move the boat and practice shooting before the game actually begins. It’s a nice way to learn the controls by trying them out instead of only reading instructions.

I did miss the “Press Space to Start” message at first, even though it is shown at the top of the screen. I think moving it closer to the center and making it gently blink could make the transition into the game much clearer.

I also found the difficulty ramp a little too steep, especially because the control scheme itself takes some time to get used to. Movement and aiming are independent, so even the first enemy requires some adjustment.

The first encounter has only one enemy, which is still manageable while learning the controls. But in the next stage, the number suddenly jumps to four enemies, and I was defeated before I could deal much damage.

Rather than making the enemies much weaker, I think a more gradual difficulty curve could work well. For example, enemy shots could have a slightly longer interval at first, and the number of enemies could increase step by step — 1, then 2, then 3, then 4.

That would keep the challenge while giving the player enough time to become comfortable with the unusual control scheme before the game starts demanding faster reactions.

I like the core idea of NookGrid. The puzzle itself is clear and easy to understand once you know how the clue system works, and I can see how the daily format could be enjoyable for people who like logic puzzles.

My main feedback is about the first-time experience.

When I opened the game for the first time, I was taken directly to Today’s Puzzle. I didn’t immediately realize that there was a starter puzzle available. I think a simple start screen would help a lot, with clear choices such as:

• Today’s Puzzle
• Starter / Tutorial
• How to Play

That would let returning players jump straight into the daily puzzle, while new players could choose to learn the game first.

I also think the current Starter Puzzle is still quite difficult for a first-time player. It presents all 9 places and many clues at once, but at that point the player is still learning the basic controls, how to place items, how clues work, and what the different relationships mean.

For me, the most important thing would be progression.

The first few starter puzzles could be extremely simple — almost impossible to fail — and teach only one thing at a time. For example:

• first, learn how to place one item
• then learn “directly left”
• then “same row / same column”
• then “touching”
• then start combining multiple clue types

The Starter section could even contain several small puzzles instead of just one.

I think that would make the learning process feel much more natural. By the time the player reaches Today’s Puzzle, they would already understand both the controls and the logic of the game, so the challenge would come from solving the puzzle itself rather than from figuring out how the game works.

I think the core idea becomes interesting once you understand the relationship between the enemy intent and the sigils.

For me, the main point of confusion was this: even after I understood where the enemy’s next action was shown, I still didn’t immediately understand which sigil I should choose in response.

For example, once I understood that an incoming attack meant “build Ward with Bone,” the game started to make much more sense. But it took me a little while to reach that understanding.

So I think the issue is not the rules themselves, but how quickly the player can connect “enemy intent” with “what should I do now?”

After that clicked, the decision-making became much more enjoyable.

Ich finde, dass dieses Spiel auf einer sehr einfachen Grundidee viele Elemente aufbaut, die dafür sorgen, dass man lange weiterspielen kann. Wenn jemand erst einmal davon gepackt ist, kann ich mir gut vorstellen, dass er sehr lange dabei bleibt.

Wenn ich mir eine Sache wünschen dürfte, dann wäre es, das Gefühl beim Zerstören der Meteore noch stärker zu machen. Stärkere visuelle und akustische Rückmeldungen beim Zerbrechen eines Meteors könnten die unmittelbare Befriedigung deutlich erhöhen. Ich glaube, dass so ein fast körperlich spürbares Erfolgserlebnis schon früh das Gefühl auslösen könnte: „Ich möchte noch weiterspielen.“

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English

I think this is a game that builds a lot of depth on top of a very simple core idea. If someone gets hooked, I can easily imagine them playing for a long time.

If I could ask for one thing, I’d love to see the feeling of destroying meteors pushed even further. Stronger visual and sound feedback when a meteor breaks could make the moment-to-moment action feel more satisfying. I think that kind of immediate, almost physical sense of pleasure would help players feel “I want to keep playing” much earlier.

Hi, I’m the developer of RETRYS. Thanks for checking it out! If you play it, I’d especially appreciate feedback on:

• whether the opening makes you want to continue
• whether the “fixing bugs in an unfinished RPG” concept is easy to understand
• whether the shift from comedy to a more emotional tone feels natural

Any other feedback is very welcome too!

日本人開発者がitch.ioに増えてくれて嬉しい😊ぜひ相互フォローお願いします！

UFOの浮遊感がちゃんと感じられて、操作しているだけで気持ちいいですね！

ライフゼロになった瞬間に、タイトル画面へ遷移してしまいます。爆発する様子などを見せる方が、何が起きたかが伝わりやすくなるかと思います。

Thanks again for reporting this. I’ve now added a downloadable Windows version as an alternative, so if the browser version gives you trouble again, you can continue playing that way instead. I really appreciate your help!

Thanks again for reporting this. I’ve now added a downloadable Windows version as an alternative, so if the browser version gives you trouble again, you can continue playing that way instead. I really appreciate your help!

Thank you so much for playing RETRYS, and for taking the time to report this. I’m really sorry that the error interrupted your playthrough, especially when you were enjoying the game.

I’ve been investigating the issue, but so far I haven’t found any problem with Map036.json itself. At the moment, one possibility I’m considering is a temporary file-loading failure over HTTP/CDN in the browser version.

I’m sorry again for the trouble, and I really appreciate you letting me know.

Thank you, Belle and Senna! 😊 I didn't know you'd received similar feedback about the feeling of actually cooking — that's really interesting!

Recipe Frenzy gave me the starting point, and exploring that idea in my own way led to Burger Replay. I really enjoyed seeing how the same cooking + memory theme could evolve in a different direction.

And this reminds me of what we talked about before — making a game is one thing, but sharing it with the world is another important part of the process. If you hadn't shared Recipe Frenzy, Burger Replay wouldn't exist. And if I hadn't shared Burger Replay, we wouldn't be having this conversation now. 😊

I'm really glad we both shared our games. Thank you! 🍔

Thank you, Belle! 😊 I really like how you described it as “working with what you have.”

I think my next challenge is to make the MIRACLE moment more dramatic:

“This isn't what I ordered!” → “...But I don't have time. I'll eat it anyway.” → munch munch... “Hmm?” → “WHOA!! This is AMAZING!! What IS this?!” 🤯

I want it to really feel like you made a mistake — but then something special happened. I think that contrast could make the MIRACLE much more exciting!

Thanks so much for playing! I actually used to work part-time at a fast-food restaurant. At first, I remember feeling nervous and under pressure, but as I gradually got used to the job, it was really satisfying to feel myself getting better at it. I made Burger Replay hoping to capture a little bit of that feeling. 😊

Thanks so much for playing! Reaching 20 customers is impressive! 😄

But I realized this game doesn't really have any ups and downs—there's no chance to take a breather, so the stress just keeps building up. Your comment helped me notice that this is something I should work on. I'll try tackling that in the next update!

Hi Belle and Senna!
I had a lot of fun with Recipe Frenzy. I really liked how you have to figure out the right recipe from the hints, remember the ingredients and their order, and get everything done within the time limit. It’s a simple idea, but there’s a lot going on mentally while you play.

It made me want to try making my own game around the same cooking + memory theme, so I made a small one called Burger Replay. 🍔
Thanks for the inspiration!

Hi! I'm an indie game developer from Japan. I also work mostly on my own and use AI to help turn my game ideas into reality, so I felt I could really relate to what you wrote.

I've been making games professionally for many years, but recently I've been exploring indie development and AI-assisted game creation on my own. It's not always easy to get people to notice what we make, especially when working solo!

I'd love to try some of your games. It's nice to meet another developer on itch.io who's on a somewhat similar journey. 😊

Thank you, Belle! That really means a lot to me too 😊

I’ve just sent connection requests to both you and Senna on LinkedIn. I’m really happy to connect with you both there!

I played Recipe Frenzy! I really liked the idea of turning cooking and recipes into a memory game. It was actually more challenging than I expected — trying to remember all the ingredients and their order definitely made me panic a little 😄 Now I understand the “Frenzy” in the title!

Also, I recently created a LinkedIn account. I’m still pretty new there, but I’d be happy to connect with you if you’re on LinkedIn!

Thanks for the update! I’m glad it’s working now.
That’s also really helpful information — I’ll keep the Chrome version/update status in mind if someone else runs into the same issue. Thanks!

Thanks Belle! Nice to meet you too 😊

One thing I’d definitely recommend is making games, finishing them, and putting them out into the world. You learn so much from actually releasing something.

I’d also say: always remember that feeling of excitement you had when you first became completely absorbed in a game. I think that feeling is worth keeping close when you make your own games.

And try to observe yourself as a creator. Some people are more motivated when they have a clear goal. Some enjoy steadily building things little by little. Some get their energy from new ideas and inspiration. Some are very sensitive to what other people think. There are all kinds of creators, and I don’t think there’s one “right” type.

So I think it’s important to keep looking for a way of making games that fits your own personality. I’m still figuring that out myself too!

Thanks for letting me know!

I’ve tested the browser version on several different devices/environments, but I haven’t been able to reproduce the error yet.

Could you tell me which browser/device you were using, and if possible, the exact error message or a screenshot of it?

Also, does the error always happen at the same point in the game, or does it occur at different/random times?

That would help me narrow down what’s happening. Thanks!

Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it 😄 I had a lot of fun experimenting with the match-three + defense combination.

Thanks for playing! 😄 You can actually move freely around roughly half of the screen. Were you playing on a phone/tablet, or on PC? I’m wondering if the controls weren’t working properly for you.

Thanks for playing! I’m really happy you gave it a try!

Simple and easy to jump into, but still really thrilling. I had a lot of fun playing it!

Thanks! I’m really glad you found the mechanic interesting and enjoyed thinking through the puzzle!

Thank you! I’m glad the simple puzzle mechanic worked well for you!

Thanks for playing! I’m glad the difficulty and variety felt good. Wave 5 is a solid run!

Thank you! I’m really glad you enjoyed the visuals, audio, and different ways to play!

Haha, thank you! I’m really happy to hear you found it addictive 😄

Thanks so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed the progression and the challenge. Thanks for playing!

Hi everyone! I’m Ikepapa, a game developer from Japan.

I’ve been working independently in game development for around 15 years, mostly on games for major publishers. About two years ago, I started making my own indie games too.

My main game is RETRYS, a short pixel-art adventure RPG made with RPG Maker. It’s on Steam, and you can also play it directly in your browser here on itch.io.

https://ikepapa.itch.io/retrys

Recently I’ve been having a lot of fun making smaller browser games too, including SEN, a vertical shooter / survivors-like, and SiegeCraft, a merge-puzzle defense game. I enjoy experimenting with simple mechanics and seeing where they go.

https://ikepapa.itch.io/sen

https://ikepapa.itch.io/siegecraft

I also use AI quite a lot for programming and prototyping these days.

So I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone here is making. Nice to meet you!

I’ve been making games independently for many years, and I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way.

Probably my biggest mistake was focusing too much on development and leaving promotion until later.

I kept thinking, “First I need to make the game good, then I’ll think about marketing.” And when the time came, I also tried to handle promotion mostly by myself instead of seriously looking for someone who was actually good at it.

Looking back, I think that was a mistake. Making a game and getting people to notice it are almost two different jobs, and being able to do one doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be good at the other.

That said, since you’re just about to start making your first game, I actually think concentrating on development right now is completely fine. Getting something playable and discovering what you enjoy making is probably more important at this stage. Promotion becomes a much bigger concern once you decide, “I really want to release and sell this.”

Another thing I’ve learned is that playing a prototype as early as possible is incredibly useful. I’ve had ideas that sounded fun in my head, but once I actually played them, I immediately realized the basic action wasn’t satisfying. These days I try to get to a playable version quickly and judge the idea from there.

I’ve made games in several different ways. One of my recent Steam games, RETRYS, was made with RPG Maker and uses pixel art. So if you’re wondering what kind of game can be made with RPG Maker and pixel graphics, feel free to take a look at it as one example. 
You can also play it directly in your browser on itch.io.
https://ikepapa.itch.io/retrys

As for pixel art itself, I definitely think it’s still viable. RETRYS is a pixel-art game, and I don’t think pixel art is something you need to avoid just because it’s an older style. If it fits the game you want to make, I’d use it.

More recently I’ve also been making much smaller browser games and releasing them on itch.io. I enjoy that process because I can experiment with an idea, let people play it, learn something, and then move on to the next thing much faster.

https://ikepapa.itch.io/sen

https://ikepapa.itch.io/siegecraft

https://ikepapa.itch.io/kanjiname-ninja

Anyway, I’m still figuring things out too. Even after years of making games, every project teaches me something I didn’t expect.

I played on Beginner, and overall I thought the physics and sound effects felt really good.

The main thing I struggled with was aiming the cue. Rotating it with the mouse felt a little difficult to control precisely. I also tried using the keyboard, and I wonder if it might feel better if the normal rotation speed were faster, while holding Ctrl slowed it down for fine adjustments. Another possibility might be to automatically slow the rotation when the aiming line is close to or touching a ball.

I also found it difficult to judge the right amount of power. I got a little better at it after playing for a while, but I often hit the ball much harder than I expected. For Beginner mode, maybe you could display a suggested power level that would roughly reach the target ball. It could work as a reference rather than an automatic solution.

One other thing: even on Beginner, having to pot more than 10 balls made the first goal feel quite far away. What if the first Beginner challenge only required something like 3 balls to clear? I think getting an early clear could feel rewarding and make players more eager to move on to the next challenge.

Those were my impressions from Beginner mode. I enjoyed the basic feel of the physics a lot!

Hi everyone!

I’ve been working on SEN, a vertical shooter inspired by classic arcade shooters and survivors-like games.

It’s playable directly in your browser, and game controllers are supported as well.

The basic form of the game is now coming together, and currently you can play through one full stage consisting of 10 waves.

At this point, I’d especially love some ideas for expanding the game and adding more variety.

I’d be very interested to hear any ideas you have for:

• New enemy types
• Obstacles or stage hazards
• Different kinds of stages
• Permanent upgrades or items

They don’t have to be detailed ideas — even something simple like “an enemy that does X” or “a stage with Y” would be really helpful.

And of course, any other impressions or feedback are very welcome too!

Play in your browser here: https://ikepapa.itch.io/sen

I played it for a while, and overall I think the movement mechanic is interesting. Launching yourself and sliding across the floor actually feels really satisfying.

At the same time, I found the movement itself a bit tiring. Since even basic movement requires aiming and launching every time, I started to feel fatigued after playing for a short while.

I also found it quite difficult to hit enemies while they were constantly moving. Maybe when an enemy changes direction, it could pause for a brief moment before moving again. That might create a clearer window where the player can time a shot and aim for it.

One other thought is about the coins. What if there were more coins scattered around? Then the player could collect a decent amount naturally while moving, without having to carefully aim and launch toward every single coin. Players who want to collect everything could still take their time and pick up each one carefully.

The launching/sliding feeling is really nice, so I’d be interested to see how it feels with a little less effort required for ordinary movement.