Hello everyone!
Today is Wednesday, and I'd like to talk about one of the last mechanics of the game, along with the enemy type they are mostly tied with!
Let's start!
A Literally Ground Breaking Mechanic
Let’s kick things off with a quick introduction to one of the core mechanics: the breaking ground.
This feature was one of the first ideas I had when designing the game, but I initially struggled to find a creative way to integrate it into the Tower.
In the early zones, its role was filled by the spikes, which I'll leave for you to discover while playing.
However, the breaking ground finally found its perfect role in the game’s fourth zone.
Since this part of the game is set underground, it made much more thematic sense.
At first, I imagined Shorty falling into an endless void, but visually, that turned out to be pretty boring, given the camera of the game.
Then, during a break, I stumbled upon some videos inspired by the “the floor is lava” challenge. It instantly clicked, this was the visual hook I was looking for!
In essence, the ground collapses shortly after you pass over it, revealing a lava pit underneath. Very few elements in the game can survive on it, adding a fresh layer of danger and urgency to your movement.
The Cobolds
And that’s where the Cobolds come in!
Right after I implemented the breaking ground mechanic, I started working on these enemies.
At first, I actually imagined them with wings, so much so that, in the game files, they’re still called "flying_enemy".
The problem? The winged design I envisioned didn’t fit within the pixel grid constraints.
So, wings had to go, but the idea stuck.
Lorewise, if you're curious, you’ll learn more about them on Saturday, but from a gameplay perspective, they’re the only enemies that can walk on lava.
This adds a whole new layer of challenge to the breaking ground mechanic.
Players now need to think twice about every step, because Cobolds might still be lurking, ready to intercept, whether there’s lava or not!
The Design
From a level design standpoint, they have inspired some of my personal favorite levels: what I call the "labyrinth levels".
These are convoluted mazes of breaking ground tiles, sometimes mixed with Cobolds and additional mechanics to push your movement strategy even further.
As for their visual design, I leaned into the idea of warrior miners.
It ties perfectly into their lore, and I wanted their weapons to reflect that too.
They wield fierce pickaxes and massive hammers in one hand, because yes, they’re that strong!
I hope you enjoyed this small behind the scenes look at one of the game’s unique mechanics and its enemies!
Have a great day and look out for cracks on the floor!
-Giuseppe