Building Snowball: A Hyper-Casual Game for the AWS Game Builder Challenge
When we first heard about the AWS Game Builder Challenge, we were thrilled by the idea of creating a game that not only showcased our creativity but also utilized cutting-edge AWS services. As a team that loves experimenting with new tools and concepts, this challenge presented the perfect opportunity to bring our vision to life. The result? Snowball — a hyper-casual game that’s as fun to play as it was to build.
Published Jan 15, 2025
Our inspiration came from the serene yet exhilarating imagery of snow-covered mountains. We envisioned a game that would capture the excitement of navigating a winding path while immersing players in the beauty of a winter wonderland. The idea was simple: create a game that’s easy to learn but hard to master. With this vision in mind, we set out to build Snowball — a game where players control a rolling snowball, zigzagging down an icy path, collecting snowflakes, and aiming for high scores.
Building Snowball was a journey that combined creativity with the power of technology. Here’s how we brought it to life:
Unity served as the backbone of our development process. Its robust tools allowed us to design the game’s mechanics and visuals, ensuring smooth gameplay and an engaging user experience. From the rolling snowball to the zigzag path, Unity provided the flexibility we needed to bring our ideas to life.
To optimize our development process, we relied on Amazon Q Developer. This generative AI-powered assistant proved invaluable, especially when integrated with JetBrains Rider IDE. Here’s how it helped:
- Streamlined Coding: Amazon Q Developer guided us in implementing complex game mechanics, such as movement controls, collision detection, and scoring systems.
- Debugging Made Easy: The AI assistant identified issues in our code, saving us countless hours of troubleshooting.
- Learning Along the Way: By providing explanations and suggestions, Amazon Q Developer helped us deepen our understanding of Unity and game development best practices.
Once the game was ready, we turned to Amazon Amplify for deployment. Amplify’s straightforward hosting capabilities allowed us to launch Snowball with minimal effort, ensuring that players could access the game without any hiccups. Its scalability also gave us confidence that our game could handle a growing number of players.
Every project comes with its own set of hurdles, and Snowball was no exception. Here are some of the challenges we faced and how we tackled them:
- Designing the Zigzag Path: Striking the right balance between challenge and playability required precise tuning. We iterated multiple times to create a path that was both engaging and fair.
- Creating the Illusion of Height: The static snowy background needed to convey a sense of height and thrill. Achieving this while maintaining smooth gameplay was tricky but rewarding.
- Optimizing Performance: Ensuring that the game ran smoothly across devices without compromising on visual appeal was a constant focus.
Looking back, we’re proud of several key accomplishments:
- Intuitive Controls: The simple tap-to-change-direction mechanic makes Snowball accessible to players of all ages.
- Aesthetic Appeal: The game’s design captures the essence of a snowy mountain, creating an immersive experience.
- Efficient Development: Leveraging Amazon Q Developer significantly enhanced our productivity, allowing us to complete the game within a limited timeframe.
Participating in the AWS Game Builder Challenge was a learning experience that taught us valuable lessons:
- The Power of AI Tools: Amazon Q Developer demonstrated how AI can streamline the development process and improve code quality.
- Balancing Gameplay and Visuals: We learned the importance of creating a visually appealing game without compromising on performance or mechanics.
- Efficient Hosting: Amazon Amplify proved to be an excellent choice for deploying web-based games, offering reliability and scalability.
We’re excited about the future of Snowball and have several plans to enhance the game:
- Leaderboards: Introducing a leaderboard system to encourage competition among players.
- Power-Ups: Adding features like speed boosts, shields, and bonus multipliers to make gameplay more dynamic.
- New Themes: Expanding the game to include additional environments, such as desert or forest paths.
- Background Animations: Enhancing the static background with subtle animations to increase immersion.
The AWS Game Builder Challenge gave us the chance to explore new tools, push our creative boundaries, and develop a game that we’re truly proud of. Snowball is more than just a game; it’s a testament to what can be achieved when creativity meets technology. We can’t wait to see how players respond to our creation and are excited to continue improving and expanding it in the future.
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