SKIVA
1 Button Game created for the 1 Button Game Jam. Dodge projectiles using only one button. Double-tap to jump. Tap to move forward. Want to retreat? Let the gusty wind handle that for you.
Game Designer | Programmer
I’ve always loved the challenge of creating from limitations. Some of the most impressive game mechanics have emerged from hardware constraints. The need to maximize every resource and deliver a great product pushes developers to their limits.
When I came across a 1-Button Game Jam, I knew I had to participate. The jam lasted over a week, but I only had one day to work on it—so I jumped in immediately.
I wanted to see if I could make something move in four directions using just one button. My initial idea was to change the player’s direction based on the number of button presses: once for left, twice for right, three times for up, and four times for down. It could work in some games, but I wanted something that felt faster and more dynamic.
Next, I thought about rotating the player with every tap and having them move in that direction by holding the button. While functional, it felt like an obvious choice and probably overused.
Finally, I landed on the idea of external forces. What makes a person retreat in real life? Wind. A strong gust can push you backward. That became the core mechanic. Holding the button moved the player to the right, and a double tap moved them up. The other directions came naturally: gravity for moving down and wind force for moving left.
From there, I added obstacles to avoid, a score counter that increases with every second you survive, and a leaderboard to track your best score.
And that was it—a fun, minimalist game born from working within limits. You can play it down here in this page.
Post Mortem
- The game currently spawns meteors in waves, with each wave being progressively harder than the last. However, since all the obstacles are spawned at once, I’m considering testing a constant spawn rate instead. It might make the experience more dynamic and engaging for players—something to explore with some player feedback.
- The bubble protection mechanic adds a layer of excitement, encouraging players to take high-risk actions for big rewards. To enhance this, I’m thinking of adding a high-value point object, giving skilled players even more incentive to push their luck and risk a game over.
- Another possible improvement is introducing brief invulnerability after being hit. It would prevent back-to-back hits from instantly ending the game, which sometimes feels unfair. That said, the current setup does create unexpectedly funny moments when chaos ensues, so it’s a balance worth fine-tuning.