GlobalGameJam2026

General Concept

This project was developed during a 48-hour Game Jam with the theme “Masks.”
From the very beginning, we wanted to explore not only masks as a gameplay mechanic, but also as a narrative metaphor—something that empowers the player on the surface, yet potentially limits them in deeper ways.

Our final game is a 2D combat-focused experience with a looping narrative structure. The player takes on the role of a hero who repeatedly challenges a dragon, gaining masks before each attempt. These masks appear to make the hero stronger, but the true path to victory lies in rejecting external power and trusting one’s own abilities.

Initial Idea & Gameplay Direction

Our first idea was to create a 2D side-scrolling action platformer, where players could obtain different masks that unlock new abilities (such as double jump, dash, or special attacks) to access new areas. The structure was inspired by Metroidvania-style progression, where exploration and ability gating are core to the experience.

However, after several rounds of discussion, we realised that within a 48-hour time limit, it would be extremely difficult to innovate meaningfully on mechanics alone. The scope of programming required—movement systems, ability interactions, level design logic—was simply too large for our team and timeframe.

At that point, our teammate Jeremy proposed a new direction:
Instead of relying on complex mechanics, we could focus on looped narrative design to deliver the core message of the theme Masks.

This shift became the turning point of the project.

Final Gameplay Design

The final game is a 2D combat game structured around repeated encounters with the same enemy—a dragon.

• The player plays as a hero who must defeat the dragon.

• Before each challenge, the hero receives a mask that increases HP and attack power.

• In the first three levels, the player is forced to wear the mask.

  • Despite the increased stats, the player cannot defeat the dragon.

• In the fourth level, the player is given a choice:

  • Wear the mask → still lose.

  • Refuse the mask → win the battle.

The hidden rule behind this system is that:

• The hero’s base stats are already higher than the dragon’s.

• When the player wears a mask, the dragon’s stats scale up accordingly.

• By relying on external power, the player unknowingly creates a stronger enemy.

Only by trusting their original strength—without the mask—can the player finally succeed.

This mechanic allowed us to express the theme Masks narratively and mechanically, without introducing overly complex systems.

Development Process

We chose Unity as our game engine, as it is well-suited for 2D game development.

Before this Game Jam, I had almost no experience with Unity. However, the extremely tight schedule forced me to quickly learn:

• Unity’s editor workflow

• Basic C# scripting

• Scene management and combat logic

Although stressful, this rapid learning process was incredibly rewarding. Seeing my code turn into visible, playable results within such a short time gave me a strong sense of accomplishment and motivation.

For collaboration, we used a GitHub repository to synchronise our work, which helped us avoid conflicts and maintain version control during the jam.

Art & Audio

Due to time constraints, we made pragmatic choices for assets:

• Art Style: Pixel art

• Masks: Hand-drawn by our team

• Backgrounds: AI-generated images

• Dragon & Hero sprites: Sourced from online assets

• Sound Effects & Music: Selected from Unity’s asset resources

While not all assets were created by us, we focused on ensuring visual consistency and clarity, prioritising gameplay readability over polish.

Reflection

Because of the limited time, many aspects of the game remain rough, and there is plenty of room for improvement—especially in combat feedback, animation polish, and level pacing.

However, within just 48 hours, we:

• Completed a playable game.

• Delivered a clear thematic message

• Learned new tools and workflows under pressure

Most importantly, this project taught us that strong ideas and clear narrative design can sometimes outweigh complex mechanics, especially in a Game Jam setting.

Overall, this was a challenging but deeply fulfilling experience, and a reminder that sometimes, taking off the mask is the real victory.