🌋Pokoboko

Overview

PokoBoko is a “metroidvania” game based on Polynesian culture. It combines exploratory 2D platforming, puzzles and “rolling” mechanic. You play as red, a charismatic one eye creature, that is sent to a journey to figure out whats causing the volcano of the main island to erupt.

Pokoboko, started as a simple character design that I created for fun when I was in college. I remember that my design goals of a character where:

1. simple

2. charismatic

3. expressive

4. easy to animate

My first character to create was red,

and created a whole family of characters, calling then PokoBoko. The name PokoBoko those not have any deep meaning or playing with words. I wanted a name that did not existed and give originality.

Along with this creation, in the end of my second year in college. We had a games project class, so me and my friends got together, each of us had different skill sets to build a whole game prototype. I showed my characters and they thought it would be perfect to make a 2D platformer.

Consequently, we decided to develop the platformer with the one eye creatures. Nonetheless the game had to be “different” and feel original. I begin sketching mechanics, system and other ideas to start up the documentation and ideas.

Prototypes

Level Design

While art assets and scripts where in development. Only one level was able to be implement due to the tight schedule. Although I was still excited to “blue print” the level and mark possible player flows and actions.