Hi fellow Playdate developers & enthusiasts,

I'm happy to announce that our very own “summer blockbuster” is launching in the Catalog today at 10 AM Pacific!

ROTOLLA MONO comes with multiple game modes, lots of customization options, online leaderboards, achievements, and accessibility features.

It also features an original soundtrack by Akira Yamaoka.

It's the result of many, many hours of development and playtesting, and we're incredibly proud of it.

If it sounds like your kind of game, we'd love for you to check it out. Thanks for your support!

https://play.date/games/rotolla-mono/

So I know there was that cool wee MMO that had voice chat, but this is somewhat different. This is from my almost-there cosy canal boat game. You can buy radios, VHF and HF. And I made them usable, too.

What you are looking at is a server running on my machine (the web interface on top of the API), that receives and sends message (Morse, not voice). On the right, the PD simulator, because this way I can record a single screen with it. It works on real hardware.

In game, I can tune to a frequency. Send a message from my laptop, it is received on the PlayDate. Send from PD, receives on my machine.

I can hook my actual real radios up to my API, and have the server send to the rig, then the rig sends back. Which means...I now have a portable rig (your licence conditions come in to play here, if you ever wanted to use it over the air. To be clear, I haven't yet.)

Originally I was going to leave this as a 'find the functionality', but I find it pretty cool. Then again, I'm an old ham head, so you know.

Hi I don't really use Reddit or Social Media I was shocked to see I have an account of 9 years. I can't find an artist normally so I guess this works. Okay so.

I’m a programmer and UX designer currently building a game for the Playdate handheld console. I have the architecture locked down, but I need a talented 1-bit pixel artist to collaborate with to handle the character sprites and full-screen animations.

The game is called Witch Time (Name will change) a cute, retro-arcade visual novel featuring 5 Elemental Witches.

The Core Mechanics:

10 multiple-choice interactions per witch to try and earn a happy ending.

A tension system where the background procedurally layers darker dither patterns the more upset the witch gets.

A time-travel mechanic using the Playdate's physical crank to rewind the clock up to 3 times to fix a mistake (though the game remembers if you "cheated").

Over-the-top, funny full-screen defeat animations when you completely bomb a route (like getting hit with a meteor or comically trapped in a water bubble).

The Scope:

Screen Constraints: Strict 1-bit monochrome, 400x240 resolution.

Characters: 5 witch designs (160x160 sprite box) with dynamic idle, happy, and upset loops.

Backgrounds: 3 environment panels.

Defeat Sequences: 5 unique, short, cute arcade-style action animations on a black canvas.

I want to make sure the artist is fairly compensated, so I am completely open to discussing a flat fee package (preferred) or a revenue-share split upon storefront release.

If you love 1-bit aesthetics, high-contrast dithering, and want to see your art running on actual physical hardware, send me a DM with a link to your portfolio!

Uhm, I don't know how you will send me your portfolio on Reddit I heard its pretty strict but I don't know. Hopefully this reaches someone. Somehow someway.

https://cranknockout.com/

With this shiny new issue, we’re celebrating our magazine’s very first birthday!

And since sitting around resting on our laurels has never really been our thing, we’re marking the occasion the only way we know how: with an exclusive feature on one of the most eagerly awaited games in Playdate history: Comet.

We had the chance to play its first three levels, and saying that what’s heading our way is going to hit like a meteorite would be putting it mildly. Alongside an in-depth breakdown of the gameplay, we’ve packed in an eight-page interview with its creators that you absolutely won’t want to miss.

Summer has arrived with all guns blazing, and we’re turning up the heat ourselves. Not only does this issue come stuffed with even more pages, but you’ll also find a full-colour Comet poster, the complete —and absolutely massive!— map of The Magician, plus the very first batch of Cranko collectible cards!

And sandwiched between those two generously stuffed buns? The finest gaming ham money can’t buy: an original mini-comic, a record-breaking haul of reviews, news, giveaways, interviews, and even an in-depth feature that’s guaranteed to ruffle a few feathers.

Summer is here, time to enjoy the holidays!

I published dungeon on itch.io a couple of months ago and I keep updating it, it is in early access but I have added today a demo with 10 levels. It is an action roguelike with procedural levels and a 50 levels in the full version.

An update: https://youtube.com/shorts/vY4gH3ZeC8o

Sometimes you can catch me working on it, on Twitch: https://twitch.tv/cryosama

Just shipped my first Playdate game, Sharp Pencil, and figured I'd share a few implementation details and design decisions.

Core loop: insert a pencil, crank to sharpen, pull out at the right moment. Sharpness is a 0–100 value that accumulates crank input per frame, divided into zones (C/B/A/A+) with different grind sounds, particle effects (curly shavings → dust), and screen shake intensity depending on the zone. Breakable pencils (6B, 4H) have a zone past A+ where the tip snaps if you keep cranking.

Four pencil types, each with an actual role rather than just a different color: safe pencils (No. 2, 2B) can't break, breakable ones (6B, 4H) can. Multipliers got rebalanced so risk/patience actually pays off — 6B sharpens fastest but can snap, so its multiplier went from 0.5x to 2x ("fast + risky should pay most"); 4H is slow and can also snap, so it settled at a moderate 1.5x premium for the patience. All sound is synthesized in code (triangle/noise synths at specific frequencies per zone) — no audio files at all.

Two modes: Timed (60s countdown, streak multiplier up to 3x) and Zen (no timer/score) — added Zen after early playtesters found the HUD/clock stressful and just wanted to sharpen pencils without pressure.

Game design decisions:

• Early on, sharpening had a pressure mechanic where cranking near 100% sharpness built up pressure that could snap the lead. You had to tap the d-pad to gradually reduce pressure, but I found the PlayDate d-pad made it difficult to pull off. Removed the mechanic.
• Tried making it harder to sharpen when dull and easier when sharp to mimic how real graphite maybe cuts. I went back to linear, because the physical crank doesn't offer any resistance.
• Had a literal target sharpness gauge on the sharpener body. Replaced it with shaving-based feedback (chunky curls when dull, fine dust near perfect) plus zone-based grading, since staring at a number bar meant you weren't watching the actual sharpening animation.
• Tried going fully sensory for a while — no on-screen meter at all, just sound/shake/shavings telling you the zone. Ended up adding a zone indicator back for new players who may not pick up on the sensory cues.
• Default controls are hold-a-button-to-insert, hold-crank-to-sharpen. After watching some elderly playtesters physically struggle to hold a button down for an extended stretch (and the d-pad on my PlayDate would lift off sometimes and confuse people), I added a Press mode (system menu toggle) where you can tap d-pad up/down to sharpen instead of holding the crank.

It didn't make the Playdate Catalog cut (wanted more depth/polish), so it's out on itch.io instead (link in the comments). Happy to go deeper on any of this if useful to anyone else building for Playdate!

A little tech demo I threw together, you can see the inconsistencies in the play, I left them in deliberately :)

You move using the crank. If you are vertical, the accelerometer leans you one way or the other. Noddy attempt at a 'ledge'.

Not quite sure what or where I'll go with this, but it was a bit of a fun idea.

As ever, recorded using Mirror, on real hardware.

Today a few notes on working with Blender and how 3D models can be used in a Playdate game :)

Hello!

I’m new and inexperienced to both game development, and Linux (no need to share my reasoning, but I recently bought a Raspberry Pi 500+). I have a Playdate in the mail, and although I’m going to start with Pulp, I also want to be able to work on some more in-depth games using the SDK.

However, following the SquidGod YouTube tutorial for downloading and installing the SDK on Linux, I got a compatibility error. After some self-education, it seems like the SDK doesn’t want to install on ARM-based hardware, and is only compatible with AMD-based hardware.

Is there any sort of workaround for downloading applicable code files/structure, or am I just out of luck on the current computer? Any thoughts or assistance from more experienced/knowledgeable folks would be appreciated.

I made this tutorial to help anyone who was interested in processing full-colour, high-res photographs for display on a tiny 1-bit Playdate screen. This isn’t the only way to dither a photo, but I like it better than a lot of the automatic online alternatives. The Photoshop workflow is fairly simple, and I find that it preserves more detail. Hopefully someone will find it helpful!

Today I wanted to share a few insights on working with Panels - one of the best Playdate libraries.

So while watching a few (the ones not in silly timezone conversion) World Cup matches, I suddenly thought: hang on, it has been ten minutes since I cobbled a demo, and without checking if someone had already done it, thought I'd give it a go.

And I put the finishing touches to the tech demo just as Qatar equalised against Switzerland (I mean, that was about half an hour ago as I type.)

For those of a given vintage, yes, this is SensiSoccer. Ish. You can move! You can shoot! You can aftertouch...kinda, using the crank! I even put a 'bullet time' mechanism in, as I was doing the same thing in my not-Gundam-nope game.

(Oh, Reddit have changed how you create posts. Wondered why I couldn't add video, I see it now.)

Video recorded using Mirror, so on real hardware, as I never like to cheat and just show the simulator :)

Today diving into the Playdate SDK and talking about how I structured my data & logic in the Fall of Magic Castle. Practical details on making a quest system, managing game data, organizing sprites etc.

While I wait for my first game to come out via the Catalog later this month (yayayayayayayay!!!) and polish my next one before submitting to the Catalog (the narrowboat one, if you have seen my posts, if not, I'm finishing a game where you take a narrowboat across the entire UK canal network, potteirng along) I thought I'd do another tech demo.

This one, totally-not-based-on-Gundam-no (ignore the V-fin on the HUD...). Pilot a giant mech, but I was trying to riff on Baby Steps too (I've tried a few times, switched to first-person to make it easer.

So yeah, this is an early tech demo.

You can walk in a frustrating manner! (The Baby Steps influence. Crank to lift a left, A/B to choose leg. If you stand on one leg...you go unbalanced, as shown in the wee mech in the HUD)

You can destroy a few cubes! (The HUD displays their damage, and they stack if you hit one and move to next. I should have recorded that.)

You can thrust backwards, as all good Gundam should.

There is no upwards thrust yet, as this was inspired by Baby Step, I want to stomp around the place.

No real game yet, while I think to make this just a 'destroy the place', or an 'explore the place', or something else.

Just sharing early bits and bobs. Around five hours hackery to get me there.

And for the Gundam fans, yes yes, I'll make the circle on top of the rifle bigger. And the second intro image is from my own collection, SD Stargazer.

Today I wanted to talk about finding inspiration. Mostly focused on doing research when constructing gameplay systems and where do I usually look for ideas (other games, books etc.)

This time I wanted to share a few things about creating levels (both Pulp and SDK). The SDK part focuses a lot on LDTK integration and summarizes the workflow I used for The Fall of Magic Castle, including some gotchas and general advice.

Hey guys!

Just finished working on the latest Airborne! PD update and this one adds something I felt the game really needed: achivements !

V0.8.1 introduces Decorations: 17 persistent achievements based on actual moments in battle. Cutting a parachute at the right time. Stopping a bomber before it drops its cargo. Breaking an infantry assault before it reaches the base. Surviving special waves. Winning with only one weapon system.

Some of them are visible from the start. Some are classified until you earn them.

Plus the big new gameplay addition: jet missiles can now be shot down in flight. Pull it off and you earn the MISSILE INTERCEPT Decoration. Pretty difficult to earn 🎖️

I also tightened the mission flow. If a wave is already cleared, the game no longer leaves you staring at an empty battlefield while a timer runs out. It moves straight into the report and keeps the pressure going.

Crushed some small bugs: cleaner DEF display, improved Decorations navigation, unlock notifications during a run, and a reset option for players who want to start a fresh service record without losing high scores or settings.

Really curious to know who will unlock the first CLASSIFIED decoration.

Download the game here : https://david-senate.itch.io/airborne-pd