Sink Star

My role: Game design, UI design, Systems design

Team Size: 5 developers (Design, Art, Programming)

Engine: Godot

Release: July 2024 - Available on Itch.io

Platform: PC

Theme: Colossal, Collection, Consequence

Development time: 4 days

Overview

Sink Star is a fast-paced arcade game developed in 4 days for Mermelada Jam 3, built in Godot and based on the jam themes: "Colossal," "Collection," and "Consequence." The player takes on the role of a tired tenant facing an ever-growing pile of dirty dishes in a cramped kitchen, trying to keep things under control… and failing spectacularly.

The game blends frenetic mechanics with absurd escalation, turning a simple household chore into a chaotic survival challenge.

Gameplay & System Design

As the solo game designer, I created the core gameplay loop, which revolves around entering quick input sequences (Q-W-E-A-S-D, Space, Shift etc.) to clean various utensils, each with a unique command pattern. Players must complete the correct input chain before the timer runs out while managing a soap meter that depletes with each input and must be refilled periodically to continue washing.

The game is structured in days (rounds), with each new day introducing more utensil types and increased pressure. The objective is to survive as many days as possible and score high by clearing the full sink before the day ends, earning a time bonus.

I also designed a variety of dish modifiers, such as grease, chocolate, dried tomato, mold, etc. each adding complexity or effects to the cleaning process. Some modifiers required extra commands to remove, while others had passive effects, for instance, mold could spread to nearby utensils if left unwashed at the end of the round.

UI & Visual design

To match the game’s tone, I designed a simple, expressive UI that conveyed information quickly and with humor. I created several assets using Aseprite, including icons, feedback indicators, and soap meter elements, to ease the load on our artist and ensure a cohesive aesthetic.

I designed several screens apart from the main game scene, including a gallery where players could check all utensils and modifiers.

Tone & Presentation

Sink Star is deliberately over-the-top, embracing the chaos of neglect and domestic chaos. We played specially into the "Colossal" and "Consequence" themes by scaling up the absurdity from a few dirty plates to an avalanche of mold-infested cookware, also delivering humor with visual hints at Spanish culture and using saturated sound design to enhance the stress.

Despite the simplicity, the game hits a balance between satire and tension, providing a short but intense arcade loop.

Takeaways

This project was a great opportunity to refine my skills in tight-loop game design, arcade mechanics, and UI clarity under pressure. It also gave me space to experiment with input-based gameplay and modifiers that evolve the player’s routine across multiple rounds. As a team jam, it was efficient, collaborative, and a lot of fun to design.

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