Jack B. Nimble
Noonan Design
|
Solo Developer
Project Overview
Jack B. Nimble began life as a week-long entry for the 2013 Game Boy Game Jam. Following a positive response to the original prototype, and my own growing fondness for its visual style, I decided to continue developing it into a commercial game.
It’s a fast-paced, side-scrolling endless runner that combines simple controls, precision platforming and a whip-based scoring mechanic. Players navigate increasingly demanding obstacles whilst extinguishing candles and maintaining accuracy to maximise their score.
Developed in my spare time alongside my professional work, Jack B. Nimble became my first independently produced commercial game. It gave me the opportunity to explore disciplines beyond level and game design, taking responsibility for almost every aspect of development and production.
The game launched on iOS in September 2014, followed by a PC and Mac release through Steam in July 2018.
Game Designer, Programmer, Artist, Producer
Noonan Design
Construct 2
29 September 2014 (iOS)
24 July 2018 (Steam)
PC, macOS, iOS
Responsibilities
As the sole developer of Jack B. Nimble, I was responsible for the game’s design, implementation, artwork and production.
Unlike my professional work, where I collaborated with specialists across multiple disciplines, this project required me to develop and integrate almost every aspect of the game myself, including learning pixel art and navigating the commercial release process.
The soundtrack was composed by frequent collaborator Barry Topping, while the game’s marketing key art was created by Shenanimation.
- Designed and implemented the core gameplay mechanics and systems
- Created the game’s pixel art, animation and visual presentation
- Designed and developed the game’s playable content
- Developed the user interface and supporting game systems
- Managed production, testing and iteration throughout development
- Prepared and released the game commercially on iOS and Steam platforms
Design Work
Game Design: Simple Controls, Precise Timing
Jack B. Nimble was designed around a single input with two actions: tap to jump, then tap again whilst airborne to whip. I wanted the game to be something you could pick up and understand almost immediately, but that would take considerably longer to master.
The simple control scheme demanded precise timing, which I reinforced through the scoring system. Players earned a base score from the distance they survived, with extinguished candles increasing their score multiplier. Whip accuracy provided an additional multiplier, rewarding precision and penalising missed attacks. This encouraged players to take risks rather than simply concentrate on survival.
As each run progressed, the player’s speed increased, steadily raising the difficulty. Each level also introduced new hazards, from bonfires that accelerated the player to rocks and crates that could abruptly end a run.
Art & Presentation: Game Boy Inspirations
The Game Boy Game Jam gave me an excuse to experiment with a visual style I’d always been fond of, despite having very little experience creating artwork myself.
Coming from a background in level design, I had to teach myself pixel art and animation as I went. The limited palette and low pixel count of early handheld games gave me a manageable starting point as a solo developer.
I drew inspiration from games like Kirby’s Dream Land, Kid Dracula, Super Mario Land 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.
What started as a way to get something presentable together for a game jam eventually became one of the most enjoyable parts of developing Jack B. Nimble. With each release, my understanding of the style improved, allowing me to revisit and refine earlier artwork as my abilities developed.
Indie Production: From Jam to Release
I’d made plenty of games professionally by this point, but I’d never been responsible for taking one from a rough prototype all the way through to commercial release.
What started as a week-long game jam project gradually became something much bigger. I added new levels, character skins and alternate colour palettes to build out the experience, and collaborated with Barry Topping on a full soundtrack. Alongside the additional content, I refined the presentation and had to learn the less glamorous parts of independent development, from testing and preparing builds to navigating platform requirements and publishing.
There was plenty of trial and error involved, but taking Jack B. Nimble through its iOS release and eventually onto Steam gave me a much better appreciation of everything involved in finishing and releasing a game.
Game Trailer
Release
The original iOS version of Jack B. Nimble is no longer available following the discontinuation of my Apple Developer membership. The game remains available on Steam for PC and Mac.