World 2 / Quest 09

Juice It

Shake. Sparkle. Squash. The same game, ten times better.

Badge: Make It Juicy

You’ll learn

• What 'juice' means and why pros obsess over it
• Screen shake, particles, and tweens — three tools that make anything feel better
• Title screens and game-over screens that feel finished

Briefing

Start prompt

Steps

1. 1

   Before: how does it feel?

   Play for a minute. Then finish this sentence honestly: "Right now my game feels ______." (Flat? Fine? Kinda boring? Good but quiet?) Coach saves it in FEEL.md. This is your 'before.'

   Say this to Coach

   Right now my game feels flat and kind of quiet. Save that in FEEL.md under 'Before'. Then save a checkpoint called 'before-juice'.

   Copy
2. 2

   Shake

   Screen shake on a hit. Ask for it small first — a big shake makes people seasick. Then tune the number. One thing at a time.

   Say this to Coach

   When the player gets hit, shake the whole screen for a quarter of a second — a small shake, not a big one. I'll test and tell you if it's too much or too little.

   Copy
3. 3

   Particles

   When you grab a pickup, little sparkles should burst out and fade. Ask for it, then ask for options on the look: stars? circles? your pickup's own color?

   Say this to Coach

   When the player grabs a pickup, burst 10 tiny particles from that spot that fly outward and fade in half a second. Give me 3 options for what the particles look like, then I'll pick.

   Copy
4. 4

   Squash and stretch

   The oldest animation trick there is. When the player jumps or moves fast, stretch it a little taller. When it lands or stops, squash it a little wider. It's tiny. It changes everything. Ask for it with a tween.

   Say this to Coach

   Add squash and stretch to the player: stretch it a bit taller when it moves up or fast, squash it a bit wider when it lands or stops. Keep it subtle — about 10 percent. Use a tween so it's smooth.

   Copy
5. 5

   Title screen

   A game needs a front door. Title screen: your game's name big, your studio logo from Quest 0, one line of controls, and "Press SPACE to start." Use your style sentence so it matches.

   Say this to Coach

   Make a title screen that shows first: my game's name big at the top, my studio logo from the ArcadeLab folder under it, one line that says the controls, and 'Press SPACE to start' at the bottom. Match my style sentence from STYLE.md.

   Copy
6. 6

   Game over, done right

   The game-over screen should make you want to play again: score, best score ever (saved!), and a restart. Add a tiny tween — the score counting up, or the text bouncing in.

   Say this to Coach

   Make the game-over screen show my score and my best score ever (save the best score). Add 'Press SPACE to play again.' Make the score count up from 0 with a quick tween instead of just appearing.

   Copy
7. 7

   After: how does it feel?

   Play again. Same rules as before. Finish the sentence: "Now my game feels ______." Coach writes it under 'After' in FEEL.md. Compare the two lines. That gap is juice.

   Say this to Coach

   Now my game feels punchy and alive. Save that under 'After' in FEEL.md and show me both lines. Then save a checkpoint called 'juicy'.

   Copy

Side quests +10 XP each

Stuck?

• Shake makes you dizzy? Say a number: "Make the shake half as strong and half as long."
• Particles pile up and slow the game? "Make sure particles disappear after they fade — don't keep them forever."
• Title screen shows but SPACE does nothing? Say what you see: "I expected SPACE to start the game, but nothing happens."

More ways to get unstuck