Snake Code is made for GMTK 2025 game jam with only a few nights I have.

Due to my another commercial game launch in a few days, the timeline for this jam is scaring me so much. I jump on the first minutes of theme reveal and I think this is a super fun theme, So I decide to take a challenge.

Giving myself a night, I can come up with few ideas with the theme "LOOP".  I'm aware that I have not much time, so I pick this one based on estimate production time in my head. And I think it very fun to code the snake game that play itself.

The game has 2 major modules, snake board and code editor. The snake board is super easy for me since I have much experience on tile-based game I've done. The hard part is code editor, at first, I gonna use Godot's TextEditor node for this one and create some visual to mask which line of user's code is executing or run into error. To my surprise, Godot has node called CodeEditor which done all the job for me. This one is so powerful you even get code completion feature with this node! Therefore, all the game system is done in 1 night!!

I interpret the theme as "writing your own loop to win" this refer to both "code loop" and snake movement that "loop" around the screen. I design few levels in the paper and though that it will be much easier to create easy custom level editor to instant play and iterate on level ideas. I use Godot @tool script, it took me about 10 minutes to make the tool and make level design experience super versatile.

I use Aseprite for art and sfxr.me for sound effects. Since I dont have much time, I go with pixel art and 8bit sound which took me about an hour for these assets.

Since I finish it early than my plan, I have sometime playing with logo. I want it to spontaneous recognize as classic snake game with coding so I try so hard putting each element in. Not the best logo but it contains all of what Im trying to communicate.

I spend all night design all the levels and testing. Then upload and submit to GMTK. I thought I have no time for making game music, so I ignore it. It that moment when I am doing my thing in toilet, then some music is playing in my head, so I quickly put that melody to my phone using Kaola app. And that how the soundtrack was done lol. I posted my phone screen recorded here (live from the toilet of course!)

Im happy with how Snake Code turns out. It fun to play and fun to make. What is really lacking is playtesting which I wish I have time for that. I wish everyone will have a good time playing this game.