Easy to Pick Up
Use clear track layouts, readable lane transitions, and forgiving safety nets so players can quickly understand the movement system and feel comfortable experimenting with it.
01 / Unreal Engine 5
Hamsterballin’
Roll and bounce around as a cute hamster racing through imaginative tracks in this competitive arcade racer.
- POSITIONS
- Level Designer
- ENGINE
- Unreal Engine 5
- PLATFORM
- PC
- DEVELOPMENT
- 42 developers
Finished May 2026
Roll and bounce around as a cute hamster racing through imaginative tracks in this competitive arcade racer!
Master the control of your hamsterball to disrupt other players and find new, creative shortcuts and paths.
Fit the Gameplay
Design the track around the game’s fast-paced racing experience, using elevation changes, tilted surfaces, and tunnels to make movement feel dynamic while supporting the overall gameplay flow.
Reward Skillful Play
Provide multiple routes and opportunities for precise lane switching, allowing experienced players to maintain momentum, take risks, and gain an advantage through better timing and control.
My initial idea was to let players switch lanes while running through the track, so I designed each lane at a different height.
However, during playtesting, I realized that switching lanes was too risky. Players often fell off the track, which discouraged them from experimenting with different routes.
To address this, I added a safety net beneath the track, allowing players to continue the race even after making a mistake.
Inspired by Counter-Strike’s Surf mode, I further refined the track design by tilting the surface and transforming the platform beneath it into a tunnel. This made the movement feel more dynamic while fitting the game’s overall theme better.
After many rounds of refinement, here is the final result.
What Went Well
- The project developed through continuous iteration, with each playtest helping us improve the gameplay experience.
- Early playtesting helped us identify major issues and make meaningful changes before finalizing the design.
What Went Wrong
- Some mechanics were initially designed based on assumptions rather than enough player testing.
- The project scope and time limitations made it difficult to polish every aspect of the game equally.
What I Learned
- Playtesting should happen early and repeatedly throughout the development process.
- Design decisions should be based on both creative goals and actual player behavior.