Role: Concept, Design and Development · Own experiment · 2026
The Challenge
To build a complete browser-based game where graphics, gameplay, animation, sound, scoring and user input all come together as one cohesive experience.
The goal was not to create yet another small technical demo, but a game that people would actually want to play again.
The Decisions
Unlike Cosmic Tunnel, Neon Breach is built without a game library — plain Canvas API and a hand-written game loop. That's more code to maintain, but it gives full control over collision detection and particle effects, which the graze mechanic depends on: the player has to be able to fly millimeters from an enemy projectile without it registering as a hit, and that precision is easier to tune when you own the entire update loop yourself. Controls were designed for keyboard and touch in parallel from the start, not bolted on afterwards — that's why the game doesn't feel like a mobile port of a desktop experience.
What Was Built
Neon Breach is a classic arcade shooter featuring five sectors and five different bosses. Players fight their way through the levels, take down enemies and collect upgrades between sectors.
The game also features an Overdrive mechanic that charges during gameplay. A key part of the system is the graze mechanic: by flying close to enemy projectiles, players earn bonus points while simultaneously building up their Overdrive.
The controls are adapted for both desktop and mobile devices. On desktop, players use WASD or the arrow keys to move and Space to fire, while mobile players can use tilt controls and hold a finger on the screen to shoot.
The game also includes pausing, audio controls, a game-over flow and a Hall of Fame where high scores can be saved.
Result
A finished game that can be opened directly in a browser and played without installation.
Neon Breach also became an experiment in how far a complete arcade game can be pushed directly on the web platform — from the initial idea and visual direction to gameplay, scoring, sound, controls and the final live version.
Like KodeKid's other projects, the idea, design, development and launch all come together in one place.