Cafe Merge - Rescue

Game Overview

Cafe Rescue - Merge is a Casual Merge Puzzle Game with a location-based progression meta game that ties into the core gameplay.

My Role

• Led the prototyping team at Games 24x7.
• Tasked with experimenting on casual mobile titles to innovate on gameplay and the meta game to differentiate from a saturated market.
• Oversaw the development of the prototype, which tested very well with our Target Group and was greenlit for production.
• Continued to work on the project throughout its production phase, up until its release.
• Responsible for designing and implementing core game mechanics, balancing, and progression systems.

Project Timeline

• Prototype Phase: Led the team in creating and testing the initial game concept.
• Greenlight: Successfully pitched the game for full production based on strong prototype performance.
• Production Phase: Continued involvement in game development, refining mechanics and features.
• Release: Saw the project through to its launch, ensuring the final product met our design goals and quality standards.

Game Innovations

• Combined core gameplay from 'Merge Mansion' with a cooking theme, appealing to our Target Audience.
• Innovated by changing the merge board as players progress (unlike most merge games that use the same board throughout).
• Placed item generators outside the board, changing from one location to the next.
• Created new types of blockers and boosters to match this gameplay style.

Meta Game Innovations

• Created meaningful choices in the meta game through kitchen upgrades.
• Some upgrades are cosmetic and tied to the narrative, while others unlock new generators and ingredients, thus leading to new recipes.
• Certain upgrades improve the rate of generation of new ingredients and so forth.