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Student Project

Yokai Parade

Game Designer & Level Designer

2D PlatformerGodotSide-ScrollingLevel Design
Play on itch.io →

Overview

Yokai Parade is a 2D platformer where you rush your way to a yearly parade. In a world inspired by Asian myth, you take over the abilities of your enemies to reach the goal faster than every other yokai.

Screenshots

Yokai Parade player character standing on a mountain platform beside a torii gate and a directional sign post1 / 4

Responsibilities

  • Designed and structured core level layouts focused on speed, momentum, and ability-based traversal
  • Developed player progression through yokai ability acquisition and level gating
  • Created and iterated on blockouts to balance pacing, challenge, and readability
  • Designed player decision points and risk–reward moments within levels
  • Documented level structure, mechanics, and design intentions (LDD & supporting GDD sections)
  • Collaborated with other designers on gameplay mechanics ideation and balancing
  • Conducted playtests and implemented iteration changes based on feedback
  • Coordinated with programmers and artists to ensure gameplay clarity and smooth ability integration

Tools

  • Godot Engine — development
  • HacknPlan — task planning & tracking
  • Google Docs — documentation
  • Miro — brainstorming & research

Research & Design Process

Yokai Parade research moodboard analyzing Celeste, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps for challenge structuring, momentum/multi-path design, and ability-driven navigation, plus the project's design goal and level structure rhythm

The level design direction was shaped by a moodboard of references chosen for specific structural qualities: readable challenge segmentation, momentum-driven multi-path design, and ability-driven navigation.

The goal was a high-momentum traversal experience where newly acquired yokai abilities gradually expand the player's movement options, following a rhythm of introduction, skill reinforcement, escalation, ability unlock, route expansion, and finale.

Level Sketches & Documentation

Hand-drawn level layout sketches on a whiteboard mapping Start to Joint, 1st to 2nd Joint on easy and hard paths, and 2nd to 3rd Joint on the hard path, with a legend for air/fire enemies, double jump, breakable walls, and dash1 / 4

Early level concepts were first explored through hand-drawn sketches to quickly experiment with layout structure, traversal flow, and spatial pacing.

These paper designs allowed rapid iteration before digital implementation, helping to validate player routes, obstacle placement, and ability interactions at an early stage.

Yokai Parade level design document page: Mountain/Sky Levels area overview describing the three-level onboarding area, Air and Fire Abilities, the two-path 'Joint' structure, and visual style1 / 3

The sketches were later transferred into structured level design documentation, where layouts, gameplay intentions, and progression logic were refined prior to the blockout phase.

Layout & Development

Diagram comparing an Easy Path and Hard Path through the level blockout, with numbered callouts marking the traversal route between two platforms1 / 5

The level development began with an initial blockout phase focused on establishing player flow, traversal readability, and spatial proportions.

Early blockouts were used to test movement pacing, jump distances, and the placement of ability-based interactions before introducing visual detail.

Screen recording of painting a level layout with Godot's terrain tilemap tool, using the Swirly terrain brush on a grid1 / 6

As development progressed, the level construction transitioned to a tilemap-based workflow.

This approach simplified iteration, improved layout consistency, and allowed faster adjustments to platform placement and traversal routes during playtesting.

Iterations & Lessons Learned

  1. 1

    A Layout That Interrupted Momentum

    One of the biggest things I iterated on was the overall level flow. The initial blockout followed a more linear layout that frequently interrupted player momentum and limited experimentation with newly acquired abilities.

  2. 2

    Vertical Layering & Shortcuts

    Later iterations reworked the layout with vertical layering and alternative traversal routes, repositioning platforms and adding shortcuts to reward skilled navigation.

  3. 3

    Faster Iteration, Clearer Flow

    Through this process I gained a deeper understanding of how level structure directly influences player flow, and how production-friendly tools can improve iteration speed and design flexibility.