BoneCrawler

NES-Style Dark Fantasy Arcade Action

Why I made it

BoneCrawler is my third small game project and my first public release since finishing school last year. Now 36, it reflects over 20 years immersed in computing and IT, beginning at age 12, shaped by my background as an IT specialist working across web development, networking, and systems architecture/administration. I’ve also spent years working with open-source and freeware game engines and editors since my teens.

This project was developed using AI-assisted workflows, where AI handled the code generation while I maintained the agentic workflow to keep the project aligned with its scope — building the game as an engine, rather than "just a game".

The primary stack included Claude, ChatGPT, and Codex for code generation and refinement, with Gemini used for planning and problem-solving. Development followed an iterative process: specifying systems, reviewing outputs, and refining results. AI produced the code, while I guided structure, tested, and ensured each component functioned as intended.

Development followed an Agile-style process adapted to this workflow. Different agents handled different layers of the project—game engine systems, UI/web components, and tooling—allowing parallel progress while maintaining a modular architecture. Version 1 released on April 1st; and a few days later, a functional engine editor and a complete rough build were in place. Since then, the project has been in an ongoing polish phase, with consistent updates pushed publicly on my GitHub to document progress.

The result is a modular, reusable engine built with AI-generated code (Vids of editor on my Youtube. WIP.). It is designed for extensibility, with plans to expand into a more advanced editor toolset that can support future projects. Once BoneCrawler has been live for a period, the engine will be open-sourced to share both the tools and the development approach.

From a design perspective, BoneCrawler is a tribute to the games that influenced me most. It blends exploration inspired by The Legend of Zelda with faster-paced combat influenced by Devil May Cry/Ninja Gaiden, all within a dark, gothic fantasy setting influenced by The Lord of the Rings. Thank you!

The details

• Genre: Action
• Engine: Vanilla JavaScript engine (Custom Built) & HTML/CSS (UI) + Game Editor (Custom Built)
• Made with: Claude 20% / ChatGPT 70% / Gemini 10% (Desktop APIs, occasional Codex)
• Mobile: playable on a phone