Why Your First Game Should Be Small: A Guide for Solo Devs and Students

The Small Game Advantage: Why Your First Project Should Be Tiny

Many aspiring game developers start with grand visions. They dream of open worlds, complex narratives, and innovative mechanics. This ambition is admirable, but it often leads to unfinished projects and burnout.

Your first game, especially as a solo developer or student, should be small. A truly small game is a complete game, allowing you to experience the full development cycle from concept to launch.

Completing a game, no matter its size, teaches invaluable lessons. You learn about scope management, bug fixing, marketing, and the emotional rollercoaster of release.

Define Your ‘Small’ Early

What constitutes a ‘small’ game? It’s a game with a single, clear mechanic and minimal content. Think of a simple platformer with one level, an endless runner, or a puzzle game with five unique puzzles.

Avoid adding features that aren’t essential to the core loop. Each additional feature adds exponentially to development time and complexity.

Before writing a single line of code, document your game’s core. A concise Game Design Document (GDD) can keep you focused. Tools like Blueprint can help you quickly outline your project’s essentials without getting bogged down.

The Pitfall of Feature Creep

Feature creep is the silent killer of indie projects. It starts innocently, with ideas for ‘just one more’ mechanic or ‘a little extra’ content.

Each ‘little extra’ expands your workload and delays completion. Resist the urge to add features until your core game is fun and fully functional.

Prioritize the absolute minimum viable product (MVP). If the MVP isn’t fun, no amount of added features will save it.

Leverage Existing Assets and Tools

As a solo developer, your time is your most valuable resource. Don’t reinvent the wheel for every asset.

Utilize asset stores for graphics, sound effects, and music. Wayline’s Strafekit offers a wide range of 2D Assets and Audio & Music that can significantly speed up development.

Focus your energy on unique mechanics and polish. Let pre-made assets handle the foundational visuals and sounds.

Get Feedback, But Be Selective

Early and frequent feedback is crucial, even for small games. Share your prototypes with friends, family, and online communities.

Listen to what players say, but critically evaluate their suggestions. Not all feedback is equally valuable, and implementing every idea can lead to feature creep.

Look for patterns in feedback: if multiple players struggle with the same mechanic, it’s a strong indicator for change. If one player suggests a completely new game mode, it might be outside your current scope.

The Power of Iteration

Game development is an iterative process. Your first version will not be perfect, and that’s okay. Release early, get feedback, and iterate.

Each iteration refines your game and brings it closer to your vision. Don’t strive for perfection in V1; aim for completion and functionality.

Small games allow for quicker iteration cycles. You can implement changes, test them, and get new feedback much faster than with a large project.

Don’t Forget the Polish

Even a small game benefits immensely from polish. Smooth animations, satisfying sound effects, and clear UI can elevate a simple concept.

Polish doesn’t mean adding new features. It means refining existing ones to make the player experience more enjoyable and intuitive.

Dedicate a specific phase to polish after the core mechanics are locked down. This structured approach prevents endless tweaking during development.

Release and Learn

The goal of your first small game is to release it. Whether it’s on itch.io, a student showcase, or a small app store, completing the release process is a huge accomplishment.

Documenting your journey and showcasing your completed projects is vital for your portfolio. A Devpage can help you consolidate all your work in one place.

Each release provides valuable data and experience. You’ll learn about marketing, community management, and what truly resonates with players.

Starting small is not a limitation; it’s a strategic advantage. It’s the most effective path to actually finishing a game and building a foundation for future, more ambitious projects. Embrace the small game advantage, complete your project, and learn invaluable lessons along the way.