Overview:

You’ve just woken up to find your space station drifting dangerously close to a wandering star, and it’s up to you (and your ability to scale objects with your mind) to navigate through weight puzzles, zero-G challenges, and some not-so-ordinary obstacles. Can you leap your way to safety and escape before time runs out? Hop to it!

This game was made in less than 96 hours by a solo developer (with meaningful contributions to narrative and art from his fiancé, soon-to-be stepdaughter, and our three cats) for the GMTK Game Jam 2024. The theme this time was BUILT TO SCALE. This game matches the theme by having the player be able to manipulate objects’ scale at will, and by featuring large-scale environments (SPAAAAACE!).

Story:

Commander Bufo wasn’t your average frog. Selected by NASA for their top-secret Frogstronaut Program, Bufo was sent into space to test the limits of amphibian adaptability. But after a mysterious solar flare, Bufo gained a unique ability: the power to scale objects, shrinking and enlarging them at will!

Now, trapped on a malfunctioning space station drifting toward certain doom, Bufo has to rely on his wits, his leaps, and his newfound powers to escape. Along the way, he’ll be guided by NASA’s Ground Control, who’s just as puzzled as Bufo about his strange new abilities.

Gameplay:

Toadally Spaced is a short (5-15 minute) puzzle adventure where perspective is everything. Use Bufo’s ability to manipulate the size of objects to solve puzzles, build bridges, and more in a series of engaging, bite-sized challenges.

Shrink or Enlarge: Objects of all kinds are at your mercy. Solve puzzles by resizing objects and navigating through obstacles. The stars are the limit!

Puzzle Progression: From opening doors with buttons to building bridges, Bufo’s adventure is packed with unique challenges that test your spatial reasoning.

Narrative Exploration: Inspect objects and uncover humorous dialogue from NASA’s Ground Control and Bufo’s previous space crew, bringing the story to life as you leap from one puzzle to the next.

Controls:

Walk: WASD / Left joystick
Look: Mouse movement / Right joystick
Run: Shift / L3
Jump: Space / A button
Pick Up Item: Left mouse button / Right trigger
Lock item scaling: Right mouse button / Left trigger
Inspect item: E / Y button
Pause: Esc / Pause button

Key Features:

Unique Puzzle Mechanics: Use Bufo’s ability to manipulate the size of objects to solve dynamic puzzles and navigate through increasingly complex environments.

Humorous Narrative: Enjoy witty banter between Commander Bufo and Ground Control as you uncover notes and messages from Bufo’s old crewmates.

Bite-Sized Adventure: Perfect for a quick play session, with gameplay designed to be completed in 5-15 minutes.

Whimsical Art Style: Bright colors, bold outlines, and a charming, cartoon-inspired look make every room of the space station fun to explore.

How to Play:

1. Use Bufo’s scaling ability to resize objects in the environment—make them larger or smaller to fit your needs.
2. Solve multi-step puzzles by combining Bufo’s abilities with clever exploration and object manipulation.
3. Follow Bufo’s journey as you explore the space station, interacting with NASA’s Ground Control and discovering hidden notes left by Bufo’s crew.

Why You’ll Love It:

If you enjoy games with clever puzzles, quirky characters, and a good dose of humor, Toadally Spaced is the perfect short adventure for you! It’s a lighthearted and engaging escape that’ll test your brain while keeping a smile on your face. And hey, who doesn’t love a frog in a space suit?

Credits:

Wearer of All the Hats: James Pierce

Special Thanks: My fiancé and soon-to-be stepdaughter, without whom the story and drawings for this game wouldn't exist! And thank you to my cats, for keeping me sane for the 96 hours of this game jam!

Open-Source Assets Used:

3D Models:

"Infinity Cube" by Divasurya22 is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike. View the model

"Spaceship Cockpit" by therendercode is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike. View the model

"SciFi Reactor Core" by iedalton is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution. View the model

UI:

"Mr. Breakfast's Free Prompts" by Mr. Breakfast is available on itch.io

"Folder Icon" by lilacdesign is available at Vecteezy.

Sounds:

"93299" by Robinhood76 is available on Freesound

"407589" by CheneWessels_170017 is available on Freesound

"560766" by Bricklover is available on Freesound

"560580" by theplax is available on Freesound

"369529" by JohanDeecke is available on Freesound

"191694" by deleted_user_3544904 is available on Freesound 

"738592" by RandomRecord19 is available on Freesound

Other Assets:

"Modular Sci-Fi Interior" from Unreal Engine Marketplace

"Sci-Fi Furniture and Props" from Unreal Engine Marketplace

"Frog Space Suit 01" from Unreal Engine Marketplace

"Optimized Sun Materials Package" from Unreal Engine Marketplace

"Asteroid Field with Asteroid Stations Pack" from Unreal Engine Marketplace