Won Best Game Design at NYU Global Game Jam 2025!
The theme of Global Game Jam 2025 was "Bubble." Considering the properties of bubble wrap—light, mobile, and fragile—we decided to create a game that captures the experience of blowing bubbles. Blub Blub Bubble is an action game where you blow (into your mic) to guide a bubble around obstacles and into power-ups and aim for a high score. Be careful not to let your bubble pop—avoid seashells and keep it inflated.
CONTROL
LMB - Activate microphone
Blow at activated microphone - Interact with bubble
When the player blows into the activated microphone, two scenarios can occur. The mouse represents the bubble tube in the game. First, if the mouse is hovering over the bubble, the bubble will expand. Second, if the mouse is not hovering over the bubble, the airflow will influence the bubble’s movement.
GAME DESIGN
I have participated in several Game Jam events and noticed that during the showcase, players only have a limited time to try each game. In this scenario, the game rules should be simple and easy to grasp within seconds. Games with unique input methods often attract more attention in such settings. Therefore, I wanted to incorporate a special input method, such as a microphone. Fortunately, the theme of "bubbles" fit my idea perfectly. Also, the ranking system in the game works well to mobilize the enthusiasm of players at the site.
The gameplay is simple yet maintains a delicate balance: the bubble cannot be too large or too small, or it will pop. A smaller bubble can navigate tight spaces more easily but rises faster, making it harder to control. On the other hand, a larger bubble rises more slowly but cannot pass through narrow gaps. Players must carefully manage the bubble’s size through their actions to go further.
I am so glad this idea got the best design award at the site.
TEAMWORK
As the team leader, I assigned development tasks to each member based on their skills. Using my Unity framework as a foundation, I established a highly streamlined development pipeline. Within the limited time, we planned, executed, implemented, and debugged our game project to ensure its completion.
Mark Zhu - Programming, game design
Shawn Xia - Programming, game design
Ruiqi Zhang - Programming
Wei Cai - Programming, UI design
Audrey Guo - 2D art/animation, game feel
Background music by Lionel Wendling.
More
Video & Play: https://mark-zf.itch.io/blub-blub-bubble
