Hover!
Overview
This project is a faithful Unity-based remake of the classic arcade experience, Hover!. Players pilot a specialized hovercraft in a high-stakes capture-the-flag competition, aiming to collect three blue flags before the opposing red team. The gameplay is heightened by a variety of environmental interactions, including trap pads that hinder movement and a suite of power-ups ranging from vertical leaps and deployable walls to temporary invisibility.
Development Time: 2-Week Game Jam
The Design Challenge
A major technical hurdle involved implementing powers that directly modify or interact with the game state and map, such as real-time wall placement and de-buffs that obscure the player’s minimap. Furthermore, we dedicated significant effort to level reconstruction, specifically recreating the layout of Level 3 from the original 1995 title. This required cross-referencing archival floor plans found online to accurately place spawns, boundaries, and hidden paths.
Post-Mortem
In future iterations, I would focus on rebalancing the penalty mechanics. Currently, certain trap pads can remove flags permanently; since flags do not respawn, this can lead to soft-lock scenarios that disrupt the competitive balance. I would also refine the kinetic feedback for momentum-shifting pads, replacing the current instant camera snap with a smooth rotational animation to improve player orientation and visual polish.
