If you played our jam version of the game, you might have stumbled upon some power-ups, such as Big Racket, Speed Up and Buddy. We noticed how people treated Buddy differently than other power-ups. Not only does he sticks with you untill you get hit, but he also looks friendly and people Sympathize with him a lot.
He functions very differently from other power-ups, so we decided to split them. In Racketboy, you will be able to pick up either a power-up, or a buddy, as different objects.

A variety of types

Buddies can be a powerful tool for the player. We believe it could be one of the most influential choices the player makes in the game. That’s why we want to make sure it is a versatile resource. There will be several Buddies with different skills: Spawning balls, firing lasers, reflecting lasers, returning balls, attracting balls, the possibilites are vast.

The power of Choice

We want the player to be able to customize his strategy as he sees fit. That means allowing him to choose the outcome of a collectable Buddy, at his own risk. When a Buddy spawns on screen, he will be enclosed in a capsule, allowing you to see which one you’re getting right away.

At that moment, hitting that bubble will change the Buddy inside.

The Buddy will become faster and more irregular with each strike, so trying to change it becomes an increasing risk, but with a worthy reward.

Evolution

There will be a limited number of Buddies per level. Picking up the same Buddy as you already have will increase it’s level, up to 3, granting it better abilities.

A loyal protector

Not only does a Buddy helps you with very useful tools, but he will also protect you. Having a Buddy doubles as a shield. Being hit when having a Buddy causes him to die in your place.

That’s it for today! I’m sure that you will make great use of our Buddies :)
Got any cool suggestions or opinion on them? Let us know!