SPHONGOS
COLLECT FUNGI IN A STRANGE PLACE.
A Game By Its Cover Jam Entry
CONTROLS
- Navigate the world and UI: Arrow keys/d-pad
- Interact with world and UI: X key/X button (Both Pico-8 buttons work)
HOW TO PLAY
- Go out and gather samples from your surroundings
- Research samples in the lab to unlock and upgrade abilities
- The game saves everything automatically!
Development log
- SPHONGOS: Post MortemFeb 10, 2025
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Great game, great atmosphere. The HUD feels hi-tech, and I couldn't stop playing until completing the whole thing. Mining mushrooms in a hazmat suit is such a cool idea I got my girl spectating over my shoulder half the time. :-D
I really enjoyed your game. It’s truly a lovely piece of work! :)
It’s a perfectly polished game that fits PICO-8’s minimalistic and immersive experience.
The simple yet delicate UI/UX, the gameplay loop that never feels tedious, and above all, the way you perfectly capture the game’s atmosphere within the constraints of pixel graphics—it’s all amazing. I had never really tried this kind of incremental genre before, but this experience completely captivated me.
I read your devlog, and as someone just starting out on game development journey, I could relate a lot. I want to cheer you on for creating an impressive and solid game.
I imagine it must feel really great to be able to play your own PICO-8 game on a retro handheld. Someday, I definitely want to try my hand at Lua and PICO as well! Thank you for giving me such a wonderful experience and inspiration!
Thank you very much for your kind words, they made my day for sure :)
It is true it feels amazing to have your game on something you can hold in your hands. And to be honest this release didn't feel less amazing than more professional releases I was part of on consoles.
I highly recommend Pico8, especially if you are starting out. The limitations help so much to focus on what is important and finding the core of your game.
Wishing you all the best and a lot of fun on your gamedev journey!
hard but a really good game
Came back and replayed this today, and, well, it's just a solid, fun, engrossing little game. I love it. This is one of my favorite PICO-8 games.
Loved this game! Such a fun playthrough and really well crafted! :DDD
Would recommend beefing up the visuals with the ending, to help the player know they did in fact win/provide sense of closure.
A pickup radius upgrade could be really nice as well.
So well done and so much fun, thank you!!! This is what the PICO-8 is all about!
Honestly, PICO-8 game of the year candidate already, it has been such a long time since I was pulled into the atmosphere of a game. I really liked everything you had in here, IF I had to say something, the ending could be missed, if the player forgets about the log computer (such as my dumb face did). Otherwise, amazing game, looking forward to your creations!
Very fun game. He who didn't suffocate with his bag of juicy shrooms throws the first stone.
Excellent game. Very engaging.
Is there an endgame I'm missing, or does it just end when you've upgraded all three parts of your suit all the way?
There is a special resource you can find and analyze to get a final message from HQ
Yeah, I found that. Just wasn't sure whether there was anything else; I expected an end game screen or something. Anyway, great little game! Well done.
its really fun! very motivating and i love the atmosphere!