In a previous project, I tried to make a cozy game in Scratch called “Ducky’s Cozy Kitchen.” It was supposed to be a fun experience, but I realized that having flies in the game wasn’t very cozy at all. Flies are pests, and nobody wants them in a cozy kitchen! So, I decided to create a truly cozy game this time, focusing on a monster-raiser theme.
I’m a big fan of monster-raiser games like “Sonic Adventure” and “Dragon Quest Monsters.” These games are relaxing, and I thought it would be a great idea to make one in Scratch. I started by coding a basic mechanic where an egg hatches and the creature grows. Although it was a bit funny to see a cat hatch from an egg, I planned to update the artwork soon.
Monster-raiser games can sometimes get a bit dull, so I added a feature where the cat drops stars. You can use these stars to buy upgrades or more cat characters, making the game more engaging. It’s like a clicker game but with more depth. To make it even more fun, I created a robot character that automatically collects stars for you, so you don’t have to click all the time.
I wanted the game to have a tropical theme, so I spent some time creating artwork. I made the background more interesting by adding separate clouds and found some ocean sounds to set a relaxing mood. I also worked on making the island stand out more and designed an egg inspired by the Wind Fish from “Link’s Awakening.”
For the creatures, I designed chicken-like characters called “Pojos.” The name comes from my recent Spanish lessons, and it felt perfect for these little creatures. I created different types of Pojos, with rarer ones dropping more valuable items like gems instead of coins.
To make the game more interactive, I added a shop system where you can buy items like island upgrades, new eggs, and robots. I also fixed a glitch with the help of a video tutorial, which made the game run smoothly. Another feature I added was the ability to sell your Pojos, which will be useful when breeding mechanics are introduced.
I added music that changes randomly and created artwork for the robot, which you can now purchase in the shop. I also developed a system to keep items on the island while allowing you to move them around. Finally, I named the game “Little Oasis.” Although there’s still a lot I want to add, like new island upgrades and special events, I’m excited to share what I’ve created so far.
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Thanks for joining me on this game development journey! If you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to share them. I look forward to continuing to improve “Little Oasis” and exploring new features.
Design your own monster character using paper and colored pencils. Think about what makes your monster unique and what special abilities it might have. Share your creation with the class and explain your design choices.
Use Scratch to create a simple game where an egg hatches into a creature. Experiment with different sprites and animations. Try to add a feature where your creature can collect items, similar to the star collection in the article.
Draw or digitally create a tropical-themed background for a game. Include elements like clouds, ocean waves, and islands. Consider how these elements can make the game environment more engaging and cozy.
In Scratch, create a simple shop system where players can buy and sell items. Think about what items would be useful in a monster-raiser game and how they can enhance gameplay. Share your shop system with classmates and discuss its features.
In groups, brainstorm new features that could be added to a monster-raiser game like “Little Oasis.” Consider elements like special events, new character types, or interactive environments. Present your ideas to the class and discuss how they could improve the game.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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In the last video, I challenged myself to make a super cozy game in Scratch called “Ducky’s Cozy Kitchen.” While I would only loosely describe this fly-swatting experience as a game, surprisingly, you all seemed to enjoy it a lot. However, upon releasing that video, I realized I made a mistake: flies aren’t cozy; they’re pests and can carry diseases. The last thing you want in your cozy game and kitchen are flies. That’s like making a game about a plumber who crawls around the sewers and then bakes you a birthday cake!
To make up for my mistake, today I’m going to challenge myself to actually create a cozy game. But not just that; we’re going to be making a monster-raiser game. It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with the monster-raiser genre, from games like “Ciao,” “Sonic Adventure,” “Chocobo Racing,” or even “Dragon Quest Monsters.” I find creature-raiser games to be very relaxing, so I felt it was a perfect choice.
I jumped straight into Scratch and started coding a basic creature mechanic. You have this egg that hatches and then grows up, and so forth. Also, ignore the whole cat hatching from an egg thing; we’ll work in some artwork shortly.
The only problem with the monster-raiser genre is that these games can get kind of boring by themselves. I mean, who would have thought that watching a little cat walk around for hours isn’t the most riveting mechanic? So, I made it so the cat drops stars every so often, with the intention that you could buy more upgrades or even more of these little cat characters. It’s basically like an incremental or clicker game but with a bit more depth.
Speaking of fingers falling off, I created a robot unlockable character that automatically picks up stars for you, so you don’t have to lose your fingers! After that, I felt it was necessary to start working on the artwork. I really wanted this game to have a tropical theme because it’s just relaxing and cozy.
I jumped into an illustration tool and created some artwork. It took me a couple of hours to figure out what I wanted and what I liked, and this is what I ended up with. I integrated that into Scratch, and look, we’re getting the game here! I removed the clouds from the background and made them a separate object that would spawn in.
Then, I went online and found some ocean ambiance to set the mood. At this point, I had a nice snapshot of what the game could look like, but it was really lacking content. So, I started working on more artwork. I felt the island was a little too blended in with the background, making it hard to see. I also wanted to create an egg that resembled the Wind Fish from “Link’s Awakening.”
I realized I was procrastinating on creating the creatures, so I started designing chicken-like characters that actually came from an old sketch I made last year. I decided to call these little chickens “Pojos.” I’ve recently been learning Spanish, so it felt like the perfect name for them.
I also made a custom font to display your score, so you can see how much money you have. I created different tiers of Pojos, and my idea is that the rarer the Pojo, the more money it drops. For example, a common Pojo would drop a coin, while the rarer ones would drop gems.
Of course, what’s the point of having money if we don’t have a shop? I implemented a card shop system where you have these cards at the bottom of the screen. My thought is that as you earn more money, new cards will appear, allowing you to get different things like island upgrades, new eggs, robots, and even a hatchery.
I encountered a glitch where the layering was messed up, but I watched a helpful video by Griff Patch that explained how to fix it, and it worked! Another cool mechanic I want to include is the ability to sell your Pojo. This way, when we incorporate breeding down the road, you can sell them if you have too many on your island. I created a magical pair of pants that you can drag a Pojo to in order to sell it.
After that, I added music that randomly cycles through, and I created artwork for the robot, which you can now buy at the shop. So now you can buy robots that will pick up the gems for you—fantastic! Lastly, I developed a collision box system so your produce stays on the island but can be dragged around. It’s not perfect, but it works for now.
The final thing I did was give the game a title: “Little Oasis.” That’s as far as I could get with the time I had for this video. There are so many cool features I want to add, like new island upgrades, breeding mechanics with different Pojos to get various colors, and special events. I really want to keep working on this game, and since Scratch is such a collaborative tool, I thought it would be cool to release what I have so far for you all to play around with and come up with ideas.
As always, if you have any good ideas, let me know in the comments below! If you want to learn how to code, it’s actually not that hard, especially using today’s sponsor, Brilliant. Brilliant has thousands of lessons from foundational to advanced math, programming, AI, neural networks, and more, with new lessons added each month. Their interactive lessons have been proven to be six times more effective than passive learning, like just watching random lecture videos.
One course I really like is “Computer Science Fundamentals,” which is essentially Programming 101. It helps with decision-making, writing programs, and algorithms. I highly recommend trying everything Brilliant has to offer. There is a 30-day free trial; just visit brilliant.org/goodguess or click on the link in the description. The first 200 of you will get 20% off Brilliant’s annual premium subscription.
Thank you to Brilliant for supporting the channel and my game development journey! That’s it for this video, and I’ll catch you in the next one.
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This version removes any informal language and maintains a professional tone while preserving the original content’s meaning.
Coding – The process of writing instructions for a computer to perform specific tasks. – Example sentence: “In our computer class, we learned the basics of coding by creating a simple calculator program.”
Scratch – A visual programming language that allows users to create interactive stories, games, and animations. – Example sentence: “Using Scratch, I was able to design a fun game where a cat chases a mouse.”
Monster – A character or entity in a game that players often have to defeat or overcome. – Example sentence: “In the video game, the final level features a giant monster that requires teamwork to defeat.”
Game – An interactive application designed for entertainment, often involving challenges or puzzles. – Example sentence: “We spent the afternoon designing a new game that involves solving math puzzles to advance to the next level.”
Features – Distinctive attributes or aspects of a software program or game. – Example sentence: “One of the cool features of the new app is the ability to customize your avatar.”
Shop – A virtual place within a game where players can purchase items or upgrades using in-game currency. – Example sentence: “After collecting enough coins, I visited the shop to buy a new sword for my character.”
Characters – The virtual personas or figures that players control or interact with in a game. – Example sentence: “Each of the characters in the game has unique abilities and strengths.”
Artwork – The visual elements, such as images and designs, used in a game or software application. – Example sentence: “The game’s artwork was so detailed that it felt like stepping into a real fantasy world.”
Upgrades – Improvements or enhancements to a character’s abilities or equipment in a game. – Example sentence: “I saved up my points to get upgrades for my spaceship, making it faster and more powerful.”
Programming – The act of creating software by writing code in a programming language. – Example sentence: “Through programming, we can build apps that help solve real-world problems.”
