Project Overview
Big Pixel Run is a hyper-casual, retro-inspired endless runner for iOS.
Players dash through colorful pixel worlds, avoid obstacles, collect power-ups, and chase the highest score. With simple one-tap controls and chill retro vibes, the game is designed for quick, addictive sessions: perfect for short play bursts or trying to beat your personal best.
I launched Big Pixel Run as my second mobile game and second published iOS app.
The Problem
After releasing my first game (End All Zombies), I wanted to create something that felt more polished, visually appealing, and addictive in the growing hyper-casual genre. Many endless runners at the time either felt too basic or overly complicated. I aimed to build a game with satisfying gameplay, beautiful pixel art, and strong replay value.
The Solution
Big Pixel Run delivers a clean, hyper-casual endless runner experience with one-tap controls, vibrant pixel worlds, and relaxing lo-fi music. The core loop focuses on rhythm, timing, and score chasing, making it easy to pick up but hard to put down.
My Role & Process
I built Big Pixel Run entirely by myself as a solo developer. This was my second game project, and I put significantly more focus on visual polish and gameplay feel compared to my first title.
I designed all the pixel style art in Adobe Illustrator, coded the full game using SpriteKit, composed the retro theme soundtrack, and implemented rewarded video ads and in-app purchases.
Challenges
This project pushed me further in several areas:
- Deepening my understanding of SpriteKit physics and particle systems; I focused heavily on making movement, collisions, and particle effects feel smooth and satisfying.
- Creating an addictive hyper-casual gameplay loop that encourages repeated plays without becoming frustrating.
- Balancing visual style (retro pixel art) with modern performance requirements on a wide range of iOS devices.
- Properly implementing rewarded ads and in-app purchases while keeping the player experience seamless.
Key Features
- One-tap endless runner with satisfying physics
- Vibrant, colorful pixel art worlds
- Relaxing retro theme soundtrack and sound effects
- Power-ups and obstacle variety
- Rewarded video ads and in-app purchases
- Smooth particle effects and responsive controls
Technologies Used
- Swift
- SpriteKit (with heavy focus on particle physics)
- Adobe Illustrator (for all pixel style vector art)
- Rewarded Video Ads
- In-App Purchases
Outcome & Learnings
Big Pixel Run was an important step in my game development journey. It showed clear growth from my first game; particularly in visual polish, particle systems, and creating addictive hyper-casual gameplay loops.
The project strengthened my skills in performance optimization, game physics, and building engaging player retention mechanics. It also taught me the importance of iterating on core gameplay feel until it feels just right.
Building Big Pixel Run reinforced my passion for creating fun, polished mobile experiences and gave me more confidence to take on increasingly ambitious projects afterward.
Play Big Pixel Run
Want to try the game? Big Pixel Run is available on the App Store.
You can also explore more of my mobile app projects through Mighty Apps.