Retro-inspired Game Development with AI: Cosmo Quest RevealRetro-inspired Game Development with AI: Cosmo Quest Reveal
The network for creativity
Join 1.25M professional creatives like you
Connect with clients, get discovered, and run your business 100% commission-free
Creatives on Contra have earned over $150M and we are just getting started
Back to feedPost
Naresh's avatar
Naresh
• 2d
Cosmo Quest – Config Makeathon Submission
As a software developer, I've built web applications and products before, but I've never built a game from scratch.
I have some design knowledge, but I'm definitely not a professional designer. One of the reasons I joined the Config Makeathon was to challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone and explore what is possible when development, design, and AI come together.
For this project, I used Figma Make as my primary development tool to build Cosmo Quest, a retro-inspired platform adventure game. What started as a simple idea quickly became an opportunity to experiment with game mechanics, level design, UI thinking, asset creation, and interactive experiences—areas I hadn't explored before.
Since design is not my strongest skill, I leveraged Figma's AI-powered capabilities and design workflows to create and refine many of the visual assets used throughout the game. Using AI-assisted asset generation, design exploration, and rapid iteration inside the Figma ecosystem, I was able to move from rough concepts to a playable experience much faster than I could have on my own.
One of the most exciting parts of this project was discovering how quickly ideas could move from imagination to implementation. Instead of spending hours switching between multiple tools, I could iterate on visuals, workflows, and gameplay concepts while staying close to the design and development process.
Throughout the build, I experimented with:
Game mechanics and player interactions
Pixel-art inspired visual design
Asset creation using AI-assisted workflows
Rapid prototyping with Figma Make
Designing and building as a solo creator
Creating a complete playable experience from scratch
This project taught me a lot—not only about game development, but also about how modern design and AI tools can empower developers to build things they may not have considered possible before.
There are still a few things I'd love to improve. The game is currently optimized for desktop and has not yet been optimized for mobile devices. I also wanted to create a more polished intro and onboarding experience, but I eventually ran out of AI credits before I could complete those final touches.
Even with those limitations, I'm proud of what I was able to build and learn during the Makeathon.
A huge thank you to Figma and Contra for organizing the Config Makeathon and creating an opportunity for builders, designers, and developers to experiment with these new tools. The experience pushed me to learn, explore, and build something completely outside my usual workflow.
I hope you enjoy playing the game as much as I enjoyed building it.
🎮 Gameplay video is attached below.
🔗 Play Cosmo Quest: https://delay-spin-37352484.figma.site
Thank you for checking out my submission!
configmakeathonFigmadesign
Dylan's avatar
Contra logo
Dylan Siegel
• 2d
this is cool!
Naresh's avatar
Naresh
• 1d
Thank you 😊
Back to feed
The network for creativity
Join 1.25M professional creatives like you
Connect with clients, get discovered, and run your business 100% commission-free
Creatives on Contra have earned over $150M and we are just getting started