- 0ms
- Server ping overhead in gameplay (pure peer-to-peer data channel)
- 2
- Players bound by an elastic cooperative physics tether
- 1
- Single portable HTML file housing entire game logic
- 100%
- Unicode emoji typography used as sprites and projectiles
01
The tether changes human behavior.
Most co-op games let players drift apart. In Emoji Blast, an elastic tether pulls both ships together: moving away slows you down, but circling around your partner flings them forward like a slingshot.
02
Direct WebRTC data channels.
A tiny signaling handshake pairs two browsers in under two seconds. After pairing, ship vectors and bullet collisions travel directly device-to-device over local UDP, impervious to server hiccups.
03
Radical zero-asset constraints.
No texture atlases, no 3D meshes, and no downloaded soundbanks. The entire audiovisual identity emerges from the system's native emoji font and Web Audio oscillator synths.
Where it belongs
- Casual party & meetup icebreaker: Two strangers sitting next to each other join in one second, naturally shouting instructions as the tether spins them.
- Zero-cost serverless multiplayer: Architecture model for web creators wanting multiplayer games that cost zero dollars in monthly server bills.
My Contribution
- Invented the tethered 2-player co-op gameplay loop and physics constraints
- Engineered peer-to-peer WebRTC networking, handshake, and packet serialization
- Authored complete single-file HTML5 Canvas rendering engine and Web Audio synth
Philosophy
- Proof that memorable shared interactive experiences require zero megabytes of asset bloat
- Part of the Playable series exploring direct phone-to-phone human connection