Ankle Breakers

Ankle Breakers

Inspiration

The idea for Ankle Breakers came from a simple, hilarious question: What if survival was the only goal—and you never actually win?

I wanted to build a game where the stakes weren’t about winning trophies, but about outlasting chaos in the most entertaining way possible. The inspiration came from streetball culture, viral fail videos, and the joy of ridiculous, fast-paced games where people laugh at their own misfortune. I imagined scenarios where a bear, a samurai, or even a toaster chases players down—and all you can do is dodge. That absurdity, paired with real-time leaderboards, felt like the formula for a viral experience.

What it does

Ankle Breakers is a fast-paced survival game where you face off against an unstoppable opponent—a charging bear, sprinting toaster, or samurai. Your only goal is to block and dodge them for as long as possible before they reach the finish line. You can’t win—just delay the inevitable. The longer you survive, the higher you climb on the global leaderboard. It’s chaotic, funny, and all about outlasting the chase.

How we built it

I used Horizon Worlds as the foundation to build Ankle Breakers, leveraging its scripting tools and component system. I created:

A central NPC runner system, where the bear, toaster, and samurai each have unique behaviors.

A timing mechanism that tracks how long the player can delay the NPC.

A global leaderboard that updates based on survival time.

Dynamic animations and character models (like a bear sprinting or a samurai charging) to increase visual impact.

Memorable characters: I gave each chaser a name and personality, like a toaster with legs who sprints while giving a odd look of confusion as they speed past you

All assets were stylized to feel cartoonish and fun, ensuring even a loss was entertaining.

Challenges we ran into

Some of the biggest challenges included:

Making each NPC feel different while keeping the gameplay balanced.

Designing AI that feels smart but beatable—just barely.

Creating animations and character movements that read well across VR and mobile.

Ensuring the leaderboard system worked consistently with minimal delay.

Crafting marketing visuals (like thumbnails and trailers) that matched the tone of the game: chaotic, funny, and bold.

I also had to fine-tune performance to ensure smooth play across all devices, and that meant cutting features I loved to prioritize speed and simplicity.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Throughout this project, I’ve leveled up in ways I never imagined:

Diving deep into TypeScript, I went from beginner to confidently scripting complex mechanics that drive the core of Ankle Breakers.

I learned to design for mobile-first gameplay, optimizing for performance without sacrificing the fun or chaos that makes the game shine.

I explored multiple AI tools to enhance everything from textures to marketing materials—streamlining development and sparking creativity.

I gained a much stronger understanding of the Horizon Worlds API, unlocking features I once thought were out of reach.

Most excitingly, I transitioned from building inside my headset to mastering the Creator Desktop Editor, giving me speed, precision, and a whole new creative workflow.

These skills didn’t just help me build a better game—they’ve transformed how I think like a developer.

What we learned

Through building this game, I learned how:

Minimalist game design can still offer high engagement when the mechanics are tight.

Global leaderboards turn personal losses into competitive milestones.

A strong narrative hook ("You don’t win—you survive") can give even the simplest game massive appeal.

Comedy and chaos are powerful engagement tools when designed intentionally.

I also got hands-on with balancing humor, mechanics, and usability—all while thinking through how to make a game loop that feels fair, addictive, and replay able.