Death Runner Obby

Cute... Fun... Deadly... Can you get to the end for the big prize?

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Inspiration

This world was inspired by my daughter, who loves fast-paced, high-skill obby games in other apps, but finds many of them too easy. Her challenge to me was simple: “Make it harder!” So I did.
I also wanted to create something visually fun and high energy, to keep players smiling even when they die (a lot!).

What it does

Death Runner is a mobile-optimized, high-difficulty obstacle course (deathrunner style) that is also available in VR.
It challenges players to survive as they test:

  • Timing
  • Reflexes
  • Perseverance
  • Who can collect the most money

Can be played solo, with friends or against ops.

Players must navigate moving platforms, traps, and jumps with precision. It’s meant to be tough, satisfying, and addictive to finish with a nice reward at the end.

How we built it

I built this world solo using Meta Horizon Worlds.
I used Blender to tweak models and learned TypeScript from scratch... or started learning, I should say.
I also experimented with the Camera API to add cinematic angles and dynamic gameplay moments.

Challenges we ran into

Learning TypeScript with no prior programming experience was a huge challenge—especially while working full-time and being a single parent. I was also without a computer for most of the entry period, so was uncertain I would be able to enter. I spent hours:

  • Learning to fix computers (well weeks really)
  • Reading documentation
  • Watching videos
  • Breaking things... lots of things

At one point, I broke the entire world and thought it was lost, but was proud to troubleshoot and fix it myself.

The voice overs haven't all been approved, so one day hopefully they will all start working.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I'm proud that I didn’t give up on the daunting task of learning to code and thrilled about the small wins I earned along the way.
But most of all, I’m proud that I can show my daughter that it’s possible to create something fun and challenging—just like she asked for.

What we learned

This project pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way.
It showed:

  • Optimizing for mobile game play is important
  • Learning about the camera api was actually fun although took a lot of fine tuning
  • Nothing is impossible with persistence
  • Be proud of the small wins, one step at a time
  • Patience! Patience in my hardware, software, learning curve, and myself.

I still have a long way to go in mobile game development and even further with typescript, but I’m excited to keep growing. I started with a simple respawn script and just kept going from there.

What's next for Death Runner

I’d love to add:

  • Revise the coins to not be so dynamic heavy
  • Power ups and power downs
  • An optional HUD timer for competitive gameplay
  • Leaderboards for solo or community challenges

And of course, new levels with fresh themes are already in the works.
With the new AI tools now available in Canada, I’m really excited to explore how they can speed up development and unlock even more creativity.

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