Jetpack Clankers

Inspiration

We launched a physics based Jetpack vehicle as an alternative exploration mode in our main title "Wooorld". The popularity of the addon lead us to developing a brand new stand-alone jetpack game.

What it does

Jetpack Clankers is a physics-based social VR racer. Up to 8 players launch from a shared sky lobby, then dive into tight tracks full of boosts, rails, moving hazards and shortcuts. Races reward skillful control, clever route choices and mid-air duels, not just holding trigger and hoping for the best.

How we built it

We built Jetpack Clankers in Unity for Quest using custom jetpack physics mechanics, spline-based tracks and a modular “crater city” kit we developed so we can assemble new circuits quickly. Multiplayer runs on Normcore, with custom race state sync, ghost recording and matchmaking. We focused heavily on gameplay and realistic physics.

Challenges we ran into

Designing jetpack controls that feel powerful but not overwhelming took many iterations. Networked physics, respawns and checkpoints had to stay fair and deterministic in a room of 8 players. We also had to tune level geometry and VFX to keep a strong sense of speed while staying within Quest performance budgets.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of how “right” the jetpack feels: small input changes clearly translate into motion, which lets players quickly start experimenting with lines and tricks. Our social lobby already feels like a hangout space where people watch ongoing races and chat while queueing into the next heat.

What we learned

We learned how sensitive players are to subtle changes in acceleration curves, field of view and collision behavior in VR. Frequent, small playtests with real users beat any amount of paper design. We also refined our workflow for building networked game modes on top of our existing social stack.

What's next for Jetpack Clankers

Next we want to add ranked matchmaking, more track biomes, obstacles, powerups, fun non-race activities and team modes like relay races and “capture the ring.” We are also exploring seasonal leaderboards and user-hosted tournaments so communities can run their own events inside the crater-city.