Merge! Donuts: Glazed to Progression

Inspiration

The original version of this game launched as Merge Donuts: Early Access which was a simple, satisfying mobile-only game where players merged adorable animal donuts in a physics-based, Suika-style dropper format. With Merge Donuts: Glazed to Progression, I set out to expand that experience with meaningful progression and long-term goals that would give players a reason to keep coming back. I was inspired by cozy mobile merge games, idle-style reward systems, and casual physics mechanics that make every drop and merge feel satisfying. My focus was to keep the gameplay accessible and relaxing, while layering in XP, leveling, unlockable donut boxes, and daily login rewards to create a more structured and rewarding loop. The visual design is rooted in the charm and cuteness that defines the Kawaii Creator brand. Each donut was hand-drawn to feel joyful, collectible, and polished. While the characters in this game are unique to Merge Donuts, the overall tone and aesthetic reflect the playful, feel-good energy I aim to bring to all of my worlds.

What it does

Merge Donuts: Glazed to Progression is a cozy, physics-based dropper game where players merge adorable animal-themed donuts to reach higher levels and unlock new surprises. The game begins with a single donut box and expands into six themed collections—Classic, Magic, Wild, Farm, Forest, and the premium Golden Donut Box—each filled with a dozen unique, hand-drawn donuts to discover and combine. Every merge earns XP that feeds into a 24-level progression path. As players level up, they unlock new donut boxes, power-ups, shop items, and visual upgrades. Progress is tracked visually on the embedded progression path, and players can view all their discovered donuts in the Donut Dex—a growing collection of the donuts they’ve unlocked through play. With a completely overhauled UI, daily login rewards, touch-optimized controls, and a new dropper skin system (including a premium XP-boosting dropper), the game is built for smooth, satisfying mobile play. Whether players jump in for five minutes or two hours, Merge Donuts delivers a rewarding loop that keeps them coming back for “just one more drop.”

How we built it

Merge Donuts was built entirely in the Meta Horizon Desktop Editor and designed specifically for mobile-only play. Because Horizon doesn’t yet support native portrait orientation, I used a creative workaround that made layout planning, merge zone placement, and UI design significantly more complex. To bring the game to life, I used a variety of tools: all 72 animal-themed donuts were hand-drawn in Procreate, and Canva helped me design clean, touch-friendly UI and shop elements. I also created an original soundtrack and used Horizon’s Audio Gen to design satisfying merge and reward effects that enhance feedback and immersion. This update introduced a 24-level progression system, a dropper skin system, fully reworked UI, 4 new donut boxes, and a new shop. The end result is a cozy, progression-driven loop designed to feel responsive, satisfying, and replayable on mobile.

Challenges we ran into and what we learned

One of the biggest challenges was evolving Merge Donuts from a simple high-score game into a fully progression-based experience. I had to rethink how players would stay engaged over time and make sure each new unlock felt purposeful and satisfying—without losing the light, cozy gameplay that made the original fun. Our workaround for portrait-mode mobile added its own complexity. Everything—from merge zones and UI layout to dropper placement—had to be carefully designed to simulate vertical play. I chose to leave quests out of this update entirely, since they would appear in the wrong orientation to players and interrupt the flow of gameplay, something I wanted to avoid in a mobile-only experience. Encouraging social interaction in a single-player game was another challenge. I added subtle reminders and designed a clear, appealing spot near the leaderboard for players to take selfies and share their progress. Outside the world, I posted reels across social media and ran paid ads on Facebook and Instagram to boost visibility and drive traffic. It took extra effort to promote a solo experience on a social platform, but these strategies helped extend the game’s reach and community presence.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I’m incredibly proud of how Merge Donuts grew into a polished, mobile-only experience with a layered progression system. This update brought together so many moving parts with XP leveling, daily rewards, unlockable donut boxes, premium items, and shop systems all while keeping the gameplay light, relaxing, and fun to pick up anytime. Each donut was hand-drawn in Procreate, and every box theme has its own look and feel that makes collecting feel exciting and rewarding. I also introduced a dropper skin system that adds both visual variety and functional XP boosts, giving players more ways to personalize and optimize their play. The audio experience was another highlight. I created an original soundtrack and used Horizon’s Audio Gen to craft satisfying, responsive effects that enhance the feel of every merge and reward. Together, the visual and audio polish helped give Merge Donuts its own playful identity, while also pushing me to grow as both a designer and developer.

What's next for Merge! Donuts: Glazed to Progression

I plan to keep growing Merge Donuts through updates, themed content drops, and added features that keep players engaged. I already have plans for multiple new donut boxes as well as additional progression rewards that give players more to work toward over time. I also plan to introduce cosmetic upgrades like donut drop trails and background themes, as well as custom clothing that players can purchase to tie into the world. Once Horizon supports native portrait mode, I’ll migrate the entire experience out of its rotated layout and add quest systems that are currently on hold due to their UI orientation. To guide future updates, I’ll be actively assessing player behavior through embedded Turbo Analytics. This data will help me fine-tune pacing, balance progression, and improve the overall experience. My goal is to keep Merge Donuts evolving with its community—growing into a cozy, rewarding world that players love to return to.