Inspiration
Almost 20 years ago I built one of my very first mobile games for old Java phones. I recently stumbled across the original source code and thought, "Wouldn't it be fun to bring this little guy back?" Instead of just porting it, I used Codex to help me rebuild it from the ground up as a game made specifically for Apple Watch.
What it does
Pirate Pearls is a fast, pick-up-and-play underwater match-three pearl shooter. Aim with the Digital Crown or the ship's wheel, fire pearls, make matches, unlock crazy power-ups, and try to stop the sea from filling up. It's colorful, relaxing, a little chaotic, and perfect for a few spare minutes.
How we built it
I fed Codex the original Java ME project from nearly two decades ago as a reference. Together we translated those old mechanics into modern Swift for watchOS, while reimagining the game instead of simply copying it. Along the way we added smoother gameplay, new power-ups, better visuals, underwater animations, polished haptics, and controls that actually feel at home on an Apple Watch.
Challenges we ran into
Ironically, the hardest part wasn't writing the game—it was testing it! Apple Watch development still has plenty of quirks, and getting builds onto a real watch could be frustrating. TestFlight became my best friend... and occasionally my worst enemy while waiting for builds to install.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Bringing a game back from the dead after nearly 20 years feels pretty special. I'm also really proud that it doesn't feel like a phone game squeezed onto a watch—it genuinely feels like it belongs there. And honestly... it's just plain fun to play, especially if you enjoy match-three puzzle games.
What we learned
This project taught me a lot about working effectively with Codex. The models evolved throughout development, and I learned how much better the results become when you write focused prompts, break work into small tasks, and let ChatGPT help refine those prompts. It genuinely became a collaborative development workflow instead of just an AI writing code.
What's next for Pirate Pearls
The finish line is in sight! 🚢🏴☠️ I'm putting the final polish on the game and hope to release Pirate Pearls on the App Store very soon. After that I'd love to add more levels, more special pearls, more underwater creatures, and maybe even a few surprises for returning players.
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