Missile Mayhem

Missile Mayhem is a Missile Command style arcade game for the Playdate that utilizes the crank for aiming. To play, download the PDX file above and upload it to your Sideloaded games on the Playdate website.

 CONTROLS

• 🔄 CRANK to aim the launcher
• ⬆️ UP to launch a normal missile. Always available
• ➡️ RIGHT to launch a homing missile. Available after the Wave 3 upgrade
• ⬅️ LEFT to fire the fast-charging laser. Available after the Wave 5 upgrade

 GAMEPLAY

Take command of the sole missile launcher to defend your 6 cities against wave after wave of incoming attack. How long will you be able to protect your cities and keep them alive? Crank to aim, tap the D-pad to fire, and show them you won't go down without a fight!

Each wave brings new challenges—starting simple, then ramping up with relentless speed and difficulty. As the enemy escalates, so do you. Unlock powerful upgrades like homing missiles and a rapid-fire laser to stay in the fight. But don’t get too comfortable—the enemy has a few secret weapons of its own. Lose all 6 cities (or your missile launcher), and it's game over, man. Now get out there and defend your planet! 

 SCORING

The math is simple. Every missile you take out adds to your score. The tougher the missile, the bigger the payoff. Nail a long-range shot? That’s a Nice Shot, and it doubles your points.

Between waves, check your stats—hit count and Efficiency Ratio (ER). A good ER will act as a multiplier for your final score—if you're sharp enough, it can climb above 1.0 for some serious bonus points.

Your top 5 scores are saved on the High Scores screen. Think you can beat your best score?

 CREATED BY

• Stephen Blackwell (programming & sounds)
• Andrew Barton (art & UI)

 TECHNICAL DETAILS

The game was written entirely in C and built with the Playdate SDK 2.7.5. Aside from the SDK, the only external code is stb_sprintf for string formatting.

If you don't own a Playdate but want to play this on the Simulator (which is included in the free SDK), let me know here and I can upload a Simulator build.

 INSTALLATION

Playing this game requires the Playdate device. Once you have that:

1. Download the MissileMayhem.pdx.zip file.
2. Go to your Playdate account Sideload page: https://play.date/account/sideload/
3. Upload the ZIP file to your sideloaded games.
4. Force a refresh on your Playdate device from Settings->Games->Refresh List