Broker
Breaker.
A wave-based arcade action game set in Wall Street chaos — designed, coded, and illustrated from scratch by a 4-person team.
02 — The Premise
What is Broker Breaker?
The concept, the player, and the core design challenge.
Out of 20+ concepts — debt simulators, field trips, city racers — Wall Street won unanimously. It was the one idea that made everyone in the room excited. It had natural game logic built in, a visual world everyone could picture, and something harder to manufacture: nostalgia. The chaos of an arcade game set against the chaos of finance just made sense.
Game Concept
Wall Street chaos.
Wave by wave.
A wave-based action game set on a pixelated NYC street. Battle escalating enemy types, collect XP, upgrade weapons, and survive long enough to face the final boss.
Target Player
Casual gamer.
Ages 8+.
Someone who enjoys arcade-style action but isn't looking for a punishing skill ceiling. Pick up and play — no prior knowledge, no tutorial required.
Design Challenge
Accessible,
but not trivial.
The tension we designed around — easy to pick up, hard to master. Every system had to stay readable for a new player while rewarding skill over time.
03 — Process
From sticky notes to shipped game.
6 steps. Every one documented.
04 — Game Loop
Every system feeds back into the loop.
Weapons, XP, difficulty — nothing is isolated.
The loop was designed so that every action — kill, collect, upgrade — reinforces the next. No dead ends.
05 — Enemy Design
Each enemy teaches the player something new.
Not just difficulty increments — designed behaviors.
06 — Difficulty Progression
Invisible design. Visible feeling.
Players never see these numbers — they just feel the shift.
| Stage | Kill Range | Enemy Mix | Type 1 | Type 2 | Type 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 0 – 99 | 100% | — | — | |
| Stage 2 | 100 – 249 | 90% | 10% | — | |
| Stage 3 | 250 – 449 | 80% | 20% | — | |
| Stage 4 | 450 – 699 | 70% | 22% | 8% | |
| Stage 5 | 700 – 999 | 60% | 25% | 15% | |
| Stage 6 | 1000+ | — | — | BOSS |
07 — Weapon System
Four weapons. Each with a job.
Visual language reinforces mechanical purpose.
08 — UI Evolution
Every change came from observation.
Three problems. Three fixes. Each one from a real playtest moment.
09 — Playtesting
Three sessions. Real iteration.
Observation → hypothesis → change. Every time.
10 — Reflection
What worked. What's next.
Honest assessment of the build.
Survive waves of Wall Street enemies. Kill enemies to collect XP. Upgrade your weapons. Reach 1000+ kills. Clear the final enemies — and the boss spawns. Take it down to win.
Fair warning: it looks easier than it is. The team that built this took 5–6 tries to beat their own game.