This project was developed as a school assignment with the objective of reinterpreting the original Arkanoid game through a personal visual theme.

The brief required us to maintain the core gameplay mechanics while adapting the game with an individually developed visual concept.
Instead of choosing a generic theme, I decided to create something more personal.
Since I previously worked for the pedal boats in the city of Lugano, I chose to pay tribute to them by creating Arkanoid Lugano Edition.

The goal was to design a game that could be engaging and fun to play, with clear gameplay mechanics while also being visually appealing.

The strategy was to maintain the classic Arkanoid mechanics, while adapting the visual elements to create a more unique and recognizable concept inspired by Lugano and the pedal boats.

The project also includes an intro video, designed to introduce the game and strengthen its visual identity.

For the visual style I chose a flat design with clean lines, which reflects my personal design style.

The aim was to keep the graphics simple and clear so they would work well within a dynamic gameplay environment.

This project was particularly fun to work on and, even though it differs slightly from the rest of the projects in my portfolio, it still represents my creative approach and visual style.

The game is an Arkanoid composed of three levels. The mechanics remain intentionally simple and close to the original game, as the main focus of the project was the visual and narrative aspect.

One of the main elements I introduced is a point progression bar, which allows the player to easily track their advancement through the level. The bonus and malus system was also designed to remain consistent with the theme: all elements are connected either to the pedal boat or to weather conditions, reinforcing the game’s overall setting.

From a visual perspective, I created flat and highly colorful illustrations, imagining a bright and vibrant Lugano summer.

The player’s platform is represented by the iconic red pedal boat typical of Lugano, while the background features Lake Lugano and Mount San Salvatore, one of the most recognizable landscapes of the city.

The character introducing and narrating the story is Jörg, the accordion player, a well-known and beloved figure in Lugano who passed away in 2024. He was widely considered a local icon, and including him in the game was my way of paying tribute to him.

Other elements in the game also reference symbols associated with the city and the region. The logo and the game background feature the swan, another icon strongly linked to Lake Lugano. In the break screen I included the traditional Ticinese wine jug, while the ball in the game displays the wind rose located on the lakeside near the gate of Parco Ciani, further reinforcing the connection with the lake.

The goal was therefore to incorporate several local symbols and references, representing elements that people immediately associate with Lugano and the Ticino region. My main intention was to create both visual and narrative coherence, building a small game world that reflects the territory through imagery, symbols, and details.

For copyright reasons, the videos presented here do not include audio, as the original versions feature music played by Jörg. The full versions with audio are available upon private request.

For the introductory video of the game, I created a short animated sequence designed to introduce the setting and atmosphere of the project.

The animation shows a swan seen from above flying over the lake and the pedal boats, referencing one of the most recognizable symbols of Lake Lugano.

For the soundtrack, I chose to include one of the songs played by Jörg, maintaining narrative consistency with the game while also reinforcing the tribute to this iconic local figure.

The video was created and animated using Adobe After Effects, keeping a visual style consistent with the flat aesthetic of the game.

I also created a short final victory video, which appears after completing the three levels of the game. The animation is designed to conclude the experience in a more engaging way and to give the player a sense of reward after finishing the game.

For the portfolio version, I chose to include the videos without the original music in order to avoid potential copyright issues. The full version of the project originally included a soundtrack inspired by the music played by Jörg, which helped reinforce the atmosphere and the connection with the Lugano setting.

As part of the assignment, we were also asked to design a landing page for the game. Here as well, I chose to maintain the flat illustration style in order to ensure visual consistency with the rest of the project.

I reused the swan as a key symbolic element, placing it in the background and designing the layout so that it appears to fly across the page, creating a playful and recognizable visual detail.

The style of the page is simple but playful, reflecting the tone of the game. At the same time, I aimed to keep the structure clean, organized, and easy to read, allowing the content to be clear and immediately accessible.