Jetset Mobile Game Design
Jetset is a mobile game developed by Omadatek, a software company based in Toronto. I worked closely with in-house developers, taking the lead on the visual direction for character design, game worlds, accessories, and UX/UI of the game application. The game is a fun and goofy 2D side scroller racer designed for playing with friends in real-time. The players compete for coins to purchase new characters or fun accessories such as hats, glasses, powerups, and trails.
I created two world designs for the game, each with its unique obstacles. In the jungle-themed race, there is a farting hog to slow down the players, and in the space-themed race, there are various comets. Below are examples of both, alongside game details such as character and accessory designs.
Designing the characters was a fun and creative process. The criteria to fulfil for these was just the ability for the characters to fly. Although the game is called “Jetset”, the team did not want the characters to be limited to aircraft- this allowed for the creation of tons of fun and hilarious players. After each initial design, I created 5-10 frame animation sprite sheets to use in the game. Below are various examples- some showcased in an “injury” phase where they have bandages and a disarrayed facial expression.
Although the characters are very diverse, there had to be unifying factors between the designs to keep them coherent. I kept the size ratio of the characters the same, along with the angle of their heads. These details were essential for fitting game accessories on every player. The design of the face is also unique to the game. With a very distinct eye and mouth style, I was able to build a branded look.