Mike Zehr

My Mochi 97

Commercial Release: August 2025

A virtual pet experience inspired by the charm of retro handheld devices. Brings the tactile experience of the classic virtual pet devices to the touch screen.

Average rating of 4.6 stars and 75% Day-7 retention

Systems:

• Mobile interactions built to simulate the tactile experience of handheld virtual pets
• Pet simulation that results in varied behaviours and events based on care
• A variety of mini-games, including gardening, fishing, endless runner, and ice cream shop sim
• Shops, inventories and other data systems to support a variety of gameplay
• Built to handle rewarded ads and in-app purchases

Littleblade and the Forest of Elements

Brackeys 1-Week Jam Sept 2024

In this skill tree-focused twist on auto battle RPGs, play as Littleblade, a young warrior squirrel battling corrupted forest creatures. Build up and break down skill trees on the fly to adapt to each battle's unique challenges.

Praised for the unique combat system, art style, UI, and sound design

Contributions:

• Design: Core Concepts (co-designed), Combat Layout, UI, Story
• Programming: UI (Tooltips, Status Effects, Skill Tree), Dialogue, Leaderboard, Dynamic music & audio system

The Last Expedition

10-Day GameDev.TV Game Jam 2023 May 2024

An underwater stealthy survival-horror where players seek out equipment to defend the deep sea base.

Recognized for strong aesthetics, sound design, and story progression

Contributions:

• Design: Story progression, open level design, player interactions, UI, sound, vfx
• Programming: 3C, AI behaviours, dialogue, inventory, and quest system, physics

Harvest Gloom

1-Month Farm Jam Feb 2024

In this human collecting/harvesting/slaying sim, play as Cthylla, the daughter of the recently deceased Cthulhu. You've been tasked to enter the Earth Realm and harvest the flesh of humans to feed your dying Elder Husband.

Rated #1 in Categories: Overall, Uniqueness, and Enjoyability

Contributions:

• Design: Core Loop, Combat / Progression, Sound
• Programming: Interactives, AI, Combat, Procedural Generation

BLEEDING EDGE

2-Week Samurai Game Jam 2024

After many years of being held at bay by the Great Empire, a dark and mythical army has laid siege to the Empress' palace as she lays in a pool of her own blood. Shatter enemy defences with high and low attacks, exploit surroundings to unleash chaos, stun enemies by anticipating their attacks, and wite the blood of enemies from your sword regain strength.

Rated #7 Overall and top 10 for Fun Factor and Visuals

Contributions:

• Design: Core Gameplay, Level Design, Scenarios
• Programming: Combat, Blood system, Fire & Liquid systems, Interactives, and AI

Descent Into Lost Dimensions

10-Day GameDev.TV Game Jam 2023

An isometric take on classic puzzle adventure games. Explore the depths of an ancient tomb. Focused on puzzles designed around core 3D-to-2D mechanic and dark mysterious atmosphere.

Top 25 overall out of 1000 submissions

Contributions:

• Player interactions and 3D-to-2D mechanic
• Puzzle and event mechanics
• Dialogue system
• Level design and layout
• Art and sound

The Last Expedition Expanded Prototype (2024)

Unreleased Prototype

Built off the Last Expedition game jam idea, this prototype expands the underwater exploration, adding puzzles, humanoid threats, and other mechanics.

• Third-person aiming and navigation system with Z-locking
• Large map to explore with various paths and threats to emphasize stealth mechanics
• Interact with O2 tanks to refill air supply and activate generators to access new undersea bases
• Expanded AI to create unique interactions between NPC humans, sharks, and other creatures

PROJECT SST

Unreleased Prototype (2023)

A partially on-rails space combat game with evolving procedurally generated maps and physics-based combat.

• Variety of combat mechanics, including dashes, tractor beam pull/throw, multi-targeting, and homing missiles.
• Built custom WFC-based procedural map generator to create purpose-built pathways in 3D space.
• Smooth physics-style controls breaking outside of the on-rails approach of the game's inspirations

HSRA (2023)

3C Experiment

Experiment in 3D flying and combat.

• Multiple camera modes. Standard 3D-person camera for non-combat, and Z-targeting for combat.
• 3D radar showing direction of all targets
• Grab enemies or objects and throw them to damage targets or destroy buildings
• Attack with melee or projectile attacks. Bubble shield blocks most attacks.

Zombie Hopper (2022)

3C Experiment

3D platformer experiment focused on 3C and jumping mechanics. Momentum Points mechanic is used across player actions to increase speed and jump height/distance.

• Jump across zombie's heads and build Momentum Points by timing your jumps
• Use Momentum Points to perform a "Dive bomb" action allows for a powerful downward attack, breaking through obstacles and displacing enemies
• Railslide across certain types of terrain to speed up and maintain Momentum Points

Additional Jam Mentions

1. Clumpy Skydiver Survivor (Made in 2 days for Holistic3D Jam 2024)

Inspired by the classic Katamari Damacy series combined with the mechanics of Vampire Survivor, roll up objects and enemies to grow larger and use your area of effect ability to shrink nearby threats.

2. Last Stand of the Starship Broadsend (Made for the 10-day Bullet Hell Jam 2023)

Use your gattling gun to fend off waves of a massive alien threat until your engines can recharge.

3. Turbulent Soul (Made for the 10-day GameDev.TV Jam 2022)

After your town was ravaged by a tornado, you find that your soul has become stuck in the cyclone. Navigate the swirling hazards and rescue other souls to ascend and defeat the corruption in the eye of the storm.