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Cranky: The Squirrel Annihilator

A solo Unity game: play a pug chasing squirrels with analog paw controls and physics-driven humour. I rebuilt it from the ground up after the 2024 game jam version, handling everything from the Blender model to the AI and the WebGL build.

Gameplay video.
My role
Solo developer, designer and 3D artist
Built with
Unity, C#, Blender, Substance Painter
Challenge
Funny, dog-like movement that still feels responsive
Result
A playable WebGL build with custom movement and reactive AI

Core mechanics

  • Analog paw running

    Alternate L1 and R1 (or two keys) to move the front paws, which gives the dog's movement a rhythmic, physical feel.

  • Reactive squirrel AI

    Squirrels run, dodge and react to the player's approach through a proximity-based behaviour system I wrote.

  • Physics-driven humour

    The game leans into clunky physics to make the pug's movement funny, inspired by Fall Guys.
Cranky — Interactive 3D

Development

Midway through, I rebuilt the movement system to reduce hand fatigue while keeping the playful, dog-like feel. Balancing awkward physics with responsive controls, and keeping everything smooth in WebGL, took constant testing; I compared each revision against playtest feedback.

Squirrel target art.
The pug's expression in game.

Thanks to the Unity and Reddit developer communities, my professors and classmates at Montgomery College, the free asset creators on the Unity Asset Store and Pixabay whose audio and visuals I used, and the early playtesters who improved the controls and pacing.