ValleyBirds – My First Commercial Game on Google Play
🐦 ValleyBirds – My First Commercial Game on Google Play
💡 Origin of the idea
I used to start games and leave them unfinished. So I challenged myself to create one that I could finish and publish, even if simple. That’s how ValleyBirds was born, aiming for a Google Play Store release with non-intrusive ads.
🎯 Personal and professional goals
Beyond generating some revenue, my goal was to showcase my ability to build a complete game as a solo indie gamedev.
This project is a small step as a programmer, but a giant leap toward becoming an indie developer.
🕹️ Game description
In a few words: a challenging but addictive game.
Although tough at first, each session helps players improve, making it easier to unlock new birds.
🌟 Inspiration
Inspired by the classic Flappy Bird by .GEAR — not because of its success, but because of the simplicity of its mechanics.
For visuals, I went with simple pixel art, practical and effective.
🧩 Key design decisions
To make ValleyBirds fun and accessible, I added a progressive unlock system:
- 🐤 New birds unlocked with experience.
- 🥚 Eggs with increasing difficulty.
- 🎨 Cosmetics purchasable with coins.
⚙️ Development engine
I chose Godot 4.4.1.stable because it’s lightweight, free, and very friendly. With over 5 years of experience using it as a hobby, it was the most logical decision.
🛠️ Technical challenges
- 🎨 Visual/UI: pixel art and interface design.
- 🧱 Robust architecture: efficient and fluid.
- ☁️ Persistence: local save + cloud save (Google Play Services).
- 👕 Scalable cosmetics: hats, scarves, ties, etc.
🔥 What makes it different
ValleyBirds stands out by:
- 🌄 Setting in the Aconcagua Valley (Chile).
- 🐦 Birds inspired by local fauna.
- 💰 Coins and boosts.
- 🎲 Random obstacle generation.
- 🎮 Adaptive difficulty system.
- 👑 The first-place crown on the leaderboard.
📲 Experience on Google Play Store
Publishing was challenging at first, but once I learned the workflow, it became straightforward. It taught me a lot about mobile game distribution.
🚀 Value in my portfolio
This project shows that I can take a project from scratch to a commercial release.
In summary:
- For me: the cornerstone of my indie gamedev dream.
- For players: an addictive and fun experience.