Generating Retro Arcade Concepts

Create a slate of original small games, evaluate it, then spec the best two. Read concept-generation-format.md for the era profiles, mechanism taxonomy, mandatory 14 fields, rubric, nearest-precedent check, and spec template.

Hard Constraints

Every concept must:

• use one fixed screen, movement plus one button, no complex hand-built levels, and at most three enemy/obstacle types whose rules each fit in 1–2 sentences;
• escalate only numerical values, present a clear threat within 30 seconds, use lives rather than immediate game-over, and sustain endless waves/rounds;
• prevent random instant deaths and avoid idle or button-mashing as a dominant strategy;
• provide interesting no-input attract motion and a one-phrase audio identity;
• fit the selected Era Hardware Profile (default 1980–1983).

A project brief may replace only the hardware profile. Later profiles do not relax the other constraints.

Use classic fixed-screen pressure, lane, reflection, defense, transformation, push, carry, and self-constraint patterns as seeds, but avoid cloning classics or making maze, platform, formation, scrolling, or terrain-level design the primary source of play.

Workflow