BomBocLat | Adrian

Project Overview

BomBocLat is a high-energy, retro-styled arcade game designed to break the ice between people. Inspired by the classic "Hot Potato" mechanic, it is an offline multiplayer game where players must pass a ticking bomb back and forth before it explodes. With a charming pixel-art aesthetic featuring custom characters, the game combines tension, strategy (via cooldowns), and humor to foster immediate face-to-face social interaction.

The Problem & Solution

The Problem

In environments like the Apple Developer Academy, new cohorts often face "social friction." Learners can find it difficult to break the ice, initiate organic conversations, or get to know their peers beyond professional introductions.

The Solution

We created an offline, local multiplayer game that acts as a "digital icebreaker." By physically handing the phone back and forth (or playing side-by-side) in a high-stakes virtual duel, the app forces interaction. The shared tension of the ticking bomb and the humor of the pixel-art explosion create an instant shared experience, effectively removing awkwardness and sparking friendship.

Key Features

Dual Game Modes

Supports 1-Player (vs CPU) for practice and 2-Player (PvP) for local social play.

Tension Mechanics

Features a Hidden/Random Timer (10-15 seconds) so players never know exactly when the bomb will go off.

Strategic Gameplay

Implemented a Cooldown System preventing players from spamming the "Pass" button immediately, requiring timing and nerve.

Custom Pixel Art

A unique visual identity featuring pixelated avatars of Academy members (e.g., Angel, Kemas, Farid) and retro UI components.

Interactive UI

Dynamic menus with custom fonts (ArcadeClassic) and animated GIF integration for character reactions.

Technical Architecture

Architecture: Follows the MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) pattern to separate game logic (timers, health, turns) from the UI code.

ViewModel: GameLogicViewModel handles the state machine, including bomb ownership, cooldown timers, and win/loss conditions.

UI Framework: SwiftUI was used for the entire navigation flow, onboarding, and HUD (Heads-Up Display).

Game Engine: Utilized SpriteKit (SKScene) embedded within SwiftUI via SpriteView to render the game scene and manage efficient rendering of the background and particle effects.

Data Persistence: Uses SwiftData and UserDefaults (TrophyManager.swift) to track player wins and unlockable characters.

Audio: Integrated AVFoundation for background music and sound effects management.

What I Did

Ideation & Concept

Co-developed the core concept of a "Pixel Art Social Game." I specifically championed the mechanic of using the game as a tool to solve the Academy's social isolation problem.

UX/UI Design

Designed the user flow from Onboarding to Gameplay. I created the Lo-Fi wireframes to validate the navigation structure before development.

Frontend Development (SwiftUI)

Built the primary views (HomeView, GameView, CharacterSelectView).
Developed reusable custom components such as CircleButton, DynamicSquareButton, and SeperatorView to maintain design consistency.
Implemented the character carousel logic allowing players to scroll through and select avatars.
Handled the integration of animated GIFs (using WKWebView wrappers) to bring the pixel characters to life during gameplay.

Gallery

App Screenshot

App Screenshot

App Screenshot

App Screenshot

The Team