Browser survival arcade
Neon Drift
Project details
- Category
- Play Neon Drift
- Stack
- TypeScript · Canvas 2D · Next.js · Neon Postgres
- Play
- Open Neon Drift
About
Neon Drift is a standalone browser survival shooter: dodge swarms from every direction, stack upgrades and synergies, and push for a spot on the global board. It started as a hidden portfolio experiment and now runs as its own app.
Case study — Neon Drift
Role
Solo developer — game design, Canvas 2D implementation, Next.js app shell, leaderboard integration
Problem
I needed a portfolio piece that proved I could ship a complete interactive product, not just UI demos. The game had to run in the browser without installs, feel good on keyboard and touch, and leave room for a real progression hook.
Approach
I built a tight survival loop on Canvas 2D with readable upgrade synergies and threats from all directions. The app shell uses Next.js for routing and deployment; Neon Postgres and auth arrived when a global leaderboard became worth the operational cost.
Outcome
Neon Drift graduated from a hidden experiment into a standalone playable product with its own deploy target and optional global scores. It demonstrates end-to-end delivery: feel, performance, persistence, and production hosting.
Key learnings
- Validate the core loop locally before adding auth or database complexity.
- Synergy readability matters more than raw upgrade count in replayable arcades.
- Canvas 2D is still a strong choice when draw calls and particle counts are predictable.