Zarvot
Level Design · Visual Composition · Switch Dev Kit Development
Summary
A fast-paced action shooter for the Nintendo Switch. I contributed single-player level design, arena aesthetics, destructible environment tuning, and Switch dev kit testing during the final stretch of development.
Main Website (SnowHydra) • Nintendo Store • Steam • MobyGames (Credits)
Project Overview
Zarvot is a stylish, fast-paced action shooter developed by indie creator Sam Eng (SnowHydra) and published on the Nintendo Switch. It features expressive visuals, tactile destructible environments, and a mix of single-player and multiplayer gameplay.
I joined during the final stretch of development to support the Nintendo Switch release, focusing on single-player level design, visual polish, combat pacing, and hardware-aware optimization. This project also provided my first hands-on experience with Nintendo Switch dev kits.
SnowHydra (Main Site) · Nintendo Store · Steam
My Contributions
Single-player level design
Arena aesthetics & visual composition
Enemy wave pacing & combat flow
Destructible environment tuning
Switch dev kit testing & optimization
Close collaboration with Sam Eng
What I Worked On
Single-Player Level Design
Zarvot originally focused on multiplayer, but for the Switch release, the game expanded with a single-player story campaign. My work centered on creating arenas that delivered:
Smooth movement flow
Clear readability
Strong combat beats
Satisfying visual feedback
I worked closely with Sam Eng, who created new mechanics and enemy types. He would develop or code features, and I would:
Place, tune, and integrate them into new arenas
Adjust pacing based on how they felt moment-to-moment
Iterate on layouts to support single-player combat clarity
Provide feedback to refine new mechanics further
This ensured every encounter felt expressive and aligned with Zarvot’s personality.
Level Aesthetics & Visual Composition
In addition to mechanical design, I shaped the visual look and clarity of several arenas. Zarvot’s minimalist, expressive art style required attention to both beauty and function.
My aesthetic contributions included:
Designing levels that were pretty, readable, and coherent
Composing scenes using shape language and lighting
Balancing arena detail with fast-paced gameplay clarity
Maintaining style consistency while optimizing for hardware
This helped each arena feel unique, inviting, and visually satisfying to destroy.
Console Development (Nintendo Switch)
This project gave me hands-on experience with console development and optimization.
My responsibilities included:
Testing arenas directly on Nintendo Switch dev hardware
Identifying memory, frame-rate, and performance issues
Adjusting layouts, visuals, and destruction loads to improve stability
Collaborating with Sam to optimize assets
Refining pacing based on how fights felt on the actual device
Running iterative playtests together on Switch dev kits to validate clarity, feedback, and performance
This taught me the importance of designing with hardware limitations in mind and adapting quickly based on technical findings.
Collaboration with Sam Eng (Creator, Lead Developer)
A major part of my contribution involved close, iterative collaboration with Sam Eng, who created and coded the core game.
Our workflow included:
Discussing new enemy types, hazards, and features
Sam developing mechanics and passing assets to me
Me placing, tuning, and polishing these elements within arenas
Iterating on combat pacing and difficulty
Testing new levels together on a Switch dev kit
Refining visuals and destruction based on shared playtest results
This collaborative loop allowed us to keep each level expressive, satisfying, and technically sound.
