GAME DESIGN

ILLUSTRATOR

SOLO PROJECT

MAY 2025

CONTEXT

Kangaroo Court is chaotic party-debate courtroom roleplaying game where players must argue their case using the most absurd evidence with even more absurd reasoning.

The game began as a rapid prototype for the UC Davis Game Dev & Arts Club 2025 Spring Game Jam. Originally built around a themed prompt, the project quickly evolved through playtests into a focused party game centered on player storytelling and group dynamics. After the jam, I continued developing the game independently.

DESIGN CHALLENGE

How can the game balance structured gameplay with player-led storytelling to create an engaging experience for every player?

How can the game balance structured gameplay with player-led storytelling to create an engaging experience for every player?

How can the game balance structured gameplay with player-led storytelling to create an engaging experience for every player?

MY ROLE

Design and develop the core game mechanics. Create a consistent visual identity including the logo, packaging, and overall game materials.

OBJECTIVES

  • Prioritize improvisation and player storytelling as the core game mechanic.

  • Simplify rules for quick player onboarding.

  • Emphasize player interactions and humor over complex systems.

  • Create a structured foundation that provides direction and creative flexibility.

INITIAL CONCEPT

INITIAL CONCEPT

When the game jam theme was announced to be "Unison" I only had one thought circling my mind: a courtroom rising together. Despite exploring other game concepts, the image was pervasive.

So, I began laying out what could be a foundation and gameplay loop for a courtroom-type game. Courtrooms involve a lot of debate which could translate well into a party-debate roleplaying game where two opposing sides could preach their case.

With the clock quickly ticking away from the jam deadline, I jumped into ideation and experimented with paper prototypes.

KEY DESIGN CHALLENGES

KEY DESIGN CHALLENGES

Going into the project, I identified several design challenges that guided the playtesting phases. Keeping these goals in mind allowed the game to remain balanced, engaging, and accessible to all players.

KEY DESIGN CHALLENGES

How can I make a complex courtroom be intuitive for all players?

How might I encourage roleplay without requiring acting skills?

How can I balance strategy and debate with absurd humor?

How can I keep all player roles engaged throughout the trial?

How might I create replayability without increasing complexity?

PLAYTESTING CYCLES

Kangaroo Court went through many playtesting cycles and iterations, but can be summarized into four main iterations. Development lasted about 2-3 months after the game jam.

INITIAL PROTOTYPE

INITIAL PROTOTYPE

Initially named Adjourned!, Kangaroo Court's foundation stemmed from a basic gameplay loop: Judge chooses the case, Attorneys debate, and the Jury votes at the end. The vote must be unanimous or head into a re-trial turn.

I began playtesting as soon as possible. In the prototype, players were already designing their own fun through hilarious (and sometimes questionable) debates.

PROTOTYPE FEEDBACK:

  • Very entertaining and fun to play.

  • Abstract cases → hard to make arguments.

  • Judge/Jury feel too passive, difficult to stay engaged.

  • Attorneys got confused on their debates.

    • Heavily reliant on their performance to carry the game.

After the game jam ended, I expanded the gameplay with no time or theme restrictions. I quickly removed the unanimous voting, as that was not realistic in most playthroughs. Then, I experimented with new features such as a Timeline board to present evidence in chronological order, "Personas" and Professions for Jury members to roleplay, and Witness statements as new pieces of evidence.

The Timeline board and Jury cards were ultimately removed in Iteration Three based on player feedback.

After the game jam ended, I expanded the gameplay with no time or theme restrictions. I quickly removed the unanimous voting, as that was not realistic in most playthroughs.

Then, I experimented with new features such as a Timeline board to present evidence in chronological order, "Personas" and Professions for Jury members to roleplay, and Witness statements as new pieces of evidence.

The Timeline board and Jury cards were ultimately removed in Iteration Three based on player feedback.

ITERATION TWO FEEDBACK:

  • Judge/Jury still felt very passive and distracted.

    • Jury felt too much like observers and not active players.

  • Attorneys forget about the Crime and go on tangents.

  • Good prompting so far, heavily reliant on player performance. Should utilize real debate structures.

ITERATION TWO

ITERATION TWO

ITERATION THREE

ITERATION THREE

After multiple rounds of playtesting and feedback cycles, I had to overhaul the game's roles. Judge/Jury were too passive and the Attorneys felt too pressured to carry the game.

I created a fresh role called the Witness that could read Witness Statements and roleplay their questioning. The Judge combined into the Judge/Jury/Witness. Attorneys were no longer 1v1, instead expanding to Attorney Teams with 1-3 players. This helped take pressure off on individual performance.

ITERATION THREE FEEDBACK:

  • Role change helped passiveness very well. Really enjoyed it.

    • Judge/Jury/Witness player engaged throughout.

    • Attorney Teams liked working together with multiple perspectives. Allowed quieter players to still contribute.

  • Wished they could draw more Evidence cards.

The final playtest was for the Analog Board Game class final. Fairly minimal changes were implemented, besides some balancing. Most of the iteration was material production like a gavel and pad or Witness "costumes", and designing the visual system. Kangaroo Court is intended to feel colorful, chaotic, and far from a real courtroom setting. I mainly focused on polish and identity for this final iteration.

The final playtest was for the Analog Board Game class final. Fairly minimal changes were implemented, besides some balancing. Most of the iteration was material production like a gavel and pad or Witness "costumes", and designing the visual system.

Kangaroo Court is intended to feel colorful, chaotic, and far from a real courtroom setting. I mainly focused on polish and identity for this final iteration.

FINAL ITERATION FEEDBACK:

  • Roles felt much more engaging and intuitive to everyone.

  • Really liked the "costume" changes and gavel.

  • Thought the box and rulebook looked very nice.

    • Some inconsistencies in the rulebook.

  • Game ended much faster than before, only about 25mins.

FINAL ITERATION

FINAL ITERATION

FINAL EXPERIENCE

Kangaroo Court is a chaotic and satirical party-debate courtroom game for 3-7 players. Face head-to-head as Attorneys debating absurd cases using questionably-sourced evidence, or determine the flow and verdict as the Judge/Jury. Through multiple rounds of playtesting, the game evolved into a structured yet highly improvisational experience that encourages roleplaying, creativity, and player interaction.

Download and print a paper version of the game to play yourself, found on my itch.io page! The game rulebook can be flipped through below.

Play the game yourself! →

Play the game yourself! →

GAME RULEBOOK

GAME RULEBOOK

Click to flip through the pages.

FUTURE STEPS

Kangaroo Court is still an ongoing project and will likely continue development. These are some future goals I hope to achieve.

Expand card options and finalize gameplay

Create more cards for replayability and conduct broader blind playtests with wider audiences. Refer back to the design challenges.

Expand card options and finalize gameplay

Create more cards for replayability and conduct broader blind playtests with wider audiences. Refer back to the design challenges.

Expand card options and finalize gameplay

Create more cards for replayability and conduct broader blind playtests with wider audiences. Refer back to the design challenges.

Design complete cohesive visual system

Finish designing the cards and branding assets. Ensure the entire visual system is consistent across the board.

Design complete cohesive visual system

Finish designing the cards and branding assets. Ensure the entire visual system is consistent across the board.

Material production and game publication (???)

If positively received, I may potentially produce the materials through a manufacturer and publish the game.

Material production and game publication (???)

If positively received, I may potentially produce the materials through a manufacturer and publish the game.

Material production and game publication (???)

If positively received, I may potentially produce the materials through a manufacturer and publish the game.

REFLECTION

01

Too much player freedom can weaken the overall experience.

Too much player freedom can weaken the overall experience.

I wanted the game to feel open and improvisational, but without enough structure players can feel directionless. Even chaotic games need clear structure to keep players engaged and confident participating.

02

Logic or realism should not take precedence over user experience.

Logic or realism should not take precedence over user experience.

For many playtests, I held onto the idea of separate jury roles and votes, as that is how real courts function. However, keeping the roles separate hindered the overall player experience for the jury and judge. Prioritizing the players over the logical route made the game much more enjoyable for everyone.

03

Player behavior doesn't always match intent.

Player behavior doesn't always match intent.

I designed certain roles and mechanics, specifically the attorneys, expecting players to act theatrically and exaggerated with their friends. I quickly realized that not all players naturally engage that way. Some were quieter or less improvisational than others.

This made me consider how design can encourage participation without forcing a specific playstyle or overwhelming the game's mechanics and party aspects on an individual's performance.

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