Background

In a team of 2, my partner and I built a 2D game using C# and Unity for Wellesley College's Intro to Game Design course during Spring 2023.

Preview

Play on itch.io

About

Black Cat Witch is a 2D platformer, where players assume the role of a resourceful black cat gifted with the ability to transform into a human (and back). The primary goal of this adventure is to embark on a quest to collect a diverse array of ingredients essential for preparing potions to aid the villagers in their unique needs while avoiding obstacles and enemies.

Environment Design

We set the game in a magical, fairytale-like world with a "cottagecore" aesthetic. The story takes place in a village inhabited by diverse creatures.

Character Design

I designed all the characters (main and background).

Black Cat Witch - Cat Form

Black Cat Witch - Human Form

NPCs and Enemies

Key Features

Levels‍

Explore the Village, Dark Forest, Cave, and Home levels, each with unique challenges and settings.

Unique NPCs

Meet Dragons and Werewolves, each with their own quests and stories.

Ingredient Collection

Gather ingredients across levels to brew potions that help villagers.

Enemies and Obstacles

Navigate different obstacles and creatures in each level.

Gifts

Receive special items that impact the story and gameplay.

Character Transformation

Transform into a cat.

Story

The game follows a black cat who was once a stray, wandering alone until a kind witch took her in and granted her the ability to transform into a human. Grateful for this gift, the cat decided to follow in the witch’s footsteps, becoming a witch herself to help others. Now, she travels through the village, taking requests for potions to aid the villagers.

Her first request comes from Dragon, who suffers from severe flower allergies. Determined to help, Witch gathers ingredients in the first level and brews a potion to relieve Dragon’s symptoms. In gratitude, Dragon gifts her some catnip and suggests she visit a friend—Werewolf, who is struggling with insomnia. Werewolf’s sleepless nights make it difficult for her to care for her children, so Witch sets off on a new mission. In levels 2 and 3, she carefully navigates past slimes, bats, and other obstacles to collect the necessary ingredients. When she finally delivers the potion, Werewolf is deeply thankful.

As they talk, one of Werewolf’s children mentions seeing a stray cat jump into someone’s window. Moved by Witch’s kindness, Werewolf gifts her a necklace to wear when she is in her cat form.

When Witch returns home, she finds a small figure sitting on her desk—the very stray cat the child had seen. Using the gifts she received—catnip from Dragon and the necklace from Werewolf—she gently approaches the stray and welcomes it into her home.

And so, just as she had once been taken in and given a new life, Witch now offered the same kindness to another.

Cultural Narratives

‍In our game, the black cat serves as a metaphor for discrimination, reflecting how individuals and communities are often unfairly treated based on characteristics such as race, disability, gender, and more. Just as black cats have been unfairly treated and associated with bad luck solely because of their fur color, many marginalized people face unjust stereotyping and exclusion based on their appearance and other characteristics.
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The enemies and obstacles in the game—slimes, bats, thorn bushes, and sharp rocks—are not hostile. They exist within their own space. When someone, like Witch, enters that space, they must be careful not to disturb the environment, as it is not theirs to claim.
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Witch represents someone who enters a space that doesn’t belong to them. This brings the responsibility of respecting the “rules” of that environment. She must be mindful of how her actions could disrupt the balance and harmony of the space she enters. Witch doesn’t have the right to assume ownership of the environment; her role is to understand its dynamics and navigate carefully within them.
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In the same way, when individuals or groups from outside a community enter a new space—whether it’s cultural, social, or physical—they must do so with awareness and respect. They must recognize that the space does not belong to them, and that their presence should align with the established norms and values of those who already inhabit it.

Mechanics

My teammate and I developed character movements and level progression using C# and Unity. Players can walk and jump using the arrow keys, and fly and take potions by pressing enter.

Playthrough