The level design in Fuse Runner is structured around strategic path planning, environmental hazards, and visual clarity. Each level is crafted to challenge the player’s timing, spatial reasoning, and adaptability to dynamic obstacles. Since the core mechanic revolves around drawing a fuse path and guiding a fire along it, levels are designed to maximize meaningful interaction with this mechanic while introducing variety through modular systems.
Encourage Creative Pathing
Levels provide multiple possible paths but reward optimal fuse layouts by minimizing risk and maximizing access to power-ups.
Gradual Complexity
Early levels introduce one mechanic at a time (drawing, fire movement, fuse validation). Later levels combine hazards, power-ups, and branching fuses.
High Readability
Players can easily distinguish floors (valid fuse areas), walls (invalid zones), hazards (puddles, wind), and objectives (bombs, power-ups).
Replayability
Multiple fuse paths allow players to experiment and improve their solutions over time, even within the short format of each level.
Floor Tilemap
Represents areas where the player is allowed to draw fuse lines.
Wall Tilemap
Acts as collision zones. Drawing a fuse over these tiles marks the path as invalid.
Decorative Layers
Optional overlays for visual storytelling and thematic variation, such as industrial zones, forests, or labs.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Bomb | The target that must be reached to win the level. Always placed strategically. |
| FuseBurner | The ignition point where the fire starts. Requires a valid fuse to activate. |
| WindZone | Pushes the fire in a direction, making fuse layout more difficult to control. |
| WatterPuddle | Instantly extinguishes the fire, triggering game over if touched. |
| PowerUp | Speed-altering pickups that affect the fire’s travel speed temporarily. |
| Level | Introduced Concepts |
|---|---|
| 1 | Drawing fuses, reaching the bomb |
| 2 | Wind zones affecting fire trajectory |
| 3 | Water puddles that create fail conditions |
Unity Tilemap Editor
Used for precise placement of walls, floors, hazards, and game objects.
Prefab-Based System
All interactive elements (Bomb, FuseBurner, PowerUps, etc.) are prefabs, allowing rapid iteration and consistent behavior across levels.
Scene-Based Levels
Each level is built as a separate Unity scene with its own setup, named consistently (level1, level2, etc.).