Virtual D-Pads suck

I've always loved tight platformers - like Kaizo Mario or Celeste. In fact, Celeste is the only game I've ever gotten all achievements in on Steam.

And the D-Pad is vital to the genre. That's why the SNES controller from 1992 remains a favorite among the best players. That's also why you've never played a good platformer on mobile:

Virtual D-Pads suck.

There's no haptic feedback. You can't feel what you're pressing. Without a precise input device, it's impossible to control precisely.

So, I decided to come up with a solution.

Gameplay

Ember Ruin is a precise and atmospheric platformer built from scratch for touch controls. There's no walking - you swipe to dash in four directions, and tap once to wall jump.

Every movement is quick, clean and intentional. The result feels as reliable as a classic D-Pad - but designed for your phone touchscreen.

Each run is built from handcrafted segments that blend seamlessly through procedural generation, creating endless journeys upward through The Depths.

Climb higher, master every movement, and fight for your spot on the leaderboards.

Story

Haha, you really thought? No spoilers!

Development

Ember Ruin began as a school project: a simple experiment in making mobile controls that feel good.

But it quickly grew into something much more - a full game about precision, atmosphere, and reflection.

I'm building it solo, with help from friends for music and art - with an estimated release in 2026 for Android & iOS.

Join the journey

Want to playtest Ember Ruin?

A pre-release version is available now on Google Play. Any and all feedback is very much appreciated! You can submit it through the in-game form.