A mouse made out of light
Mouse Meadow replaces the space setting with grass, clover and pollen. The player remains attached to the same gameplay circle; ears and a constrained tail react to acceleration and turns. Reduced motion uses a steadier pose.
One framework, several materials
Dewdrop, Ember and Glass Marble reuse a circular cosmetic renderer with different highlights and trails. They are selectable prototypes rather than paid unlocks. The work tests how much character can change while rules, boss colors and scoring remain shared.
Keep the play link current
The portfolio now points to the Netlify playtest used by the studio. The project notes distinguish that build from a locally prepared itch package that had not been uploaded. The refreshed screenshot comes from the public playtest; difficulty pacing still needs human tuning.
What I learned
Cosmetic motion should stay attached to the player's real collision shape. A different silhouette can add character without quietly teaching a different rule.
Sources & development context
Sonaris README, docs/skins/CIRCULAR-SKINS.md, docs/skins/README.md and commit 11853a5 (September 7). Public untagged Netlify playtest captured September 13, 2026. The retained notes do not establish that the latest package is on itch.io.
This retrospective separates the original work date from publication. Historical test results are not claims of a new test run.