Suggestions/ideas for the devs

[jods]

I love the concept and the core gameplay is solid and fun!
You need to take the concept of speed / race to the max and build everything else around it!!

The rogue-like map inbetween levels are nothing but speed. The path selection is uninteresting and has IMHO no added value.

Here's a suggestion to replace it: at the end of level, put 2 portals. Based on their design / color / decoration they would indicate what's next: either the next level (normal, challenge, mini-boss), or what is inbetween levels (see below).
This is will be some very quick thinking, split-second thinking (what do I want next?), still provides some control over the next levels, and doesn't interrupt the flow of the race.

It's also a design space that could be explored with hidden exit portals in the level, or portals that have some requirements (an action that had to be done during the level, or a speed check, etc.), that may lead to secret levels or juicy bonuses.

When entering the end level portal, make a cool graphic transition into a wormhole / tunnel, so that even if we're stopped for a minute, we still feel like we're running!

In that inbetween tunnel you can propose bonuses. Please remove the aweful shops and heal levels. Instead go more "rogue-lite" with picking a perk amongst three at the end of every level. Maybe it's pick one for free, or maybe they can be bought with sparks collected during levels.

This opens all the classical stuff: passive bonuses to increase chance of good/rare perks, passive that offer a discount, passive that proposes 4 items instead of 3, and spending sparks to re-roll the proposed perks!

Bonuses could be various passive abilities, or one-time use items.
Idea: maybe put one-time use items inside the levels as well, à la Mario Kart?

One item that should be common is being able to get an instant big speed boost. When the dark wave catches up with you, it's often frustrating because it's super hard to quickly gain enough speed to escape it. A common booster item would be the saving grace for those situations. Instead of being frustrating, escaping becomes a thrilling emotion!

For the best experience, you should generate the next level in a background thread during the tunnel inbetween levels. So that we I picked my perk, you can transition right into the next level with zero waiting! Gotta go fast, uninterrupted racing!

What should one do with the sparks then?
- They could be used to buy power-ups between levels, if those are not free, as well as re-rolls, heals, etc.
- Or: go back to Mario/Sonic roots... every 100 sparks collected give some kind of bonus (item, heal, boost, invulnerability, maybe from a random slot machine!).
- Or make them consumable, e.g. for boosts.

I wish good luck with the game! There's a lot of potential, but also some polishing left to do.

[Keadin]

Make shopping like running through those gates in those ♥♥♥♥♥♥ mobile games.

Buying the wrong things because your're running too fast (faster == more discount).

Chaos fun.

[Beth]

Thanks for sharing! :) There's been a lot of similar feedback regarding the game flow so that is something that will be discussed for sure.