universal

# Universal Alphabet Game

**Universal Alphabet Game** is a blue-and-white 2D alphabet survival game inspired by the endless-runner rhythm of the classic dinosaur game, then pushed into something much harder: alphabet dodging, sudden attacks, rhythm prompts, absorption, shields, custom keys, and multilingual UI.

Created by **kov_it**.

## Download / Itch.io Description

Run, jump, dodge, read the screen, survive the rhythm sequence, and absorb letters before the alphabet overwhelms you.

You play as a single alphabet letter. Every other letter can be dangerous, except for one key rule:

**The same letter as your current player letter cannot hurt you.**

That rule turns every absorbed letter into both a tool and a risk. When the game enters absorb mode, touch letters to collect them, then use mouse clicks to switch your current letter. If you absorb a duplicate of a letter you already own, you gain a shield that can block one rhythm mistake.

The result is a fast, sharp, deliberately difficult 2D game where reading letters matters as much as dodging them.

## Key Features

- Minimal blue-and-white visual style

- Animated intro, animated menu, and animated exit sequence

- First-launch language selection

- 9-language main UI support:

  - Korean

  - English

  - Japanese

  - Simplified Chinese

  - Spanish

  - French

  - German

  - Portuguese

  - Russian

- Fully playable 2D alphabet runner

- Ground, flying, and sudden burst alphabet obstacles

- Space-style jump gameplay with WASD-style movement by default

- Four-direction rhythm game using rhythm keys

- Rhythm judgement: `PERFECT`, `GOOD`, `LATE`, `MISS`

- 10-second absorption reward after rhythm success

- Mouse left/right click to switch absorbed letters

- Duplicate absorption creates rhythm mistake shields

- Practice mode

- Complete tutorial mode

- Options menu with:

  - Language

  - Difficulty

  - Volume

  - Mute

  - Fullscreen

  - Control hints

  - Key configuration

- Duplicate key detection

- High score saving

- Pause screen

- Custom executable/window icon

- Single-file Windows exe build

## Game Modes

### Start

The normal game mode. Your score counts toward the saved high score.

### Practice

A safer mode for learning the flow. Collisions and rhythm mistakes do not end the run.

### Tutorial

A guided mode that teaches the full game:

- Jumping

- Movement

- Air control

- Ground obstacles

- Flying obstacles

- Sudden side/top/bottom burst obstacles

- Same-letter safety

- Absorb mode

- Letter switching

- Duplicate absorption

- Rhythm shields

- Rhythm judgement

- Pause and options

## Core Rules

- Touching a different alphabet usually ends the run.

- Touching the same alphabet as your current player letter is safe.

- Rhythm mode appears during a run.

- Clear rhythm mode to gain absorb mode.

- During absorb mode, touching letters absorbs them.

- Use mouse left/right click to switch between absorbed letters.

- Absorbing a duplicate letter gives one rhythm mistake shield.

- A shield blocks one rhythm mistake.

## Default Controls

- `A` / `D`: move left and right

- `W`: air control upward

- `S`: fast fall

- `Space`: jump

- Arrow keys: rhythm prompts

- Mouse left/right click: switch current absorbed letter

- `P` or `Esc`: pause

- `Enter`: confirm/restart

All gameplay keys can be changed in **Options → Key Config**.

## Key Configuration

The key configuration screen supports:

- Left movement

- Right movement

- Air up

- Fast fall

- Jump

- Pause

- Rhythm left

- Rhythm right

- Rhythm up

- Rhythm down

Duplicate keys are rejected automatically. Press `R` in the key configuration screen to restore the default layout.

## Build

This project uses C# WinForms.

```powershell

dotnet build

```

## Build Single Exe For Release

Use the included batch file:

```bat

build-dist.bat

```

The final release file is created here:

```text

dist\UniversalGame.exe

```

The release build is self-contained and single-file. Assets such as the intro image and icon are embedded into the executable.

## Notes For Itch.io Upload

Upload this file:

```text

dist\UniversalGame.exe

```

Recommended itch.io settings:

- Kind of project: `Downloadable`

- Platform: `Windows`

- Upload type: single executable

- Suggested page tags: `2D`, `Arcade`, `Rhythm`, `Difficult`, `Minimalist`, `Runner`

## Save Data

Settings and high score are saved locally under the user's application data folder:

```text

UniversalAlphabetGame\save.json

```

Practice and tutorial are intended for learning. Normal play is the main high-score mode.