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Dungeon Bounce — Complete Deep Dive Strategy Guide
Overview
Dungeon Bounce is a physics-based dungeon crawler built exclusively for the Playdate handheld. It blends pinball mechanics with hero-party management into a tight 6-room gauntlet. You do not walk your heroes through the dungeon — you launch them. Hold B to slow time, crank to aim, release to fire your hero like a bullet across the room. They bounce off walls, smash into enemies, and ricochet into more enemies. Every surface is a weapon.
Three heroes, each with a unique shape, role, and charged ability. A relic system between rooms. No checkpoints, no continues — one run, six rooms, full clear or bust. A full run takes 10-20 minutes.
Platform: Playdate (sideload .pdx via USB)
Price: Name your own price (free accepted)
File size: 130 kB
Developer: matheus (matheusnicolas)
Status: Prototype (core loop complete, fully playable)
Controls — Every Input Dissected
| Input | Action | Advanced Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hold B | Enter precision aiming mode | Time slows to ~30% speed. The crank becomes your aiming tool. Release B to launch. |
| Crank (while holding B) | Aim launch direction | Full 360-degree analog control. Small movements (< 5 degrees) matter at tight angles. |
| Release B | Launch current hero | Hero travels in the aimed direction until hitting a wall or enemy. |
| D-Pad Left / Right | Cycle heroes (Ace ↔ Healer ↔ Mage) | No wrap-around — you must scroll through. Order is fixed: Ace → Healer → Mage → Ace. |
| A | Activate charged ability | Only works if the ability gauge is full (5 hits). Ability fires immediately at the hero's current position. |
The precision aim system is the heart of the game. Holding B slows everything down — enemies, projectiles, cooldown timers. You have unlimited time to line up your shot. There is no penalty for holding B and waiting. Take every shot methodically.
Crank technique: The crank gives analog precision that digital buttons cannot match. For long-distance shots across the room, full crank rotations map to about 180 degrees of aim. For micro-adjustments, use the crank's fine-motor region (thumb-and-index-finger grip, small wrist movements).
The Three Heroes — Complete Statistical Breakdown
Ace (Triangle — Striker)
| Stat | Value | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Triangle | Ricochets at unpredictable angles off walls (triangle geometry creates irregular bounce patterns) |
| Role | Single-target combo damage | Best for finishing wounded enemies and locking down threats |
| HP | 5 | Fragile — two hits from most enemies and he is down |
| Speed | Fast | Short cooldown (~1.5s effective), quick repositioning |
| Ability | Duel — Rush nearest enemy, lock into 1-on-1 combo: 3 damage × 3 hits = 9 total | Auto-targets. Cannot miss. Interrupts enemy attack animations. |
Ace's triangle shape is both a strength and a weakness. Triangles produce unpredictable bounce angles off flat walls — a 45-degree entry might exit at 60 degrees. This makes him harder to aim precisely at long range but gives him better coverage when fired into a crowd. His fast speed means you can launch him, switch immediately to another hero, and Ace will have completed his trajectory and be ready again by the time your second hero lands.
Duel ability analysis: 9 damage guaranteed to the nearest enemy. This kills most basic enemies in one use. Use it on:
- Enemies about to attack (Duel interrupts them mid-windup)
- The last enemy in a room (guaranteed kill, no aiming needed)
- High-priority targets behind obstacles (auto-target ignores walls)
Healer (Square — Support)
| Stat | Value | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Square | Most predictable bounces — 90-degree reflections off walls. Easiest to aim precisely. |
| Role | Team sustain | Only source of HP recovery in the game |
| HP | 8 | Tankiest hero. Can survive 3-4 hits from basic enemies. |
| Speed | Moderate | ~2s cooldown. Slower than Ace and Mage. |
| Ability | Heal — Restore 3 HP to all nearby heroes (including herself) | Short-radius AoE. Position matters critically. |
Healer is the most important hero in your party. Without her, you cannot recover HP. If she dies in rooms 4-6, the run is effectively over — you will bleed out before reaching the final room.
Heal positioning trick: The heal radius is about one-third of the room width. To maximize coverage, launch Healer to the center of the room before pressing A. If Ace and Mage are on opposite sides, launch Healer to one side first, heal that side, then launch her to the other side on the next rotation.
Square geometry advantage: Bounces off walls at perfect 90-degree angles. You can predict exactly where she will go. Use this for surgical healing — aim at a wall behind a damaged hero so she ricochets directly onto them.
Mage (Circle — Area Damage)
| Stat | Value | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Circle | Theoretically perfect rolling. In practice, circle + wall = slightly unpredictable spin-off. |
| Role | AoE burst damage | Room-clearing potential unmatched |
| HP | 5 | Same as Ace — fragile. Protect her. |
| Speed | Fast | Same cooldown as Ace (~1.5s). |
| Ability | Mage Burst — Fire 8 magic orbs in 8 cardinal/intercardinal directions, each dealing 5 damage, bouncing off walls | 40 potential total damage. Highest single-ability damage in the game. |
Mage Burst is the run-defining ability. In a room with 5+ enemies, a well-positioned Burst can clear half the room instantly. The 8 orbs fire in N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW directions. Each orb travels until it hits a wall, then ricochets. If an orb hits an enemy, it deals 5 damage and continues through (no damage cap per orb).
Optimal Burst positioning: Launch Mage to the geometric center of the room before pressing A. This gives maximum coverage. In rectangular rooms, the center is roughly the midpoint of the floor. In irregular rooms, look for the spot that gives the most open sightlines in all directions.
Bounce Physics — The Complete Guide
Wall Reflection Mechanics
Every hero, regardless of shape, reflects off walls using the law of reflection: angle of incidence = angle of reflection. However, shape modifies the exit angle slightly:
| Shape | Entry Angle | Exit Angle | Practical Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | 45° | ~45° | Most predictable — use for surgical shots |
| Triangle | 45° | ~50-60° | Widens on each bounce — good for coverage |
| Circle | 45° | ~40-50° | Slight randomness — use when spread is desired |
Multi-Bounce Chains
The real power comes from chaining bounces. A direct hit on an enemy deals 5 damage. But a single launch that bounces off 3 walls and hits 2 enemies deals 5 damage to each enemy and charges the ability gauge by 2 hits — without using any extra cooldown.
Three-wall corner shot (most reliable multi-bounce):
- Position your hero on one side of the room
- Aim at the corner wall opposite your target cluster
- The hero hits that corner wall, bounces to the adjacent wall, bounces again into the cluster
- Three surface contacts = three chances to redirect into enemies
Pinball setup (advanced):
- Identify a narrow corridor or channel between obstacles
- Aim directly into the channel at a shallow angle (~20 degrees)
- The hero bounces rapidly between the two walls (like a pinball)
- Each wall bounce counts as a surface contact — if enemies are in the channel, they take multiple hits
Wall Jump Cancel (WJC)
A little-known tech: if you launch a hero and they hit a wall at nearly a 90-degree angle, they stop bouncing and drop straight down. This is usually bad — it wastes the launch. But you can use it deliberately to position a hero exactly where you need them without the ricochet randomness. Aim directly at the wall next to your target position. The hero hits the wall, drops, and is now where you need them.
Enemy Types and Counters
Basic Grunt — Stationary or slow-moving. 3 HP. Dies to one direct hit from any hero. No threat alone, dangerous in groups of 5+.
Counter: Any hero. Mage Burst clears groups of grunts instantly.
Charger — Moves quickly toward the nearest hero. 5 HP. Deals 2 damage on contact with your heroes (not on launching — launching INTO a charger damages IT, not you).
Counter: Ace's Duel interrupts charge animations. Launch Ace at them preemptively.
Turret — Stationary, fires projectiles in a fixed pattern. 8 HP. Projectiles deal 1 damage to your launched heroes (not to their HP — hero HP only drops when enemies physically contact them while they are stationary on the floor).
Counter: Healer (high HP tanks the projectiles while bouncing). Destroy the turret from behind where its projectiles cannot reach.
Shielder — Has a frontal shield that absorbs one hit. 5 HP + shield. Shield regenerates after 3 seconds.
Counter: Bounce around the shield. Aim at a wall behind the Shielder so the ricochet hits them from the rear. Or use Mage Burst — orbs hit from all angles.
Boss — Appears in Room 6. ~20 HP. Has a rotating damage aura that hits nearby heroes. Spawns minions every 10 seconds.
Counter: Keep your party spread out. Use Mage Burst on minions immediately. Use Ace's Duel on the Boss to interrupt its attack cycles. Keep Healer central for rapid healing.
Room-by-Room Strategy Guide
Room 1 — The Introduction
Layout: Open square room. 3 Grunts.
Goal: Learn the controls.
Strategy: Do not rush. Spend this entire room practicing:
- Hold B, crank-aim, release. Repeat.
- Cycle through all three heroes.
- Land 5 hits with each hero to see their ability animations.
Target: Clear in 30-45 seconds. Charge all three abilities before finishing.
Room 2 — First Pressure
Layout: Rectangular room with two pillars in the center. 4 Grunts + 1 Charger.
Goal: Practice bounce shots around obstacles.
Strategy: The pillars block direct shots. Use corner bounces to curve around them. Open with Mage from the side — launch toward the pillar, the ricochet carries him into the cluster behind it.
Target: Use each hero's ability at least once.
Room 3 — Mid-Game Threshold
Layout: L-shaped room. 3 Grunts + 2 Turrets + 1 Charger.
Goal: Resource management.
Strategy: Kill the Turrets first — they are stationary and cannot dodge. Healer's square bounces make short work of them from across the room. Then clean the Charger (Ace Duel). Grunts last.
Watch for: The Charger will aggro on whichever hero is on the floor longest. Keep switching.
Target: Exit with all heroes above 50% HP.
Room 4 — The Difficulty Spike
Layout: Narrow vertical corridor. 3 Shielders + 3 Grunts + 1 Charger.
Goal: Positioning and angle management.
Strategy: This is the first room that punishes bad aim. The corridor is tight — easy to miss and waste launches. Use wall bounces to hit Shielders from behind. Heal after every significant engagement. If you enter this room with Healer's ability charged, use it immediately.
The trap: Players panic in tight corridors and spam launches. Slow down. Hold B, take your time aiming.
Target: No hero deaths.
Room 5 — The Gauntlet
Layout: Large open room with obstacles. 4 TURRETS (all sides) + 2 Chargers + 4 Grunts.
Goal: Prioritization and movement management.
Strategy: This is the hardest non-boss room. Turrets create overlapping fire zones. The Char1gers will chase your heroes. The grunts swarm.
Step-by-step:
- Open with Mage Burst — launch to center, press A. The orbs will hit most of the grunts and may take out a turret.
- Immediately switch to Ace. Use Duel on the nearest Charger to interrupt it.
- Launch Healer toward the area with the most damaged heroes. Heal.
- Cycle back to Mage. By now, abilities should be recharged or close to it.
- Focus fire on Turrets one at a time — they cannot chase you, so they are predictable targets.
- Clean up remaining enemies.
Target: Clear within 60 seconds. Accept that one hero may die — but not Healer.
Room 6 — Boss Fight
Layout: Circular arena. Boss in center. Minions spawn from edges.
Goal: Survival and sustained damage.
Strategy: The Boss has ~20 HP and a rotating damage aura. Minions spawn every 10 seconds from random edges. The fight is a war of attrition.
Phase 1 (20-12 HP): Focus on minions. Use Mage Burst as soon as they spawn. Do not attack the Boss directly — it is not worth the HP loss from the aura. Kill 3 waves of minions first.
Phase 2 (12-5 HP): The Boss's aura shrinks. You can now get closer. Launch Ace at the Boss in short bursts — aim, launch, immediately switch. Use Duel when charged. Heal after every 2-3 exchanges.
Phase 3 (5-0 HP): The Boss spawns minions faster (every 6 seconds) and its aura pulses. Do not stop moving. Keep all three heroes in constant rotation. Save Mage Burst for minion waves. Use Healer's ability on cooldown.
Relic Tier List
Relics appear between rooms after clearing. You choose one from a selection of two.
S-Tier (always take)
| Relic | Effect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| HP Crystal | +2 HP to all heroes | Every hero gets tankier. Healer goes from 8 to 10 HP — she can survive 5 hits instead of 4. |
| Blessing of Restoration | +1 HP healed per ability use | Heal goes from 3 to 4 HP. Over a 6-room run, this adds 10-15 effective HP. |
A-Tier (take if S is not available)
| Relic | Effect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Hands | -15% cooldown | Faster cycling = more launches = more damage. |
| Arcane Amplifier | +2 damage per orb (Mage Burst only) | Each orb goes from 5 to 7 damage. Total Burst potential: 56 damage instead of 40. |
B-Tier (situational)
| Relic | Effect | When to take |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpshooter's Mark | +2 damage on direct hits | Only useful if you are consistently landing direct hits. Take if your aim is good. |
| Speed Boots | +10% launch speed | Faster hero travel = harder to aim, but shorter time-in-flight. High risk, medium reward. |
C-Tier (avoid if possible)
| Relic | Effect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ricochet Rune | +1 extra bounce on wall hit | Sounds good, but the extra bounce often sends heroes into empty corners. Unpredictable. |
| Fortune's Favor | Random effect every room | Could double your damage, could do nothing. Too inconsistent for a 6-room gauntlet. |
Ability Charge Optimization
| Hero | Hits to charge | PS on the Moon vs Potential Damage | Best Use Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace | 5 | 9 damage (single target, guaranteed) | Room 4+ when an enemy is above 50% HP |
| Healer | 5 | 3-12 HP restored (scales with heroes in radius) | After any engagement where total party HP is below 80% |
| Mage | 5 | 40 potential damage (spread) | Room opening or when 3+ enemies are alive |
The 40-damage ceiling: Mage Burst's 40 potential damage is the single highest value in the game. A well-timed Burst at the start of Room 4, 5, or 6 can trivialize the encounter. Never enter the boss room without Mage's ability charged.
Healer opportunity cost: Using Heal when everyone is at full HP wastes the charge. But waiting too long risks a hero dying. Rule of thumb: if any hero is below 50% HP, heal immediately. If everyone is above 80%, save it.
Common Mistakes — Detailed Breakdown
| Mistake | Why It Kills Your Run | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Hero stacking | Multiple heroes on the same spot. One enemy attack hits all of them. | Spread them out. Launch to different quadrants. |
| Ignoring the Healer | Healer sits idle while Ace and Mage take damage. No recovery available. | Cycle Healer in every rotation even if nobody needs healing — keeps her charging. |
| Spamming one hero | Other heroes are useless. Total DPS drops by 66%. | Set a mental timer: switch every 2 seconds. |
| Using abilities immediately | You might waste Mage Burst on 2 enemies when 5 are about to spawn. | Wait. Let enemies group. Use abilities at peak value. |
| Not using abilities at all | Leftover charges at room-clear are lost forever. | If a room is almost clear and a hero has a charged ability, use it. |
| Bad heal positioning | Healer heals herself but misses Ace and Mage standing 2 pixels outside the radius. | Launch Healer between the damaged heroes before pressing A. |
| Panic launching | Holding B is free. Taking 10 seconds to aim is fine. | Breathe. Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. |
Speedrun Tips (Sub-8 Minutes)
- Skip Healer except for heals. In a speedrun, you only use Healer when someone is below 50% HP. Otherwise, keep her benched.
- Mage-first every room. Open every room with Mage Burst from center position. This clears 30-50% of enemies instantly.
- Ace cleanup. Follow immediately with Ace. Use Duel on the nearest survivor.
- Never full-clear. If a room has 1 straggler with 1 HP, launch any hero at it and keep moving. Do not wait for perfect positioning.
- No hesitation on relics. Know what you want before the relic screen appears. S-Tier → pick instantly. Anything else → grab the first option and go.
Target splits:
- Room 1: 30s
- Room 2: 45s
- Room 3: 1m 15s
- Room 4: 1m 30s
- Room 5: 2m
- Room 6: 2m
- Total: ~8 minutes
FAQ
How long is a full run?
10-20 minutes for a first clear. Sub-8 minutes with practice.
What happens if a hero dies?
They are dead for the rest of the run. You continue with the remaining heroes. If all three die, the run ends.
Can I save mid-run?
No. Runs are single-session. Clear all 6 rooms in one sitting.
Is there any RNG?
Enemy spawns are fixed per room. Relic choices are randomized from a pool. No other RNG.
Will the game get more content?
Status is "Prototype." The core loop is complete and fully playable. Updates may add rooms, heroes, or boss variants.
How do I install this on Playdate?
Download the .pdx.zip, extract to get a .pdx folder, sideload via USB using the Playdate sideload tool or the Playdate website. Works with both Playdate models.
What is the maximum theoretical score?
No score system in the current build — the goal is simply to clear all 6 rooms with all 3 heroes alive.
