Author | Lightnews

Raphaël

@raphcal.bsky.social

170 followers 85 following 44 posts

Software developer, writing Java and Typescript in an office and coding video games from home while sipping coffee. I made Kuroobi and Poker Poker Magic for #Playdate. Currently working on Montgolfier Brothers' Test Flight.

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · 8d

Thanks! I use a custom editor I wrote in Java called MapMaker. It's inspired by The Games Factory and combines a tilemap and a sprite editor.

The drawing part is definitely not Aseprite, but it gets the job done! It has some useful tools like color replacement, outline tool and dithering on export.

Screen capture of MapMaker showing the tilemap editor (on the left), sprite and animation editor (in the middle), and the image editor (on the right).

Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · 9d

Here's a look at the different stages of creating the #1bit title screen artwork for Switchboard Shuffle, my #FallingBlockJam entry. I am unable to draw the same face twice so I had to iterate to make sure the art was consistent with the operator's look.

#playdate #pixelart

6 steps showing how I made the title screen artwork : first is the draft I made on paper (colored in pink to make it easy to draw over), and last is the final version in 1 bit.

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Reposted by Raphaël

Matt Kamen @mattkamen.bsky.social · 24d

My deep dive retrospective on @play.date at three years old, over @wired.com - from getting started to the current development scene of this quirky handheld!

Thanks to developers @synapticsugar.games, @raphcal.bsky.social, and @loudo.lugludum.com for their contributions!

WIRED @wired.com · 25d

With almost laughably low power, a monochrome screen, and unique controls, niche-micro console Playdate shouldn't make any sense in a world of modern gaming. Yet, it's near impossible not to love it. www.wired.com/story/three-...

3 Years Later, Playdate Is Still Gaming's Best-Kept Secret

With almost laughably low power, a monochrome screen, and unique controls, niche-micro console Playdate shouldn't make any sense in a world of modern gaming. Yet, it's near impossible not to love it.

www.wired.com

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Sep 23

Done! The latest version includes both the Mac and Windows builds! It's available on Itch: rapcal.itch.io/switchboard-...

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Sep 22

Sure! I will be happy to make a Windows build. You will just need to have the Playdate SDK installed to play it.

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Sep 21

Somehow I managed to finish a rough entry for #FallingBlockJam! It's far from done but it's playable! If you own a Playdate or an Apple Silicon Mac, you can give it a try here: rapcal.itch.io/switchboard-...

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Sep 19

Running late for the #FallingBlockJam, but gameplay is finally starting to take shape!

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Aug 20

Hi! I've released two games on Playdate Catalog: Kuroobi and Poker Poker Magic. Both definitely draw inspiration from retro mechanics. I'd be happy to help!

Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Aug 13

Hi! I've released two games on Catalog (Kuroobi and Poker Poker Magic). Would be happy to answer your questions!

Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Jul 31

My daughter has great ideas for her original characters. I tried to draw a #fanart of Leila, one of her creations.

Drawing by my daughter of one of her original characters. She is named Leila and has orange hair, a green shirt, and a dress over a turquoise skirt.

This drawing was made by me and is my attempt at drawing Leila with my own style.

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Jun 15

This month’s artwork for the @uncrankdpd.bsky.social calendar was drawn by me! Caroline and Saki are meeting up outdoor to enjoy some #Playdate games together!

June 2025 calendar page on a wooden stand. The illustration shows Caroline (from Poker Poker Magic) and Saki (from Kuroobi) sitting and playing video games with Playdate consoles. Caroline’s dove, Ceres, flies nearby.

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Jun 7

RelAXE, my submission to the #playdate #uncrankdgamejam, placed 2nd out of 20!
I still can’t believe it! Thank you so much to everyone!
rapcal.itch.io/relaxe

RelAXE by Rapcal

Help people to relax by axing their stressful thoughts.

rapcal.itch.io

Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · May 27

Played a bit this morning, it was fun. It was hard, I only managed to get a single 100%. I think it would be easier if the button to press was written on the notes.

Reposted by Raphaël

Indie! @indiealpa.ca · May 12

Made a new video about the Playdate!

I talk about what I've been playing on mine lately and ask whether it's still worth picking up after the recent price bump.

The Playdate in 2025: new games, new price

YouTube video by IndieAlpaca

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Raphaël

UncrankdPD @uncrankdpd.bsky.social · May 11

A total of twenty games have been submitted for the Uncrank'd Game Jam. Check them out here: itch.io/jam/uncrankd...
The winners will be revealed on June 7th and more on the game jam in issue 8.
#Playdate

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Mar 11

In English it can means both 😅 dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/e...

biweekly

1. happening or appearing every two weeks or twice a week: 2. happening or…

dictionary.cambridge.org

Reposted by Raphaël

Playdate @play.date · Mar 6

🏷️ The Catalog Anniversary Sale 2025 is LIVE! We're featuring a bunch of discounted titles on the Catalog frontpage—see what looks good to you:

play.date/games

Catalog Anniversary Sale 2025
LIVE RIGHT NOW
March 6, 10 AM–March 20, 10 AM PT

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Feb 27

Did you see that he started to work at Panic 2 months before you did?

Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Feb 14

Huge congratulations to Xx_Henry_xX for setting a new world record of 3,213,400 points in Kuroobi for #Playdate! After more than a year, Chromeblast's incredible 3 million points record has finally been beaten!

Reposted by Raphaël

Ledbetter @ldbrart.bsky.social · Feb 3

PUP CUP is out TOMORROW! @play.date Catalog - this is a Big update to the itch version (which will also get the newness) Get your Cranks ready to feed some dogs!

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Jan 15

Can you add me to this list?

Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Jan 2

I finally received the #Playdate Advent Calendar and the 2025 calendar 🥳. It was full of surprises, and being able to open everything at once was fun 🎁

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Dec 16

Happy birthday 🎈

Reposted by Raphaël

𓆋Memoats𓆋 @memoats.kawaii.social · Dec 14

catharsis

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Raphaël @raphcal.bsky.social · Dec 14

So awesome!