INTRODUCTION

Lunch Rush is a game concept that combines cooking simulators with rhythm-based gameplay, where players must meet the demands of a bustling restaurant by cooking meals to the beat. For this project, I challenged myself to develop a design brief for a fictional game, designing all assets from scratch while integrating game mechanics from both genres.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Character and Environment art, UI Design, Logo Design, Concept and Game Design

TOOLS

Figma, Clip Studio Paint, Adobe Illustrator

Game Screens

Swipe Notes

Tap Notes

Song Results

Support Menu

Support Dialogue

Equip Skills

Main Menu

Visual Development

Lunch Rush’s visual style draws inspiration from the bold, vibrant colors seen in American diners and their charming hand-painted signs. I wanted the UI to feel bubbly and friendly, reminiscent of the rounded corners and curved architecture commonly associated with diners. The playful aesthetic complements the game’s colorful and welcoming visuals, designed to appeal to a wide age demographic.

UI ASSETS

CHARACTER DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION

Character designs were inspired by my firsthand experiences in kitchens, along with influences from popular media such as The Bear, Kitchen Nightmares, and Boiling Point. I wanted each character to feel like a real, hardworking person in a tough industry while still having enough visual personality to make players want to form a connection with them.

Game Mechanics

Lunch Rush blends rhythm gameplay with fast-paced cooking—players tap to the beat to trigger cooking animations. However, modern rhythm games go beyond the music, often adding gacha rewards, events, or online multiplayer modes. I realized early on that a rhythm game alone wouldn’t be enough to keep players fully engaged.

SCREEN FLOW

In addition to the main game, I decided to add RPG elements, like the ability to equip skills, as well as a dating sim feature. By building bonds with the characters, players can unlock character-specific abilities and upgrade those skills to enhance their gameplay.

I created a screen flow chart to keep track of the different elements I wanted to include, and to visualize how players would navigate these features.

Outlining the interactions and UI animations helped me refine how features would be presented and how movement would be conveyed in the final game screens. I also used wireframes to explore different rhythm game mechanics and how they might play out visually.

WIREFRAMES & INTERACTION DESIGN

ITERATIONS