What it is
Blokia Designer is a retro phone-design tycoon game set in 2000 and made for Ludum Dare 60. You play a junior product manager at Blokia who builds phones from stencils, draws pixel wallpapers, composes ringtones, and launches designs to satisfy reviewers. Each quarter you manage research, rivals, email, and sales targets while trying to rise to CEO by 2004.
From the developer
In the developer’s own words, from outstar.itch.io.
It's 2000. You're a Junior Product Manager at Blokia, a mobile phone maker, and your boss Bob wants hits.
Working from your trusty Fenestra 98 desktop, you design phones from scratch:
Build the body from stencils: keys, screens, speakers, panels and antennas.
Read more
Draw the wallpaper pixel by pixel.
Write the ringtone note by note in a 3310-style composer.
Customize it to look however you like.
Then launch your phone and see what the reviewers think. Teens, business people and seniors all want different things.
Each turn is one quarter. Fund research, keep an eye on your rivals, answer your e-mail and hit Bob's sales targets. Can you climb from junior to CEO by 2004?
Every phone gets a seed code you can copy and share, so friends can load your design.
Made in 72 hours for Ludum Dare 60 (theme: Old Tech).
LUDUM DARE LINK
Editor takes
“Quarterly research, targets and reviewer feedback make a tight economy, but no save option turns the climb to CEO into a marathon you can't pause.”
“Perfect for a quick desktop session, but the lack of a save option means you'll need one long commute to see the 2004 ending.”
“For a 72-hour Ludum Dare entry, the breadth of body stencils, pixel wallpapers and ringtone composer is impressive — the seed-code sharing is a clever jam-sized touch.”
“Management sim pacing is all about menu flow, so don't expect frame-perfect action — the stencil-based builder responds fine, but it's a strategy game at heart.”
How to play
Run the game in a browser or via the downloadable desktop build. In each turn, use the Fenestra 98-style desktop to assemble a phone body from stencils, customize its wallpaper and ringtone, then launch it and read reviewer feedback. You also spend quarters funding research, checking email, tracking rivals, and working toward Bob's sales targets.
Tips
- Pay attention to what teens, business people, and seniors each want before finalizing a design.
- Keep an eye on rivals and use research funding wisely to stay competitive over the quarters.
- Read your email and review Bob's sales targets so you know what to prioritize next.
- Experiment with stencils, wallpaper, and ringtones; reviewer reactions will show what works.
- Copy your phone's seed code if you want to share or revisit a design later.
Questions
Is Blokia Designer free?
The itch.io page uses 'name your own price,' so you can download it for any amount, including zero, or play it in the browser.
What platforms can I play it on?
It runs in the browser (HTML5) and has downloadable builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
How long does a full game take?
The story runs from 2000 to 2004, with each turn representing one quarter; a full career is roughly 16 turns.
Can I save my progress?
The current 72-hour Ludum Dare build doesn't include a save option, and some players have asked for one.
Can I share a phone I designed?
Yes. Each phone gets a seed code you can copy and share, so other players can load the same design.
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