About Starcatcher
Starcatcher is a cute space platformer you play with a single button. Hold it to walk, let go to jump, and press it again in midair to slam down and turn around. With that one input you work through small puzzle rooms collecting stars, which makes it a one button game in the strictest sense.
It's a jam game, made for a one-button jam, and the design leans fully on that limit. Walking, jumping, ground pounding and changing direction all come from the same key, so each level is about timing your hold and your release.
The pixel art is warm and soft, with peach and purple tones against a dusty starfield. A session runs a few minutes. You can play Starcatcher online here with Z, X or C, whichever feels best.
How to Play Starcatcher
- Click inside the game window first.
- Hold Z, X or C to walk.
- Release the key to jump.
- Press it again in midair to ground pound and flip the direction you're facing.
- Use those moves to reach and collect every star.
What to Expect in Starcatcher
Expect a short, clever puzzle platformer where one key does everything. The fun is in reading a level and working out exactly when to let go and when to slam back down.
The music has a retro FM synth sound, and the art sticks to a small, cozy eight-color palette. It's a neat example of how much a one button game can do with a single input, and the stars give every room a clear target.
Tips for Starcatcher
- Plan where you want to land before you let go. Releasing is your jump, so timing the release is everything.
- Use the midair press to turn around as much as to slam down. Flipping direction is half its job.
- If you keep missing a ledge, change where you start holding, since you walk the whole time the key is down.
- Pick whichever of Z, X or C sits most comfortably under your finger. They all do the same thing.
- Play Starcatcher free in a few minutes, then replay it for a cleaner run.
Who Made Starcatcher
Starcatcher was made by Escada Games, who released it on itch.io. It was made in Godot for the One Button Jam 2022 and is open source. Damien Guard drew the Star Ranger font, the Nimble Beasts Collective made the Mago3 font, and the colors come from the SLSO8 palette. FunClicker embeds the creator's own version so you can play it here without downloading anything. We did not make the game, and the credit for its design, code, and art belongs to its creator. You can find the original on the Starcatcher page on itch.io.
FAQ
Is Starcatcher free?
Yes. Starcatcher is free to play here in your browser, with nothing to install. Click the game window, hold Z, X or C, and you're walking. A session takes a few minutes, so it's an easy one to play through and then replay for a cleaner run.
How do you play Starcatcher?
Use one key: Z, X or C. Hold it to walk and release it to jump. While you're in the air, press it again to ground pound and flip the direction you're facing. Combine those moves to reach every star in each level.
What is the goal in Starcatcher?
Collect the stars. Each level is a small puzzle-platformer room, and the challenge is getting to every star using only walking, jumping and the midair ground pound. A full session takes a few minutes, so it's a quick, satisfying puzzle run.
Who made Starcatcher?
Starcatcher was made by Escada Games in Godot for the One Button Jam 2022, and it's open source. It was released on itch.io, and FunClicker embeds that original version with a credit link back to it, so the credit for the design, code and art stays with them.
Can I play Starcatcher on a Chromebook or phone?
A Chromebook works well, since Starcatcher runs in the browser and needs only one key. A phone is a poor fit, because the controls are keyboard keys, Z, X or C, and the timing of holds and releases matters a lot.
Is Starcatcher unblocked at school?
Starcatcher needs only a browser tab, with nothing to download. Whether it opens on a school network depends on that network's filters, which we do not control. If it loads, the one-key controls and short session make it an easy fit for a spare few minutes.
Why does Starcatcher use only one button?
Starcatcher was made for a one-button game jam, so every move had to come from a single input. Holding walks, releasing jumps and a midair press ground pounds and turns you around. That limit is the whole design, and the levels are built around it.
What does the ground pound do in Starcatcher?
In Starcatcher, pressing your key while you're in the air makes you ground pound and flip the direction you're facing. It's how you turn around, since there's no other direction control, and how you drop back down quickly when a jump would carry you too far.
