Arctic Solstice: Never Set

This is a submission for the June Solstice Game Jam

What I Built

Arctic Solstice: Never Set is a browser-based side-scrolling survival game set in the Arctic Circle under the midnight sun. The player crosses a world of endless daylight, shifting shadows, and frozen terrain while managing stamina, focus, and momentum.

The game combines movement, yoga-inspired recovery, codebreaking, reflection, and environmental pressure into one continuous journey. It interprets the theme as a story about endurance, liberation, balance, and care: June becomes a month where the player learns to survive bright exposure, recover through rhythm, and move toward a more reflective ending.

Video Demo

A playable demo is available here: Game Link.

Video Demo - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IGvWxppnj4eoMGbNNeEozMQr9PT2j336?usp=sharing

Code

The full source code is available here: GitHub Repository.

How I Built It

I built the game with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript using the Canvas 2D API for rendering. The game uses a simple state-based structure with a start screen, an active gameplay loop, and a reflective end section.

The player moves with arrow keys, uses shade to recover, practices yoga to restore stamina and focus, and interacts with a Turing-inspired signal gate to progress. I also added a Gemini guide avatar that can provide adaptive hints and spoken guidance when a key is supplied for local testing.

The game was tuned to keep the gate readable and reachable, so the survival pressure feels tense without making progression impossible. That balance was important because I wanted the player to feel urgency without losing the sense of flow.

Prize Category

Best Ode to Alan Turing

The Turing-inspired stage turns codebreaking into gameplay rather than trivia. Instead of asking the player to memorize facts, the game uses a signal gate and pattern-based progression to honor the spirit of Turing’s wartime computational work.

Best Google AI Usage

The Gemini guide can generate adaptive hints, short operator notes, and spoken responses. Google AI is used as a supporting layer that helps the player without replacing the core game mechanics.