Once Upon a Shell
A downloadable game for Windows and macOS
Once Upon a Shell is a roguelike racing game of ridiculous speed and wild upgrades. As a tortoise, use your shell to your advantage and slide downhill to generate speed. Build movement combos between races and prove that even a tortoise can lift The Hare Cup.
Controls:
| Action | Controller | Keyboard & Mouse |
|---|---|---|
| Running and Rotating | | |
| Slide in your Shell | ||
| Jumping |
Features:
-
Race at Ridiculous Speeds
Outrun a pack of overconfident hares in chaotic, fast-paced races where momentum is everything. -
Master the Shell Slide
Tuck into your shell to drift around the grasslands with ecstatic speed. Evolve Your Movement
Unlock movement upgrades that influence how you gain speed and how fast you become .-
Claim the Hare Cup
Conquer all four divisions in a single run to prove, once and for all, that the tortoise can beat the hares. -
A Living Fable
Explore a charming watercolor storybook world that continues the classic tale of The Tortoise and the Hare.
Credits:
| Game Director | Vladimír Hořký |
| Producer | Viktor Máni Mønster |
| Game Designer | Anita Tiwari |
| Level Designer | Mikkel Gam-Pedersen |
| Composer | Niels De Fine Olivarius |
| Audio Programmer | Asger Fihl Hedegaard Nielsen |
| Art Director | Emili Mikkelsen |
| Visual Artist | Lucia Šupová |
| Technical Artist | Jacob Kjerulf- Thomasen |
| Lead Programmer | Philip Hviid-Wodschow |
| Programmer | Claudiu Mihai Jechel |
| Programmer | Sebastian Giovanni Murgia Kristensen |
| Programmer | Viktor Krarup Andersen |
This game was created as part of the DADIU 2025 program in Copenhagen.
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Comments
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Cute little concept that is well-executed, running and sliding feels natural, although the camera controls are a bit non-standard. Nevetheless the racing is fun, and clenching a win by sliding at the end and giving the hares what they deserve feels very good 🐢
And yes, the gameplay requirement of winning every race sort of clashes with the narrative of beating the hares.
Nice idea! Sliding felt intuitive and I won the first 2 races on the first try. The third one I lost because there was almost no hill to gain speed on in the start. No sure if the levels are random.
In terms of the narrative, it feels a bit off that you have to win every race. If you beat the rabbits in the first race, you kinda proved you are better. I thought the idea would be that you couldn't win, but slowly upgraded your skills to win the final race.
The speedometer is a nice touch!