Scaredy Bear Game

p5.js, Photoshop Scaredy Bear is a browser-based game about a non-binary bear who is afraid of dots. The premise sounds simple, but the design has a point: every dot on screen looks identical, but some cost you points and some earn them. The only way to find out which is which is to move toward them anyway. The mechanics mirror the message. Using WASD or arrow keys, the player navigates Scaredy Bear across the screen, collecting dots to build enough courage to "face their fear." There's no visual cue to help you choose safely — you just have to try, and accept that sometimes trying hurts. For a game, that's a surprisingly honest thing to ask of a player. The character grew out of an unexpected place: a photograph of a Beanie Baby bear from a commercial photography class. Something about that soft, familiar object feeling scared felt right. I built the game in p5.js, handling collision logic, score tracking, and character movement, then used Photoshop to develop Scaredy Bear's visual identity. The game is small, but it means something. It's about the cost and the necessity of facing what frightens you — even when you can't tell in advance whether it'll be worth it.