Prompt Wars

Inspiration

We were inspired by two things:

how chaotic and competitive prompt engineering has become, and
classic retro multiplayer games where simple mechanics create intense gameplay.

We wanted to turn prompting AI into an actual game mechanic, not just a tool behind the scenes. The idea was: what if prompts were weapons, and creativity was the skill ceiling? That’s how Prompt Wars was born.

What it does

Prompt Wars is a retro-styled multiplayer game where players battle on a floating island using AI-generated “prompt attacks.” Players compete to knock each other off the map, with the environment designed so falling is always possible and central to gameplay.

Each round emphasizes:

Fast-paced action
Simple controls
Creative strategy instead of complex mechanics

The goal is to keep the game easy to pick up, but hard to master.

How we built it

Engine: Pygame
Language: Python
Art Style: Retro / pixel-inspired visuals
Assets: Open-source sprite packs and custom backgrounds
Structure: Modular file system separating game logic, entities, assets, and settings

We focused on clean separation between:

Player movement and physics
Game state and collisions
Rendering and animation

This made it easier for each team member to work independently without breaking everything.

Challenges we ran into

Designing maps that are simple to code but still fun to play on
Preventing overly complex platform shapes that made collision logic messy
Balancing physics so players can fall off easily without the game feeling unfair
Keeping visuals consistent while using assets from different sources

Switching engines mid-project was also a challenge, but ultimately the right call.