Strider Runner

A fast, precision 2D platformer built with the Unity Engine. Strider Runner combines classic side-scrolling movement with modern feel: tight controls, double jump, air dash, wall grab, wall jump, ranged and melee enemies, physics-driven traps, collectibles, checkpoints, and a multi-level campaign.

Author: Mithin Sagar S GitHub: https://github.com/mithinsagar License: MIT

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Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Features
3. Technology Stack
4. Repository Layout
5. Getting Started
6. Controls
7. Gameplay Systems
8. Building the Game
9. Scripts Reference
10. Contributing
11. Roadmap
12. Credits
13. License

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1. Overview

Strider Runner is a single-player 2D action platformer. The player picks a character from a roster, each with a unique movement profile, and races through a series of hand-crafted levels filled with traps, patrolling enemies, and ranged shooters. The game emphasizes fluid movement: dashing through gaps, wall-jumping up shafts, and chaining double-jumps across collapsing platforms.

The project is intended as both a playable game and a reference codebase for Unity 2D platformer development, showcasing the new Input System, ScriptableObject based character data, a lightweight audio manager, and a save system built on PlayerPrefs.

2. Features

• Tight 2D character controller with movement, flip, jump, extra (double) jump, wall grab, wall slide, wall jump, and air dash.
• Character selection screen with distinct movement stats per character.
• Level system with a start screen, seven levels, and an end screen.
• Checkpoint and respawn system with per-level save state.
• Enemies: patrolling melee and stationary ranged (projectile) variants.
• Trap kit: saw, spike, fire, falling platform, trampoline, sticky platform, fan, pendulum, rotating hazards, and death zones.
• Collectibles with an item collector and per-level counters.
• Audio manager with pooled sound effects and randomised background music.
• UI/UX for start, pause, game over, quit, insufficient lives, and extra lives screens.
• Unity Input System with rebindable action assets.
• PlayerPrefs-based save system covering unlocked levels, lives, and settings.
• Camera follower with configurable dead-zone and shake on impact.

3. Technology Stack

• Unity Engine (2D URP-compatible project template)
• C# scripts (.NET runtime shipped with Unity)
• Unity Input System (com.unity.inputsystem)
• Unity 2D Animation and SpriteShape
• Cinemachine (optional, camera authoring)
• TextMesh Pro for UI text rendering

Verified with Unity 2022 LTS and Unity 6 (any release supporting the package versions listed in Packages/manifest.json).

4. Repository Layout

strider-runner/
├── README.md
├── LICENSE
├── CHANGELOG.md
├── CONTRIBUTING.md
├── CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
├── SECURITY.md
├── AUTHORS.md
├── .gitignore
├── .gitattributes
├── .editorconfig
├── .vsconfig
├── StriderRunner.sln
│
├── Assets/
│   ├── Animations/
│   ├── Editor/
│   ├── Fonts/
│   ├── Input/
│   ├── Materials/
│   ├── Prefabs/
│   │   ├── Camera/
│   │   ├── Characters/
│   │   ├── Enemies/
│   │   ├── Environment/
│   │   │   ├── Checkpoints/
│   │   │   ├── Collectibles/
│   │   │   ├── Platforms/
│   │   │   └── Traps/
│   │   ├── Managers/
│   │   └── UI/
│   ├── Scenes/
│   ├── ScriptableObjects/
│   ├── Scripts/
│   │   ├── Audio/
│   │   ├── Camera/
│   │   ├── Enemy/
│   │   ├── Level/
│   │   ├── Objects/
│   │   ├── Player/
│   │   ├── UI/
│   │   └── Utilities/
│   ├── Sounds/
│   ├── Sprites/
│   └── TextMesh Pro/
│
├── Packages/
│   ├── manifest.json
│   └── packages-lock.json
│
├── ProjectSettings/
│
├── docs/
│   ├── Architecture.md
│   ├── GameDesign.md
│   ├── Controls.md
│   ├── Features.md
│   ├── BuildInstructions.md
│   ├── Roadmap.md
│   └── screenshots/
│
└── .github/
    ├── workflows/unity-ci.yml
    ├── ISSUE_TEMPLATE/
    │   ├── bug_report.md
    │   └── feature_request.md
    ├── PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
    └── FUNDING.yml

5. Getting Started

Prerequisites: Unity Hub, a Unity Editor install compatible with the version recorded in ProjectSettings/ProjectVersion.txt, and Git.

1. Clone the repository.

   git clone https://github.com/mithinsagar/strider-runner.git
   

2. Open Unity Hub, choose "Open project from disk", and select the cloned folder.

3. Let Unity import assets. On first import the editor will regenerate the Library/, Temp/, and IDE solution files. These are intentionally gitignored.

4. In the Project window open Assets/Scenes/Start Screen.unity and press Play.

6. Controls

Default keyboard layout (see docs/Controls.md for the full reference):

• Move: A / D or Left / Right arrows
• Jump: Space
• Dash: Left Shift
• Wall Grab: hold Left Shift against a wall
• Attack (sword-equipped character): J
• Pause: Esc

Gamepad bindings are defined in Assets/Input/PlayerInputActions.inputactions and can be rebound at runtime through the Settings menu.

7. Gameplay Systems

• Player movement is authored in Assets/Scripts/Player/PlayerMovement.cs. Movement, dash, jump, wall grab, wall jump, and animation state transitions are all handled there.
• Character stats (speed, jump force, dash cooldown, whether wall grab is enabled) are exposed through CharacterData ScriptableObjects and applied at load time by CharacterLoader.
• Enemies inherit from a common damage contract in Assets/Scripts/Enemy/EnemyDamage.cs; patrolling motion is driven by EnemyMovement.cs, and ranged variants spawn projectiles via RangedEnemy.cs and EnemyProjectile.cs.
• Levels are named through the LevelName enum and orchestrated by LevelManager, LevelLoader, and LevelStatus.
• Traps and interactive objects live under Assets/Scripts/Objects/.

8. Building the Game

See docs/BuildInstructions.md for platform-specific steps. In short:

1. Open the project in the Unity Editor.
2. Add every scene in Assets/Scenes/ to File -> Build Settings with Start Screen first, Level1 through Level7 next, then End Screen.
3. Pick a target platform, click "Switch Platform", then "Build".

9. Scripts Reference

• Player/PlayerMovement.cs - character controller.
• Player/PlayerLife.cs - health, damage, respawn.
• Player/PlayerSwordAttack.cs - melee attack for sword characters.
• Player/CharacterData.cs - ScriptableObject describing a playable character.
• Player/CharacterLoader.cs - applies the selected character on scene load.
• Player/CharacterStatus.cs - runtime status flags per character.
• Audio/AudioManager.cs - central audio playback, pooled and randomised.
• Camera/CameraFollower.cs - smooth follow camera.
• Camera/CameraShaker.cs - impact shake.
• Level/LevelManager.cs - level lifecycle, unlock tracking.
• Level/LevelLoader.cs - scene transitions.
• Enemy/EnemyMovement.cs, Enemy/EnemyDamage.cs, Enemy/RangedEnemy.cs, Enemy/EnemyProjectile.cs - enemy behaviour.
• Objects/* - trap and environment scripts.
• UI/* - menus and HUD.
• Utilities/MonobehaviourSingleton.cs - generic singleton base class.

10. Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Please read CONTRIBUTING.md before opening a pull request. All contributions are made under the terms of the project license.

11. Roadmap

See docs/Roadmap.md. Highlights: gamepad UI navigation, input rebinding UI, background parallax, additional enemy archetypes, and screen transition fades.

12. Credits

• Design, programming, and integration: Mithin Sagar S (https://github.com/mithinsagar)
• Font files bundled through TextMesh Pro.
• Sound effects and music are sourced from openly licensed libraries; see docs/GameDesign.md for the attribution list.

13. License

Released under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file at the project root.