Capture the Chickens
A pixel-art platformer about finding scattered birds and getting them home with a magic wand.
Ariel has lost his birds and gone looking for them, which is all the story this needs. What follows is a side-scrolling platformer in deliberately retro pixel art, with traps, enemies and collectible apples between you and each escaped chicken.
The wand is the mechanic that separates it from the crowd. Finding a bird is not the end of the encounter — you have to reach it and transfer it to your inventory, which usually means clearing the hazards around it first rather than simply touching it.
Scoring is by birds recovered, so the game supports two ways of playing: a fast run for the ones you can reach easily, or a thorough sweep for everything. Behind it all sits the question of what scattered them in the first place.
Controls
Arrow keys to move and jump; click or press to use the wand.
How to Play
- Explore each area on foot, jumping over traps and obstacles.
- Collect apples and useful items along the way.
- Use the wand on a bird once you reach it to add it to your inventory.
- Recover as many as you can and take them home.
Tips & Tricks
Clear the hazards around a bird before you approach it. Getting close and then being knocked back costs you the whole approach, and in a platformer with traps that is far more expensive than the extra few seconds spent preparing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pick up a bird?
With the magic wand, once you reach it. It goes into your inventory rather than following you around.
Is there an end to the story?
Yes — the search leads towards the monster responsible for scattering them.
