Hoop Dungeon Demo - https://whynotgames.itch.io/hoop-dungeon-prototype
Introduction
Hoop Dungeon is a turn-based-tactics basketball game that keeps the narrative on the court.
Selling Points:
- Deep turn-based-tactics.
- Unique, combinable moves.
- Real basketball moves and Easter eggs for basketball fans.
- Novel narrative told entirely on the court.
Practical Points:
- Nearly feature complete.
- Story slice implemented.
- Projected Q1 release.
Hoop Dungeon
Why will players try the game?
- Sports are an interesting twist on the popular roguelike genre.
- Turn-based-tactics is an unusual way to represent basketball in video games but one that aligns with modern NBA analysis.
Why will players keep playing the game?
- Thousands of distinct move combinations.
- Strong replayablility and challenge in the roguelike mechanics.
- Anime-inspired storytelling with mature characters.
- Progression system based on friendship and rivalries
Why Should This Game Exist Now?
Firstly, sports games need a shakeup. The tentpole 2K series is regularly criticized for both being formulaic and for being microtransaction-heavy. The time is ripe for an indie sports game with a different style of simulation, as shown by the success of Tape 2 Tape.
Hoop Dungeon is also built to appeal to fans of indie roguelikes. This is a very established audience and the basketball setting helps Hoop Dungeon stand out in a genre that leans SFF.
Additionally, games like Hades show the potential of narrative in roguelikes and Hoop Dungeon’s innovative approach to narrative will appeal to players looking for more in that space. Additionally, despite the popularity of sports anime, the narrative techniques they use are rare to see in video games and so have significant appeal.
The Team
I make up the entire team right now. I’m Nikhil Murthy. I’ve shipped two games as a solo developer; The Quiet Sleep and Nikhil Murthy’s Syphilisation.
Community and Marketing
I would prefer to focus on the development of the game and trust in the publisher for marketing. I plan however on promoting the game through social media and through interviews as well as managing the game forums and discussion boards.
Production
- Nov ‘25: Steam page live
- Dec ‘25: Content complete
- Feb ‘26: Early Access release
- Mar ‘26: First content expansion
- Apr ‘26: Second content expansion
- May ‘26: Third content expansion
Hoop Dungeon marks one year of development in September, 2025. The core of the game is already in place but only the MVP for the narrative is implemented. I plan to expand that to all of the characters in the game as well as add a few more pieces to make the narrative pop.
Additionally, I have some technical features left to implement. Display options, controller support and localization are all planned for Early Access but have not been implemented yet.
What do I need?
All that I require for Hoop Dungeon is marketing support. I plan to fund the remainder of the development myself but I would like to partner with a publisher to get this game to the players who will enjoy it.