GAME / 2026
百鬼灯市
HYAKKI LANTERN CITY / 2048 × AUTO DEFENSE
Every move keeps the lanterns alight. Hyakki Lantern City pairs familiar 4×4 2048 with real-time auto defense: merge tiles into stronger spirits while a procession of yokai closes in.
GAMEPLAY DIGEST / v0.6.0
A few moves through the lantern market.
An edited digest of actual gameplay, showing merges, support items, and a boss encounter. The video starts only when you press play.
Game footage is edited, with fades applied to the soundtrack. Boss BGM: “Taiko drums” — jobro (CC BY 3.0); seamless edit: congusbongus.
Video & music creditsPLAY THE DEMO / WEB · WINDOWS · macOS
Your next move starts here.
Free demo v0.6.0. The game interface is in Japanese. A computer with a keyboard is recommended.
The game loads from itch.io only after you click. The first load may take a little time.
On a small screen, open the demo on itch.io. A larger computer screen is recommended for comfortable play.
How to play
- 01
Merge
Use arrow keys, WASD, or the arrows around the board. Combine matching numbers to grow stronger spirits.
- 02
Defend
Your spirits attack automatically. Reaching 2048 or the final invasion stage brings the final battle. Defeat the Great Tengu to win; you lose when the barrier HP reaches zero.
- 03
Recover
A blocked board keeps fighting. Spend gold on a clearing firecracker to remove one tile valued 32 or below. Boss rewards unlock selling a unit or repositioning it.
- 01Classic 4×4 2048 × real-time defense
- 0212 spirit tiers and a final boss
- 03Free demo on Web, Windows, and macOS
Problem & goal
The starting point was the satisfaction of planning a 2048 move, paired with the visible growth of an army and the pressure of approaching enemies. The game needed to reward merging without turn waits or a consumable move allowance.
Technical challenge
The central challenge was pacing: fast swipes should not leave the enemy progression behind, while slower decisions should not cause an immediate defeat. Combat effects must never block input, and every tile must contribute regardless of its board position.
Solution
The classic rules remain: each valid move spawns a 2 or 4. Invasion stages advance through valid moves and a slower real-time progression, while enemies move and attack continuously. Twelve spirit tiers vary in melee, ranged, and area attacks, with merging always improving strength. A blocked board keeps fighting and can be rescued with a bomb, a sale, or a reposition.
Result & learning
Free demo v0.6.0 is published on itch.io for Web, Windows, and macOS, with Japanese in-game UI, boss encounters, support items, and audio settings. Fixed-seed model simulations and automated tests check progression, merging, and combat. These are simulated checks, not large-scale player telemetry; balancing will continue with play feedback.
Gallery
AI-ASSISTED CREATION / LICENSED MUSIC
Making & credits
Concept, game design, and direction by Kashin Ou, with AI-assisted implementation. Backgrounds, spirits, and other visuals use AI-generated images. Music and fonts use external assets under their respective distribution licenses.
- Ordinary BGM
- “Asianoriental1” — TozanCC0 1.0