You've seen the SpaceX video where the chopsticks catch the rocket, right? I watched that and thought "if I turn this into a game, it could go viral." Picked Three.js so people could play right in the browser with no install.
That's how Kopollo started.
The Game
You can freely customize the rocket's nose cone, body, engine, and wings. Colors are changeable too, and each part has different performance stats, so the flight characteristics shift depending on the combination.
After customizing, hit launch and watch it fly in 3D. Physics simulation is applied — gravity and thrust matter. Everything is done with mouse clicks. No complex controls.
There's also an unlock system where you earn parts by playing, so there's always new combinations to try.
The Struggle List
I worked on this with Grok3, and nothing was easy.
Collision logic, chopstick movement, loading GLB files and getting the scale right, spawning coins, audio, UI — all of it was a grind. The physics were wrong at first too, with the rocket flying in random directions. Had to fix the gravity and thrust calculations multiple times.
Just powered through it somehow.
Current State
Basic customization and launch features are done. Playable in the browser and works on mobile too. There are still rough spots, but it'll get better over time.
When I had friends try it, a lot of them couldn't figure out the gameplay at first. I'm debating whether to add a tutorial.
Monetization Thoughts
I want to add a leaderboard so players compete on scores and stick around longer. Thinking about in-game object advertising like what Pieter Levels did with his airplane game.
For payments, Stripe doesn't work in Korea, so I'm considering Paddle. No idea if people will buy anything, but I want to be ready. If AdSense gets approved, I'll add interstitial or rewarded ads too.
App store release is on the table, but mobile controls turned out to be tricky.
Want to play? Try Kopollo.