Today we ran another user research session, this time with Broccoli Defense. We wanted to see which skills the player chose during a run and what they wanted us to add to the game.

We opened the live game on an Android phone at the office. The player held the phone in the left hand and used the right index finger to choose skills.

The first skill choice

The first choice we photographed was between Multi Shot, Summon Onion Knight, and Shield. The player read the three cards, pointed to Multi Shot, and chose it.

A player choosing between Multi Shot, Summon Onion Knight, and Shield in Broccoli Defense on an Android phone
The player chose Multi Shot from the first group we photographed.

Later, the choices were Multi Shot, Fog Field, and Fire Arrow. This time the player chose Fire Arrow.

A player choosing between Multi Shot, Fog Field, and Fire Arrow in Broccoli Defense
The player chose Fire Arrow after comparing it with Multi Shot and Fog Field.

Feedback after the test

After the run, we asked what would make the game more fun. This is the feedback we wrote down.

  1. Add 2x and 4x speed buttons. The beginning of a run felt slow, and the player said these buttons were essential.
  2. Show a description when a skill on the right side is tapped.
  3. Add upgrades that make Frost, Fire, and Fog cover a wider area. The player liked area attacks and wanted their size to grow during a run.
  4. Add cooldown-based ultimate skills. Bombs or meteors were the examples.
  5. Add a consecutive-arrow upgrade. The player meant several arrows fired one after another. This is different from faster attack speed and also different from Multi Shot spreading arrows in a fan.
  6. Add a boss raid mode. The player suggested choosing three skills from five several times before the fight, getting more upgrades whenever the boss loses a set amount of health, and showing a ranking based on clear time.

The changing sky

The player also mentioned the sky during the run. It kept changing while the battle continued, and the player said this made the game feel less repetitive.

Broccoli Defense running on an Android phone with a bright blue sky behind the battle
The player liked that the sky changed during the run.

The player would also like a setting for the sky, either to choose one or control how it changes.

The strongest comment was about speed. The player called 2x and 4x speed essential because the early part felt slow. The other ideas came up after the run while the player was talking through what they would like to try next.