Developer Builds Card Combat Game in 72 Hours Using Claude AI

What Was Built

A developer created a fully functional browser game called SNAPDOWN in 72 hours using Claude AI. The game is a card combat system where each of the four playable classes has distinct mechanics:

• Warriors: Duel with high numbers
• Rangers: Win with low numbers and traps
• Wizards: Hunt for color pairs to unleash 5-damage spell blasts
• Tricksters: Pass bombs around the table and steal cards from opponents' hands

The complete game includes a 6-stage story, AI opponents, animations, and a tutorial system. The entire implementation exists as a single HTML file with no framework dependencies or build steps.

How Claude Was Used

The developer reported several specific capabilities of Claude during development:

• Claude maintained the full game state in context throughout the development process
• It caught bugs introduced by the developer during implementation
• It pushed back when the developer suggested changes that would break existing game logic
• It assisted with writing story dialogue that the developer was satisfied with
• The AI wasn't just used for autocomplete—it actively participated in the development workflow

The developer described the approach as "vibe coding"—working iteratively with the AI to build a complete game from concept to implementation.

Technical Implementation

The game is built as a pure HTML/JavaScript application with no external dependencies. This approach eliminates build steps and framework complexity, making the entire game contained in one file that can run directly in any modern browser.

The game is available for free on itch.io at snapdown.itch.io/snapdown.