By Srishti Sawant

Suhana Panwar [10] recently took home First Place overall and the Debut Award at Sunbeam Atlanta, a 12-hour Hack Club Athena hackathon centered around the power of friendship on August 29. Working alongside a team of three, she developed and shipped a complete platformer video game titled Perfect Day from scratch before the final deadline.

In the created game, individuals play as a manta ray trying to find their two best friends, a rock named Rocky and a starfish named Denise, so that they all can have the perfect day together. When asked about the exact problem her project solves and how the mechanics function, Panwar [10] explained the heart and narrative driving the gameplay:

“The core message is really that there is no such thing as a perfect day without your friends.”

Instead of relying on complex controls, the gameplay keeps things straightforward and motion-driven. Players steer the manta ray through a series of underwater courses, dodging hazards and clearing movement-based puzzles to track down the missing duo and bring the crew back together.

Building a functional game under a strict 12-hour time limit required constant focus, rapid coding, and clear teamwork across the group. Suhana reflected on the event and what it took to bring their concept to life:

“Shipping a finished project in under 12 hours meant we had to work fast, delegate effectively, and refine the mechanics on the fly. We wanted to make sure the controls felt responsive while keeping the whimsical tone of the story intact.”

Her achievement highlights the talent of local student developers stepping into regional hackathons, turning a tight deadline and a creative idea into a winning project.