Cathode Ray Sunshine

About

Cathode Ray Sunshine is a bite-sized horror puzzle game where you navigate a creepy, empty town to activate magical pillars. Each pillar you touch powers a streetlight near a distant lighthouse, slowly illuminating the area. The catch is the touch mechanic feels a bit glitchy, you might have to circle a pillar multiple times before it registers. Once all six streetlights are on the lighthouse glows and you trigger the final step by reaching its beam. The entire experience takes under an hour but lingers longer thanks to its eerie vibe. Made for a game jam using retro Pico-8 tools the game leans into its 8-bit limitations to amplify tension. The sound design and sparse visuals create an unsettling mood that some players found too unnerving to finish. While not graphically intense the psychological unease and short runtime earned it a 68% approval rating on Steam from those willing to brave its quirks.