Description

Minimate is a pixel-art desktop companion game that sits on your desktop and reminds you to complete chess puzzles every 5 minutes.

History

About this Game

Minimate is designed for chess players looking for a little more practice throughout their day. Rather than needing additional websites, Minimate's goal is to keep the player active and learning, even while they go about their daily activities. Whether that be work, games, or study, Minimate is a non-invasive chess aid that keeps the user focused. To incentivize learning, the player will earn cash for puzzle completions, which they can spend on new skins and colors to make their board unique.

Development History

Minimate is the very first game I, SharperGames, have ever published; however, it is not the first game I have listed on Steam. In fact, that was intentional. During the summer of 2025, I started development on Over-Engineered, a Rube Goldberg sandbox game, my first game on Steam. That project underwent development for over a year with little success in the marketing department. It was devastating, I'd poured countless hours into it, and I knew there was an audience out there for it. That's where Minimate comes into the picture. It was a much smaller summer project, one where the pressure wasn't as intense. With no mentors, peers, or teachers overlooking the project, I was free to fully explore what it meant to launch a game. The launch itself was mediocre at best, but it taught me a lot about what I still need to learn, and it opened my eyes to what marketing a game actually takes. It may be a test game, but I still value Minimate; after all, it's something I play myself all the time.

Features

• Thousands of chess puzzles (of every skill level)
• Unlockable Chess Board Colors
• Unlockable Chess Themes
• Resizable and dockable companion window
• Stat Tracking and Streaks