Katavatis 1-Bit 3D Metroidvania for Playdate on Steam

Indie developer Cristina Ramos is bringing a new “metroidbrania” to itch.io and Steam—while also proving the limits of Panic’s Playdate handheld with a custom 1-bit 3D renderer that can even run DOOM.

Katavatis adds 1-bit 3D Metroidvania exploration on Playdate

Ramos’ project, Katavatis, is set up as a Metroidvania-style adventure and is described as a “metroidbrania.” The developer recently shared footage of the game running on the Playdate, highlighting first-person exploration and outdoor platforming inspired by Mirror’s Edge.

In a clip posted to Bluesky, Ramos says she was told 3D wouldn’t be possible on the Playdate, then claims she proved it anyway. She also addresses the idea that exterior-style levels—like the open-air, parkour-y look associated with Mirror’s Edge—couldn’t be built on the handheld, again presenting gameplay-style evidence.

The demos appear to show “1-bit” exterior movement and platforming rendered in a way that’s visibly far from typical modern 3D, but still meaningfully 3D in presentation. Ramos also references a “back of the box” synopsis for Katavatis that includes climate-change-related wording, framing the development challenge as a playful act of defiance.

A custom tiny 3D renderer, built for Playdate’s constraints

Ramos’ key technical work is a small 3D renderer designed specifically for Panic’s handheld. The renderer is documented in a devblog, where she discusses how 3D graphics are represented and why the Playdate’s hardware requires a different approach than higher-power machines.

Her write-up also addresses what the portable can and can’t do: the device lacks the raw drawing power associated with older 3D PCs and the original PlayStation era. Still, Ramos says the results are closer to systems like the 3DO or Sega Saturn than a strict “nothing works” scenario.

Handheld: Playdate
CPU: ARM Cortex-M7
Memory: 16 MB RAM
Renderer: developer-made “tiny” 3D renderer
Verified: the renderer can run DOOM

Now “good enough” for prototypes—where to play Katavatis

Ramos says the 3D renderer is now in a “good enough” state to support gameplay prototypes, and she has posted additional snippets showing progress. She also states the renderer successfully runs DOOM, addressing one of the biggest “can it really?” questions around Playdate 3D.

Katavatis is scheduled to launch on Steam and itch.io, giving players a way to experience the full 1-bit 3D metroidbrania concept beyond the handheld demos. The developer has described the game as a climate-apocalyptic romp, including an abandoned deep-sea facility setting in the game’s pitch.

What to watch next: whether the Steam/itch release brings the same outdoor Mirror’s Edge-style exploration seen in the Playdate clips, and how far the custom renderer can be pushed once the prototypes become a full game.