Abstract Snake

A “memefied” version of Snake built with HTML5 Canvas, attempting to capture Bilibili’s “abstract” humor culture.

Background (Why)

Fresh off the failure of the AI Game Arena, I hadn’t quite shaken the desire for quick traffic. I realized my previous attempt was too dry—too much “tech demo,” not enough “fun.”

A classmate gave me some advice: “If you want views, you need to be interesting.” Taking this to heart, I decided to pivot from serious benchmarking to pure entertainment. I aimed to tap into the “Abstract” (meme/shitpost) subculture on Bilibili by remixing a classic game with inside jokes and trending visual gags.

What I Built (What)

I built a classic Snake game using HTML5 Canvas and vanilla JavaScript.

• Mechanics: Standard snake gameplay (eat food, grow longer, don’t hit walls).
• The Twist: I replaced the standard graphics with specific Bilibili meme elements intended to trigger recognition and humor in that specific community.
• Deployment: Hosted on snake.webutilitykit.com for easy access.
• Timeline: Another weekend sprint, built in about 24 hours (Jan 3–4, 2026).

Outcome (Result)

I released a video on Bilibili showcasing the gameplay.

The result? 63 views.

Technically, this was an infinite improvement over my previous project’s zero views. But realistically, it was another flop. The “viral hit” I was hoping for didn’t materialize. It turns out that simply adding memes to a 40-year-old game doesn’t automatically make it “content.”

Key Takeaways

This project was the final nail in the coffin for my “traffic-chasing” phase.

• I am not a content creator: I realized that making a “funny video” requires a completely different skillset than software engineering. It requires timing, editing, and a persona—things I don’t naturally possess.
• ROI imbalance: The effort required to curate memes, edit a video, and promote it was vastly disproportionate to the satisfaction I got from building the simple game logic.
• Product vs. Content: I was building “content” (disposable entertainment), not a “product” (useful utility). I need to stick to building things that provide value, not just a momentary chuckle.

Current Status

• Status: Failed
• Recommendation: Playable but pointless.
• Future: Abandoned. I’m done trying to be a YouTuber.