Max Trest

Video Game Developer & Maker


Hi, I’m Max, a 15-year-old video game developer and maker. In this portfolio, you can find a sample of video games I've developed, some of my accomplishments, a list of my skills, and AI that will take over the world (not really, or at least not yet!).


Lost Cartridge Creations

Lost Cartridge Creations is my video game development company. The launch title in development, Astrolander, is an action-packed PlayStation 5™ exclusive local co-op game featuring dramatic cinematics, intense action, & lush levels. You can find Lost Cartridge Creations here: lostcartridgecreations.com and follow the development of the game on Twitter. Astrolander has been featured on Game RantIndie Game DevelMy Electric SparksPush SquarePlayStation UniverseBBC NewsCTV NewsCBC News

Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

The "legacy" version of Astrolander is currently featured at the Museum of Pop Culture MoPOP Indie Game Revolution exhibit in Seattle. MoPOP was founded by Paul Allen and is the world’s largest museum dedicated to contemporary pop culture.

Emerald City Comic Con, Portland Retro Gaming Expo, Bay Area Maker Faire, & Other Events

Exhibited Astrolander at various events including at Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), Portland Retro Gaming Expo (PRGE), Bay Area Maker Faire, Seattle Indies Expo (SIX), Northwest Pinball & Arcade Show, GeekGirlCon, Pocket Gamer Connects, Washington State Summer Con, Vancouver Game Garden, & Puddle Jump Games & Play Festival. ECCC is one of North America’s largest fan conventions with over 80,000 attendees. SIX is a festival that celebrates innovative indie games.

GeekWire Article: 2022

GeekWire published a story about Astrolander and Lost Cartridge Creations. You can read the full article here.

Journey of a 12-year-old Indie Game Developer Talk: 2022

Created and gave this talk at a Maker Faire and available to give this talk at other events. The talk focused on my game development journey which included coding in Scratch when I was younger, all the way to being in talks with Sony to bring Astrolander to the Playstation 5™. I explain how and why I got into the game development business, which draws on my obsession with retro computers and retro game systems. I also discuss my perspective on the current state of the industry, and, for those looking to become a game developer, I highlight resources they can use to start their own game development journey.

Mission to Mars Competition: 2022

Participated in The Mars Society (TMS) university level competition hosted by Dr. Robert Zubrin, TMS President, and James Burk, the Executive Director. I was one of our team leads. We won the Engineering category after submitting a detailed 31-page proposal for a mission to Mars and our team presented at TMS Convention. I used Blender to visualize our habitat and created an interactive simulation using Unreal Engine.

AIAA Newsletter Article: 2021

Featured in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) newsletter for my custom CAD designed and 3D printed aircraft models, including my vision for a 5th generation stealth fighter. The article also details my work on Astrolander.

AIAA Talent Show: 2020

Selected to present my CAD modeling skills at the AIAA Talent Show. During the live show, I used Autodesk Fusion 360 to model a Rockwell ATF, an advanced tactical fighter designed by Dr. Daniel Raymer, the host of the event.

Life Between Umbrellas: 2019

The City of Vancouver held a contest where participants designed a rain-friendly public space. At the age of 9, I won two awards for my CAD modeled entry including winner in the youth 18 and under jury selection category.

Maker Faire: 2019

Selected to present at the Vancouver Maker Faire where I showcased my custom-built fully automated Lego EV3 candy dispenser, a life-sized carboard pinball machine, and an RC Japanese Dekotora truck.

Etsy Store & Thingiverse

I had an Etsy store and Thingiverse page where you could find some of my custom designed CAD models. My Etsy shop featured 3D printed retro video game keychains and my Thingiverse page focused on my aircraft models.

Parzival’s DeLorean from Ready Player One

CAD modeled Parzival’s DeLorean from Ready Player One. The model features many intricate details including a mechanism which allows the wheels to be switched between driving and flying modes, just like the DeLorean in Back to the Future.

My Skills, Knowledge, and Interests

- Unity & Unreal Engine- C# coding & development (Visual Studio & Rider)- GitHub- Blender (modeling, animating, shading, rendering, compositing)- Adobe Substance Painter & Designer- Retro computers & retro game systems (history, collecting, repairing, upgrading)- Computers & electronics (repairing, upgrading)- Raspberry Pi & Arduino- VR & AR- CAD modeling (Autodesk Fusion 360 | 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse & CadMouse)- 3D printing- Photo & video editing (Adobe: Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, Illustrator | Maxon Red Giant)- Presentation software & presenting (Prezi, Canva, PowerPoint, Google Slides)- Aeronautics & astronautics

Thanks for checking out my portfolio!

If you have any question or would like to contact me, send me an email.