The most important lesson I learned while making this very simple game is to start on a small-scale.

I know, this is something you hear everywhere. I thought I was doing it until I realized that I wasn't. I had grand plans for so many features and complexities in this game, building on the core features of the classics like Raptor and Demonstar. In the end though, I just burned myself out. 

It's better to have a prototype that does one thing right than lots of planned and faultily implemented features. Cutting back on those ideas actually allowed me to focus on the core features and fix some bugs that I had been holding back on. And because I have a solid base, it'll be easier to implement those features should I return and expand this game.