This jam is now over. It ran from 2016-03-01 06:00:00 to 2016-04-08 05:00:00. View 65 entries

NOTE: If you want to submit your NaNoRenO VN to the itch.io jam page and it's past April 8th, please send Lore a message with your game's page URL and she will gladly generate a late submission key for you to do so. No judgment here.

What is NaNoRenO?

NaNoRenO is a month-long game jam in which developers are challenged to make a visual novel from start to finish. It was originally inspired by the more famous NaNoWriMo (National Novelist Writer's Month, which takes place in November). There's no restrictions on content or genre. See a list of previously released NaNoRenO games here!

Many thanks to Deji for this year's logo!

Do I have to sign up anywhere to participate?

No, you do not have to sign up to participate in NaNoRenO, though you will more than likely get more out of the experience by joining the Lemmasoft forums and sharing the journey with the fellow participants there! Here is this year's general thread for NaNoRenO.

Is there a prize or any sort of judging?

There is no prize or judging in NaNoRenO. The event is a challenge that the developers set for themselves and the prize is the magnificent sense of gratification you get after finishing your game. Completion is its own reward.

Why should I participate in NaNoRenO?

Sometimes we need a fire lit under our butts. It's hard enough to get through making a game from start to finish without a time limit, let alone with just a month to get through everything. Having a deadline will motivate you, help you prioritize your time, let you work on a project you know should be finished by a certain point, and let you explore something outside of what you usually do. It's the same reason developers participate in game jams: a bit of fun with some time management thrown in. If you've had a visual novel idea lurking at the back of your head forever but never had the kick to go explore it—do it now!

(mostly taken from this post)

The most recent phrasing of the NaNoRenO rules:

  • Takes place in March.
  • You can only begin actual production of your game in March.
  • Brainstorming, plot outlining, character sketches, and anything that does not lead to the direction production of assets is okay.
  • Sketches of sprite poses, backgrounds, and CGs is NOT okay.
  • Use of Creative Commons material is okay.
  • There are no "winners" here. Everyone who manages to release their game has completed NaNoRenO!
  • You may release a buggy version of your game by the deadline and fix it up later or release a demo for NaNoRenO.

Need to recruit help?

But what does NaNoRenO even stand for?

D-don't worry about it!!

Submissions(62)

All submissions
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Browser playable (4)
·
Windows (54)
macOS (49)
Linux (47)
Android (10)

No submissions match your filter

a love story between time and space
Visual Novel
Play in browser
After a night of fun, passion, and one too many drinks, you awake the next morning to find a stranger lying beside you.
Visual Novel
A free study of intimacy in a short otome visual novel...
Simulation
A story about a cheerful girl and the town she froze.
Visual Novel
A pastry-based otome game that's too sweet for you!
Visual Novel
a visual novel about the crossroads of life
Visual Novel
A horror visual novel... Or is it?
Visual Novel
Chase your happily ever after.
Visual Novel
a GxShapes "otome" game
Visual Novel
Play as Princess Charming and save some lads in distress in this visual novel!
Visual Novel
A short fantasy RPG
Visual Novel
Two Dogs, One Woman, All Fluff
Visual Novel
A young girl goes on a journey with her friend to find a porn actress.
Visual Novel
-Journey of the vessels of God-
Visual Novel
Guy meets caterpillar.
Visual Novel
A lonely man and a sleepy town in the snow.
Visual Novel
A unicorn meets girl visual novel about dreams.
Visual Novel
A short and light-hearted VN + art assets
Visual Novel
A visual novel telling the story of a rogue samurai
Visual Novel
simple horror game with shota
Visual Novel
A space opera war tale about making amends with your very own paws
Visual Novel
Play in browser
A visual novel about a cafe with a deep scar.
Visual Novel
Craziness, snarkiness & flirting? It's party time!
Visual Novel
A yuri dating sim set in a mountainside resort with monstergirls. (Beta release)
Visual Novel
Survive —or thrive—for 24 hours in a post-apocalyptic world. NaNoRenO 2016 entry.
Visual Novel
Is the program broken, or are you?
Visual Novel
a visual novel about marriage
Visual Novel
In a world of peril, the Adepts are the only force strong enough to protect it.
Visual Novel
A free otome game made for NaNoRenO.
You know that story.
Visual Novel
Play in browser
Interactive Fiction / Visual Novel for NaNoRenO
Visual Novel
a visual novel about uncertainty
Visual Novel
A short point-and-click game.
Simulation
The story of a special night.
Visual Novel
Strangers are humans too.
Visual Novel
A visual novel about a NEET and their freeloading roommates.
Visual Novel
He fixes everyday problems -- with his fists!
Simulation
a visual novel about perfection
Visual Novel
surreal dark comedy visual novel
Visual Novel
A Visual Novel about the darkest side of humanity.
Visual Novel
Retro themed adventure game thing
Visual Novel
a visual novel about a small child with temper tantrums
Visual Novel
A Short Presentation Game for NaNoReNo #Jam
Visual Novel
Can this rabbit manage her friendships as well as her show?
Visual Novel
Becoming a mail carrier is no small task, but there are three new recruits determined to pass the test.
Experimental visual novel
Visual Novel
A short horror visual novel.
Visual Novel
A visual novel about afterlife (in a train)
Visual Novel
It's just another normal day in the life of Pengo...
Visual Novel
Play in browser
modern day & fantasy setting mix into one
Visual Novel
ok, we lied about the explosions...
Visual Novel
a cinematic visual novel
Visual Novel
A BL Visual Novel about thieving rats.
Adventure
Join a group of Technicians who need to figure things out IN SPAAACE
Visual Novel