Submissions open from 2025-11-14 04:59:59 to 2025-12-09 05:00:01
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THE LONG JAM FOR SHORT GAMES

Make a game that lasts only 20 seconds!

Can you create something unforgettable that takes less time to play than it takes to tie your shoes? With only 20 seconds, there's no time for tutorials or warm-ups. You need to hook the player from the first moment. Make them laugh, surprise them, challenge them, delight them. You don't have much time to grab the player's attention, so make every second count!

This jam is relaxed and beginner friendly. You have three full weeks to make a short game. There are no judges, rankings or prizes. There is a great community though: join the 20 Second Game Jam Discord to get news, ask questions, join a team, share progress or just hang out with other jammers!

OPTIONAL THEMES

  • Squash/Stretch
  • Shadow/Light
  • Pick it/Lick it/Roll it/Flick it

Have fun with these, if you want. Themes are optional so you don't need to choose one. You can pick two, or three, or as many as you like. The choice is yours.

RULES

  1. Submitted games must last for 20 Seconds or less, start to finish (see FAQ for details)
  2. All submissions must be playable video games and you must include a free version that runs in web browsers (more info in the FAQ).
  3. Be respectful and tolerant towards participants and players.
  4. Games containing mature themes or material that is not suitable for young audiences should be very clearly marked.

The 20 Second Survival Guide will help you make it through the jam and emerge victorious! It contains extra details not found in the FAQ, tips about surviving game jams and some useful hints for making tiny games.

Discord Join the 20 Second Game Jam Discord Server

Get help, find teammates, share progress, and hang out with fellow jammers!

ORIGIN STORY

20 Second Game Jam began life in 2020 as the TeenyTiny DragonRuby MiniGameJam. After two successful jams, we thought the concept was too much fun not to share with everyone! In 2022, we changed the name and made it open to everyone using any game engine.

Check out these playthroughs from 2024 by Rheia Gaming

Check out these playthroughs from 2023 by Rheia Gaming and AchieGameDev

Check out these awesome games from past jams:

PIG in HELL
EXTERMINATOR GNOME SERVICE
MONADI.SYS
Bug Castle
Legend of Song
20 Seconds to Jam to my game
Zodiac Ranger III
Lina: Suika Hunt
Rubblar
Toe II Toe
Crumbly Dungeon
Sword Saint

And there's even more great games from previous jams!

SPONSORS

To celebrate the 20 Second Game Jam, DragonRuby Game Toolkit is be giving away free, lifetime licenses to all participants. This offer is available until November 16 so hurry up and grab it quickly https://itch.io/s/167096/20-second-game-jam-2025

DragonRuby is a 2D game engine that's super easy to get to grips with but powerful enough to make professional strength games. It uses the awesome Ruby programming language and it can build games for Windows, Mac, Linux, Web, mobile, consoles and VR.

DragonRuby includes hundreds of samples for various genres and techniques, including a 20s Sample as a starting point. These are provided with the game engine or can be seen on GitHub.

For help with DragonRuby and Ruby code, visit the DragonRuby Discord: http://discord.dragonruby.org.


Pizza Doggy is a solo asset creator and a fellow game developer. They will be giving away their most popular 3D asset pack to 20 Second Game Jam participants so you can use the assets in your 20-second game!

Claim and keep the PSX Mega Pack forever.

Bonus offer! Get the Humble Bundle for an additional €5 off.


"In twenty seconds, you don't have time to waste a single frame. Make every moment count, make every pixel sing, and leave them wanting more."

FAQ

Does my game really have to be exactly 20 seconds?

Yes, because that's the whole point of the jam (although we won't be checking games with a stopwatch)

When does the 20 seconds start and end?

There should be 20 seconds of gameplay, not including titles, menus or cutscenes. You are highly encouraged to minimize these elements or make them skippable to let the player get into the game as quickly as possible.

Can my game have multiple 20-second levels?

Yes! We're asking for a complete game in 20 seconds or less but if you want to add more 20-second levels to it, that's fine.

Can the player keep their items/health/upgrades etc from one play-through to the next?

Every play-through or level should be a separate, self-contained, 20-second experience. Don't carry pick-ups or learned skills from one play-through or level to the next. Sorry Mario, you can't keep that fire flower.

What game engines can I use?

You can use any engine to make your game (but please see the next question).

What platforms should I release the game on?

Your game must be free and playable in the browser. You are encouraged to provide downloads for additional platforms.

Do you have any advice for web builds for my engine?

Yes, most engines have web exporters or tools provided by their communities to help:

Game Engine Web Export Instructions
Bitsy Web-based editor; click "download game" to get HTML file (game is already web-ready). Documentation
Cocos Creator Web Mobile and Web Desktop targets with WebGL/Canvas. Publishing Guide v3.8
Construct 2 HTML5 export via File → Export Project → HTML5 Website. Tutorial
Construct 3 Native HTML5 engine with instant export. Publishing Guide
Defold Lightweight WebAssembly/asm.js builds. HTML5 Manual
DragonRuby GTK Build command creates HTML5 export as .zip file; upload to itch.io with SharedArrayBuffer support enabled. Documentation, Shipping Guide
GameMaker HTML5 export included in all tiers (including free). HTML5 Game Options, Setup Guide
GDevelop One-click export to HTML5 using PixiJS/Three.js. Publishing Documentation, Web Export Guide
Godot Export templates required; offers single-threaded (maximum compatibility) or multi-threaded modes. Web Export Guide, 4.3 Improvements
LÖVE (Love2D) Use Love Web Builder to compile to WebAssembly.
Phaser Pure HTML5 JavaScript framework (games are inherently web-ready). Getting Started, GitHub
PICO-8 Command: export gamename.html creates .html and .js files. Export Documentation, Manual. Use export -f gamename.html for itch.io (creates index.html).
Pygame Use Pygbag to package for web (runs Python via Pyodide/WebAssembly).
PuzzleScript Web-based editor; games are already HTML5. Click "Share" to get URL, or use standalone export instructions. Editor
Raylib Compile for web using Emscripten. Official Guide, CMake Template
Ren'Py WebAssembly export via Launcher's "Web (Beta)" option. Web Export Documentation, RenPyWeb Info
RPG Maker MV/MZ MV and MZ export to HTML5 natively; MV project folder IS the web version. Output Formats (MZ). For MV: project folder contains index.html, upload entire folder.
Scratch Use TurboWarp Packager to convert Scratch projects to HTML5.
TIC-80 Command: export html creates .zip with HTML/JS/WASM files. Console Commands, Export Template. Requires local server or hosting to run.
Unity Export to WebGL via Build Settings → WebGL platform. Getting Started Guide, Build Process
Unreal Engine No native HTML5 export in UE5. UE4.24-4.27 had HTML5 support. Use community fork UnrealEngine-HTML5-ES3 for UE 4.24-4.27 only.
Can I work with a team?

Yes! If you don't already have a team, join the Discord server and post in the #team-up channel to find teammates.

Can I start working on my game before the jam starts?

Yes!

Can I submit more than one game?

You can submit as many games as you like but if you do, please ensure that they follow the rules and are made to a reasonable standard. Flooding the jam with very low effort entries risks having them removed.

Can I submit an unfinished game?

Yes, but please submit it near the end of the jam. Do not submit non-functional games.

Oh no! I worked really hard on my game but the web build is still broken! Will my game be disqualified?

By default, yes, but contact a host if you are in this situation.

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