An open challenge to create a game prototype focused on dinosaurs (or dinosaur-like creature).

All skill levels are welcome from beginner to professional. New to this whole thing? Never made a game before? Play some jam-winning games to see where you can be after several jams of practice. 

Results

Community Choice: Headbutt Dino by Sander Vanhove

Judge (Sleeping Panda Games) Choice: Dino Safari by Lina

Host (Retro Indie Josh) Choice: Dino Smasher by Szym

About Us

Hosted by 8 Bits to Infinity: a game development community improving creative and technical skills through rapid iteration and honest, critical feedback. Join us on Discord, check out our website, and take a look at our past jams and challenges.

The man behind 8 Bits to Infinity is Retro Indie Josh (aka Joshua McLean): streamer, musician, and game developer. Check out his game music (free for you to use in jams and commercial projects!) and his streams and other work.

Co-hosting this jam is Antoine, a.k.a. Sleeping Panda Games, the developer of the excellent dinosaur-themed platformer Baby Dino Adventures. Check out the game if you need inspiration, or just because it's fun!

Jam Links

Follow the official DINOJAM Twitter page and join the DINOJAM Discord to talk about the jam!

Focus (Required): Dinosaur

Your game must include dinosaurs (or dinosaur-like creatures such as dragons) as a major feature. Maybe the player is a dinosaur, or fighting dinosaurs, or riding dinosaurs, or even raising dinosaurs from the dead (though I think Jurassic Park taught us that's a bad idea).

You will be asked on submission how your game uses the focus, so be prepared to explain it! But also, don't forget to be creative.

Theme (Semi-Optional): VOLCANO

The theme will be revealed when the jam begins. The theme is optional, but remember Theme/Limitation counts for 20% of your Community Choice score.

Judging and Prizes

Three "Choice" awards are available: Community Choice, Judge Choice, and Host Choice. These Choice winners will be featured in a jam showcase video on YouTube among other high-ranking games and honorable mentions.

You (contributors to any game entered into this jam) determine the Community Choice by voting on games after the jam concludes. Check out the Ratings Guide for how to interpret categories and tips on good star ratings.

Antoine (Sleeping Panda Games) will be deciding on Judge Choice, while Host Choice will be determined by the host and founder of 8 Bits to Infinity, Retro Indie Josh.

All Choice winners receive:

• The jam-winner role on the 8 Bits to Infinity Discord server
• A place in our list of jam winners
• An additional secret prize

Rules and FAQ

See the Jam Rules and Jam FAQ for more details.

Jam Specific Rules

• No limitations on:
  • Graphics
  • Audio
  • Engine/library/framework, programming language, and other tools

Challenges/Diversifiers (Optional)

Looking for additional challenge in the jam? You can use any number of diversifiers listed here.

Schedule

• Development (main jam): November 11 to 21 at 1pm ET (10am PST)
• Community Choice voting: November 21 to 28 at 1pm ET (10am PST)
• RetroIndieJosh streams: TBD on his Twitch channel
• Winners and ratings announced: December 5 at 1pm ET (10am PST)

Submitting

• WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU UPLOAD AND SUBMIT EARLY.
  • You are allowed to modify your game page, including files, until the deadline.
  • You are allowed to edit answers to your submission questions (through your submission page) until the deadline.
• Step 1: Click the Join Jam button at the top of this page.
• Step 2: Make your game.
• Step 3: Create a game project page on itch and upload your game files. See this documentation for help.
• Step 4: Submit the game to the jam. After uploading your game, return to this page and click "Submit Your Project" at the top.
  • Be prepared to answer a few questions about your entry when submitting. You must answer all of these questions honestly and completely. You may edit your responses after submitting, but they will be locked at the submission deadline.
  • Submission time is a hard deadline. No late submissions will be accepted.
  • Although you cannot modify files after the deadline has passed, you are still free to edit your game page. However, your entry will be disqualified if you link to an updated version created after the deadline.