This jam is now over. It ran from 2024-05-17 23:00:00 to 2024-08-18 22:59:00. View results

Jam complete! See gbadev.net/gbajam24 for the final results!

The full-scale GBA game jam is back after a two-year hiatus!

You have 3 months to make something cool that runs on the Game Boy Advance, using whatever tools you like!

Come join us on Discord or IRC for help getting started, chat with other participants and head over to gbadev.net for useful links & resources!

Sponsors


     

Join us as a sponsor, showcase your product/services and help the scene!

Prizes

The current prize pool is and will be split among the top ranked entries (details). Anyone can contribute by donating.

The top 4 winners will also receive either one of three GBxCart RW dumper/flasher devices courtesy of insideGadgets, or a physical copy of Fydo's Magic Tiles for the Game Boy courtesy of Tom Sutton!

Rules

  1. Your submission must include a .gba file! You can also attach screenshots, readmes, game manuals, etc.
  2. It should run on real hardware or an accurate emulator such as mGBA or NanoBoyAdvance.
  3. Ports from other platforms are allowed, emulated games are not.
  4. It must feature a substantial amount of new & original work (i.e. not something you were already working on for months).
  5. Only use code and assets that you have explicit permission to use, giving appropriate credit.
  6. No NSFW or offensive content.

F.A.Q.

I never made a GBA game before, where do I start?
  There are many libraries available for many different programming languages!
  Check out our Getting Started guide for more info.

Can I use GB Studio?
  We do not recommend it, as it requires an old unmaintained version (GB Studio v2.0.0-beta5 + gbsenpai).
  That said, you are welcome to try!

Can I make something that's not a game?
  Yes, you can make anything (demo, toy, tool, port, music cart, etc.) as long as it runs on the GBA!
  (i.e. the submission should include a .gba file, as this is what the judges will be testing)

Can I make a romhack?
  No, as it would not be possible for you to legally distribute the resulting .gba file.

Can I work in a team?
  Sure, if you're willing to share the prize >:)
  If you're looking for a partner, check out the #matchmaking channel on our Discord (or the Community tab above!)

Can I enter with something I was already working on before the start of the jam?
  Generally no, but we may allow it as long as the majority of work is done during the jam.
  If in doubt, please ask us before proceeding!
  Examples of things that are allowed:
     • A brand new game using your own existing game engine.
     • A remake of your (or someone else's) game from a different platform, rewritten from scratch.
     • A brand new game you barely started (e.g. you only made a title screen or a mockup of the gameplay).
  Examples of things that are not allowed:
     • A GBA project you've been working on for months.
     • An update/patch for a game you already released publicly.

Can I submit more than one entry?
  Sure! The entries will be rated separately, but each person or team may only accept prizes on behalf of a single entry.
  (i.e. you can't win both the 1st and 2nd place prize)

If I'm a judge, can I submit an entry for fun?
  Yes, you and your team just won't be eligible for prizes. The prizes go to the highest-ranked entries that are not from a judge.

Can I submit a game in a language other than English?
  Only if the text is not important. If your entry requires players to understand text, it must be possible to play in English, as this is the only spoken language that all judges have in common.

Can I use additional/custom hardware?
 
Technically, yes... However, as it will be unlikely the judges will have the hardware too, it means you will not be able to be judged, and thus will not eligible for prizes.

Can I use AI-generated assets?
 
If the AI was trained on copyrighted material without explicit permission from the authors, then no, as this would violate rule #5.

Do I have to publish my source code?
  No, but doing so might earn you additional prizes!
  Upon submission, you can link to a public git repo in the "Open Source Repository" field. To be eligible, we must be able to read and compile the code, and it must be licensed under an open source license (any of the "Free" licenses listed here are accepted), and assets must be licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Previous editions

You can find submitted entries in the GBAJam21 and the GBAJam22 pages.


Judging Criteria

Judges may run entries using mGBA or NanoboyAdvance, or on GBA/NDS hardware using a recent flashcart such as the EZFlash Omega or EverDrive GBA X5, or on 3DS hardware using VC injects or open_agb_firm.

After the jam ends, each entry will be rated on the following criteria:

  • Overall  -  What do you think of this entry as a whole?
  • Technical - How innovative is it from a technical perspective? Does it push the hardware to the limit?
  • Originality - How refreshing is it from a non-technical perspective? Does it have a unique design / mechanics?
  • Graphics  -  How impressive are the art, animation and visual effects? (if applicable)
  • Audio  -  How good are the music and sound effects? (if applicable)
  • Polish - How finished is the entry? e.g. Does it have decent length, depth, variety and/or attention to detail?

The winner will be determined by the entry with the highest average score in the "Overall" category.

Judges are volunteers. Details may change without prior notice.


Acknowledgements

Thanks to organizers, the gbadev community, the sponsors and everyone who donated to the prize pool!

The event is being hosted by the gbadev.net community.

Submissions(52)

All submissions
·
Browser playable (17)
·
Windows (3)
macOS (2)
Linux (2)
Android (1)
·
Ok - understood! I attached the GBA ROM file as "MYGAMENAME_jam.gba". (52)
·
Other (2)
Tool (2)
Demoscene (2)
Game (46)
·
Visual Novel (1)
Interactive Fiction (1)
Adventure (10)
Racing (2)
Card Game (1)
Educational (1)
Platform (9)
Shooter (7)
Survival (4)
Rhythm (1)
Action (20)
Simulation (3)
Strategy (3)
Fighting (2)
RPG (8)
Puzzle (8)

No submissions match your filter

Use teleportation to solve puzzles
Puzzle
Play in browser
🦄 A rhythmic shooter game for GBA Jam 2024.
Rhythm
Play in browser
A GBA port of 2048
Puzzle
Play in browser
Game about exploring dungeons, killing things and descending stairs
Strategy
Play in browser
A puzzle-platformer for Game Boy Advance, with discrete movement
Platformer
A brand new Game Boy Advance Zelda-like!
Action
The classic board game on GBA!
Puzzle
Play in browser
GBA Adventure game where you solve a murder on a cruise
Adventure
Play in browser
An action RPG for GBA
Action
Eat leaves and throw babies
Platformer
An infinite tower climbing game
Platformer
Play in browser
Cute runner game for game boy advance
Action
Ride the zipline and zap the targets in 3D on the GBA!
Action
GBA tech demo for GBA jam 2024
Adventure
Quest through a dungeon playing as the healer in this Gameboy Advance game
Adventure
Play in browser
Hacking themed top-down shooter for Game Boy Advance
Shooter
Endless RPG playthroughs for the Gameboy Advance
Role Playing
Play in browser
Rapid Combo Gem Matching for the Game Boy Advance!
Puzzle
Play in browser
You're so special they will lock you up
Role Playing
Your favorite mixed media collective's entry for GBA Jam '24.
Action
Play in browser
A postmodern RPG puzzler for the GBA
Puzzle
Play in browser
a workplace visual novel / game
Visual Novel
Play in browser
Momentum-Managment Turn-Based Strategy Proof-of-concept
Strategy
A gba game
Adventure
Play in browser
Short little racing game on the GBA!
Racing
Game for the GBA Jam 2024 made by Pogosaur and Oddtoad
Action
whiskers the cat go GBA
Adventure
Care for an adorable blob!
Simulation
Dice-themed Action Platformer
Platformer
Small river simulation for GBAJam 2024
Simulation
search the space junk
Role Playing
Zen puzzle game to relax.
Puzzle
Container scripts for a GBA development environment & ROM compile workflow.
Educational
Play in browser
A musical plaything for the Game Boy Advance
Micro game for GBA Jam 2024
Action
Gameboy Advance Asteroids Like
Action
A GBA Experiment
A MTG life counter for the Gameboy Advance
A Game Boy Advance game made in little more than 2 weeks for the GBA game compo 2024.
Adventure
A platformer prototype by Hell Labs for GBA Jam 2024
Platformer
Play in browser
A short story adaptation
Interactive Fiction
Project for GBA Jam 2024. A prototype for an action platformer with RPG elements and multiple endings.
Platformer
Play in browser
Enter, or perish. Well, it is pretty hard, so you might perish ethier way. reach 11 to win.
Action
just make farts and noises
Simple experiment with procedurally generating some obstacles for a board on a GBA.