This jam is now over. It ran from 2023-06-01 13:00:00 to 2023-07-19 16:00:00. View 19 entries

Join the Gwinnett County Public Library Learning Labs for our second annual all ages Game Jam! 

This game jam is unranked, and open to everyone worldwide. But if you live in Gwinnett County or surrounding areas, you can enter to be featured with your work at our GameDev Showcase event on July 26th in Norcross, Georgia.

Another change for this year's Jam is that we are now allowing board, card, tabletop, and hybrid games in addition to video games!


The theme for this year is "Strange Side Effects." The theme is open to interpretation. Feel free to explain your interpretation of the theme on your Game Jam submission page after you upload your game.



We are the Gwinnett County Public Library's Learning Labs. We are a community makerspace that provides the means to create, collaborate, and share digital content. If you are a videographer, graphic designer, creative professional, hobbyist or artist, the Learning Lab has the software and equipment to turn your vision into reality.

In the Learning Labs, you can create and share music, podcasts, video and photography content with our collection of audiovisual equipment. You can design digital and printable graphics for your business with our Wacom digital drawing tablets and the full Adobe Creative Suite. Make your cosplay dreams and product ideas a reality with our 3D printers, sewing machines, CNC machines and laser cutter. Your imagination is the architect in the Learning Labs.


  1. Any game engine, tool, or game-making website is allowed. If you cannot upload your game to itch.io, fill out this form for us to play your game on a website like Scratch.
  2. Your game must be SFW (safe-for-work). This is an all ages jam, so avoid nudity, drug use, profanity, slurs, or extreme violence. We will remove any games we deem inappropriate.
  3. Games must be made playable for the web only. 
  4. Games must be free to play.

What ages can participate?

This is an all ages Game Jam! To publish games on itch.io, you must be 18 years old (or have a parent or guardian publish it for you.) More information on itch.io Terms of Service are located here. If you have a child that wants to participate but doesn't know how to use an engine like Unity or Unreal, they can use the Scratch website and submit a link to their game through our website when the form goes live on June 1st.

Do I need to live in Gwinnett County, Georgia, or have a library card?

Absolutely not! One reason we chose to host on this website is so that anyone can participate!

Are there any prizes?

This year, winners in many categories will receive awards and cash prizes. To win prizes, creators must be present at our GameDev Showcase at our Norcross branch on July 26th.

What tools can I use?

You can use any tool available to you. Entries from any engines will be accepted.

How do we get our game featured in a highlight reel on YouTube or at the Showcase event in July?

We will post a link to the form here when it goes live on June 1st.

Who owns the game I created?

You will own all the rights to your game. If you consent and we select your game to be featured in a highlight reel or Showcase, all credits go to the creator(s).


Submissions(15)

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Browser playable (15)

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Wave attack game with stackable effects and strange side effects
Action
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Somehow, these fragments have given you the ability to see beyond the mortal realm.
Interactive Fiction
Play in browser
It's your first day as the new Lab Assistant for a world-renowned reclusive scientist. Will you make it out alive?
Visual Novel
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In this 2D platformer you have to be careful when completing levels!
Adventure
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Have a Blast!
Action
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You wake up in a strange garden and hear a voice....
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Explore a dungeon and balance side effects!
Action
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GCPL GameJam
Puzzle
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Made for GCPL Game Jam 2023
Platformer
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the strange side effects are the bugs
Puzzle
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Puzzle
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Breaking Boxes...with some side effects.
Platformer
Play in browser
Play in browser
Quick-Thinking Action Puzzler
Puzzle
Play in browser
Platformer
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