Welcome to the second annual Game Maker's Toolkit Game Jam. 

This is a 48 hour game making marathon, focused on design, mechanics, and clever ideas. The jam runs from August 31st, at 10PM UK time, to September 2nd, at 10PM UK time.

Come chat with fellow jammers on the GMTK Discord!

The Theme

This time, the theme is: GENRE, but you can’t MECHANIC.

So, I’m looking for games that fit a certain type of game - but players cannot do one of the core actions that’s associated with that genre. I talked about this in the episode, How How Snake Pass Works Pass Works - which is about a platformer, but you can’t jump.

By taking away the most fundamental mechanic in a platforming game, developer Sumo Digital had to come up with an entirely new way to traverse the world: specifically, wrapping your body around poles to slither up climbing frames.

There are other examples of platformers where you can’t jump, like the gravity flipping VVVVVV, and the recently released Bomb Chicken: where the only way to gain momentum is to lay a bomb out of your butt. And in that episode I talked about more games that are defined by what you can’t do: like No Brakes Valet: a driving game, but you can’t brake. 

The GMTK Jam is all about creativity - so we’re looking for games that really run with the idea. How would you make a driving game, but you can’t steer? Or a chess game, but you can’t move the pieces? A shooter, but you can’t shoot - or a shooter, but you can’t stop shooting?  Be silly, be esoteric, be cheeky. Take a few hours to just think of different ideas, and only start coding when you’re ready to go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the game have to be made by one person, or are teams allowed?

You can work alone, or in a team of any size you wish. Only one member of the team needs to register for the jam, and they will submit the final game at the end of the jam. 

Does everything have to be made in the mentioned time period or can graphics, code, sounds etc. that were already created before also be used?

We request that you please abide by an honor code and do not submit a game or game content you were working on ahead of the jam as it isn't fair to the other jammers working from scratch. This rule does not include fair-use content from non-team sources, nor does it include any third-party or custom-built engines that you wish to use in the jam.

Content released commercially is not considered acceptable to include without explicit permission from the original author. Submissions will require a list of all pre-made or licensed content and a link to a license for each item, and will be accepted under the assumption this request has been respected. Any submissions with plagiarized or otherwise prepared resources from before the jam will be disqualified.

What platform should the game be made for? PC, Web, Phone/Tablets, Consoles?

If you want your submission to be eligible for judging, you should make it as easily accessible as possible. If your game runs on Windows/Mac/Linux and is able to launch without throwing off an antivirus software, you're probably fine. Same deal goes for web games, though if there is a specific browser requirement, it should be noted in the submission details. Mobile games should also make note of their preferred platform, environment (screen size, OS version, etc), and any additionally required information needed to run in the details.  

Is there any restriction on game engines? 

For this jam, there will be no restrictions on creation tools. Game jams are the perfect setting to learn a ton of new things in a safe environment, so feel free to work with the tools you're comfortable with, some new feature you've been meaning to learn more about, or even a totally new game engine!