Hello dear people! I am carcass! You might know me as the creator of SMALLWORLD, but I’m not a ‘real’ game developer. Still, I just love game development. So much that I want this jam to be super meta.

Remember ‘Systemic Shock’ by Through The Looking Glass Games? The game with the evil AI? Stroll around a bit in the creepy corridors, and you will find a game console. And games for it. Yes, you can play a simple version of ‘Winged Commands’ while actually being hunted by cyber mutants! Mind. Is. Blown! In the sequel there’s even an 'Ultimare’-like RPG on your virtual GameHog device.

So there you have it! The theme is...

Wow! A Game Within A Game! Does that mean you’re required to make a complete game, just to embed yet another one? Well, only if you want to! But maybe it can mean something else? For example:

• Make a game where you experience another game in any form - be it static or animated, be it hidden or obvious, be it interactive or not.
• We All Love Minigames - hacking, lock-picking, plant-watering, shoe-tieing! Anything can be a minigame!
• Multiplayer party games!
• Mod another game to create *your* game!
• ???
• Profit! So many possibilities!

Also, this could be an opportunity for a collaboration of a special kind - maybe you and your partner(s) get to work on different games, inside the same game! Or intertwine your games! Who knows what can happen! I for sure don't know. I'm excited to see what you make, be it inside a computer or outside!

Good luck!

Any questions? Comments? Well, the Alakajam community is there for you!

:-)

(The background picture is taken from "Skybox - Kabuki" (2020) by Ludwig Hanisch.)