MFGG Fangame Jam is a game-making marathon where you have 5 days to make a game based on a pre-existing IP.

Your game also has to follow a certain theme, which will be announced when the jam starts.

The jam will be starting on the 11th of August at 12 PM PST, and ending 5 days later.

After the jam ends there will be a period where everyone can vote for the games submitted. The results and the winning games will get announced at the end of the week.

All discussion related to the jam will be held on our Discord server, so make sure to join!

MFGG Website Discord Server MFGG Twitter

Our Previous Game Jams: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

You can share your games on Twitter using the #MFGGJam hashtag if you want us to retweet your stuff.

Theme

"Mario is Missing"

This one is very simple. Make a game where the main character of the franchise is NOT present. For example, if you're making a game based on the Sonic franchise, make a game where Sonic himself is nowhere to be found. You can mention him in the story, but he's not allowed to appear in person.

We won't be too strict on the criteria of a main character. If it's something up to debate, we will allow it. Nobody's going to deny if Sonic is the main character of the Sonic franchise. But Tails? I guess you could make an argument that he is one of the main characters, but we will allow it regardless because you could also argue that in a vast majority of the games he's more of a sidekick.

PRO TIP: Remember that the absence of the main character doesn't just have to be a narrative choice; it can be a driving force within the gameplay itself too. Don't just make a typical Mario game and replace Mario's sprite with Luigi. Make the gameplay all about Luigi! Make him do something only he can!

FAQ / Rules

Who are we?

We are Mario Fan Games Galaxy, an unofficial fan site dedicated to fangames, with a focus on the Mario series obviously!

Ever since 2001, we have been hosting thousands of fangames, as well as resources to help you start creating your own. We also have an active community, mainly centered around our main site and Discord server these days.

MFGG is also the birth place of many popular fangames such as Psycho Waluigi, Super Mario Flashback, Paper Mario 3D Land, and Super Mario 64 Plus.

Who can enter the jam? 

Anyone older than 13, regardless of previous experience in game development. This is a game jam that's being held entirely online, so it doesn't even matter where you live!

If you're below the age of 13, your parent or guardian must upload the game for you.

You're even allowed to form teams, with a maximum of 5 people. If you need teammates our Discord server could be a good place to find some.

Can I just submit any game?

Well, no. It should be a game you made within the jam period, and it should be a fangame.

Do not try to submit games made by others and try to trick us. Around a dozen of people tried doing that last time, yet we caught them all and they all got disqualified. You will be just wasting the time of both of us.

Does it have to be a Mario fangame?

Nope! Any fangame based on any franchise is welcome, and we are leaving the definition for "franchise" very open-ended. It could be a video game, a movie, or even your favorite YouTuber. Entirely up to you!

That being said, your game has to be a fangame of some sort. No original indie games are allowed, and failure to disclose what your fangame is based on could result with disqualification of your game if it isn't obvious.

If I make a fangame will I get sued?

In case of Nintendo, we would suggest you to read this. But the short answer is that the chances are close to none, as long as you follow all the rules of the jam.

That being said, we aren't legally responsible for anything that might happen.

What assets can I use in my game?

You can make your own, or you can just use ones made by others. We aren't picky on this, but we don't hold any responsibility on this front.

If you need to get your hands on some assets MFGG's main site is a good place to start!

Just make sure to give proper credit when needed, and state which assets you're using that you do not own.

What engine/tool do I have to use to make my game?

Doesn't matter. As long as your game is playable on a Windows system (either natively or via web browsers), you can use any game engine or framework.

That being said, you cannot base your game off of existing code. You can follow tutorials, but the base for your game should start development after the theme gets announced.

So basically, you can use game engines like Unity or GameMaker, but you cannot just finish an existing half-finished game, nor use frameworks like Hello Engine or Sonic Worlds.

Can I submit a ROM hack or a mod?

Yeah, we do accept ROM hacks and mods! There are, however, some further restrictions with those.

• They should be fully playable on Windows PCs, with an emulator or otherwise.
  
• The hacks/mods submitted should change more than just the game's graphics or music.
• You should only submit the patch in case of hacks, submitting a ROM file will get you disqualified instantly.
• You cannot be one of the original developers of the game you're modding.

Also, you have to keep in mind that the voting categories will be shared between all games. This, unfortunately, results in ROM hacks and mods getting far less attention compared to regular fangames in these fangame jams. So you will be at a bit of a disadvantage.

Can I remake/demake an existing game?

Nintendo doesn't like it when fans remake their games, so your game should be relatively original.

So for example, a complete remake of Super Mario Bros. 2 would be disqualified based on this rule, even if it includes extra content. But a game inspired from Super Mario Bros. 2 with original levels and content would be perfectly fine.

Remakes go against the spirit of game jams either way. The point is to get those creative muscles working!

This rule applies to non-Nintendo fangames as well, just to keep things fair.

Can I make an NFT/Blockchain game?

No. Anything related to NFTs and the blockchain is an instant disqualification (excluding parodies).

Can I use generative AI?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: You're not allowed to use tools like Midjourney to generate assets for you. All the art, music, sounds, etc. should be made by a human. This includes the artwork on your game's page and thumbnail as well. Your game will be disqualified if we notice any uses of these generative AI tools.

Using ChatGPT and other AI code generation tools is not banned necessarily, but is heavily discouraged, as there's no reliable way to detect their use. You are allowed to use ChatGPT and similar language models to brainstorm however.

Do I have to make an MFGG account?

No. You also don't have to submit your game to MFGG's main site.

That being said, it is heavily encouraged for you to submit your game to MFGG as well, as it would result in with more people from the community playing the game. We will be prioritizing the submissions from this game jam more than other game submissions, so your game won't be waiting in the queue for too long as well.

To submit your game, head here.

Where do you guys even discuss this?

Mainly in our Discord server, which can be found here.

Are there any other limitations?

• All games must be in English.
  
• Games submitted cannot contain nudity or sexually explicit themes.
• Hateful language or discrimination of any kind will also not be tolerated.
• Games that contain excessive gore and violence should have warnings on their pages.
• One person can be in multiple teams, but we only allow one game per submitter.
• You can participate in two jams at once if they happen at the same time.
• Your game doesn't need to be finished. If you cannot finish your game in time you can submit it as a demo.
• Only video games, mods, and hacks are allowed. So no board games, sorry! Visual novels should be perfectly fine however.
• The pricing for the submitted games should be set to "No payments". Paid games will be disqualified instantly.
  

If you're not sure about any of the rules, come ask us on Discord! For any specific issues don't be afraid to tag "@mors".