WHAT IS MICRO JAM?

Micro Jam is a bi-weekly Game Jam (game development competition) held on itch.io. Every Jam has a pre-set theme and a surprise prerequisite that is divulged once the Jam starts. The prerequisite can be voted on in the Micro Jam Discord server and is open for interpretation.

It's absolutely fine if you do not finish your game in time. You can submit it late anytime within the Jam's voting period!

We happily provide $110 USD worth of cash prizes for each bi-weekly Jam, with the support of our sponsor, MiniScript.

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SPONSORED BY:

MiniScript is an open-source scripting language designed to be especially small, simple, and easy to learn — but powerful enough for real coding. Its easiest and most popular environment for game development is Mini Micro, a neo-virtual home computer!

THEME:

This week's theme for Micro Jam 027 is Retro!

This is open for interpretation, but just remember that the use of theme is a criterion being voted on.

PREREQUISITE:

The prerequisite is: Only 3 buttons

This prerequisite can be interpreted in any way that you think fits. Just remember that it is part of the criteria being voted on!

PRIZES (Money provided by MiniScript):

JUDGE'S CHOICE (From top 10 in the Community Vote):

1st Place:

- A signed certificate to show that you have won Micro Jam 027

- Featured on our website's Hall of Fame

- Special role in our Discord community

- 50 USD via Paypal

2nd Place:

- A signed certificate to show that you have won second in Micro Jam 027

- Special role in our Discord community

- 30 USD via Paypal

3rd Place:

- A signed certificate to show that you have won third in Micro Jam 027

- Special role in our Discord community

BEST MINISCRIPT ENTRY:

Judges will choose the best MiniScript entry to be awarded with this prize. Be sure to add the tag #miniscript in your itch.io page if you're using MiniScript. The best MiniScript entry will be awarded:

- 30 USD via Paypal

RATING:

When submission is over, there will be a ~1-day rating period. These are the criteria:

1. Enjoyment - how fun it was to play the game

2. Presentation - how well the game is presented

3. Concept - the game's idea; storyline, mechanic, etc

4. Use of theme - how well the theme is integrated

5. Use of prerequisite - how well the prerequisite is integrated

6. Controls - how the game feels when playing it

After the voting period has ended, a Judge panel will assess a bracket of games to be chosen to receive a prize (See "Prizes" section above).

RULES:

The rules are quite simple.

1. Keep the game content clean (no explicit, NSFW or disturbing graphics)

2. Keep the game in English (except for the title; it can be in any language)

3. Don't make games before the 48-hour Jam period

FAQ:

If I'm in a team, do all members have to submit the game? No, only one person should submit it. You can add your team members on the game page. 

Can I submit a game I already made? No, you can only submit games made in the given timeframe. We don't check, but just don't~

Can I use premade assets? Yes, absolutely! If you have permission or if it's your own, go for it!

Can I use AI (artificial intelligence)? Yep, you can! AI is a great tool that can help developers, and you should definitely try to take advantage of it.

What's a prerequisite? A prerequisite is something that your game must follow. It is voted on and is released once the Jam starts.

Does my game have to follow the theme and prerequisite? No, it doesn't have to. But just remember that those are both a part of the rating criteria, so try to integrate them into your game.

Is there a prize for winning? Yes, we offer prizes for all top 3 winners, as well as for the best MiniScript entry! Check above in the "Prizes" section.

Can someone win 2 awards? Yes, someone can win both a top 3 award as well as a "Best MiniScript Entry" Award. Their prize will be both of the awards, and the money they receive will be the total of the two prizes (EG $50 + $30 = $80 total).

Do I have to use MiniScript? No, it's not required for the Jam, but if you want to be eligible for the "Best MiniScript Entry" as well as getting featured in the Discord community servers, MiniScript will have to be used.

PARTNERS:

MiniScript is an open-source scripting language designed to be especially small, simple, and easy to learn — but powerful enough for real coding. Its easiest and most popular environment for game development is Mini Micro, a neo-virtual home computer!