This jam is now over. It ran from 2025-06-09 10:00:00 to 2025-06-25 22:59:59. View 13 entries

💡 Theme Overview: Solace & Joy

What brings you peace? What brings you joy? Can a game capture those feelings?

This year’s Game Jam invites you to design a game that explores how we recharge, find comfort, and experience happiness — in the big moments or the small ones. Whether it’s a quiet cup of tea, a walk in nature, or a burst of laughter, your game should reflect what makes you or your players feel restored, energised, or whole.

You may:

Focus on solace – calm, comfort, reflection, or healing
Focus on joy – playfulness, connection, achievement, or delight
Or explore the emotional journey between the two

🧩 Game Jam Objectives

Design a playable digital game linked to the theme.
Create an engaging experience that reflects an emotional or personal truth.
Use any engine or tools (Unity, Godot, Ren’Py, Twine, Bitsy, etc.) – just ensure final output is HTML5 for browser play.
Ensure the game meets a PEGI 7 equivalent: No violence, no harmful content.

📝 Submission Requirements

Game file playable directly through a standard web-browser (Chrome or Edge) on the Itch.io website. (This means submissions should be HTML5 compatible for direct browser play).
Short developer statement (max 500 words or 2-minute video):
- What inspired your game?
- How does it reflect solace and/or joy?
Screenshots or moodboards (optional but encouraged).
Credit for any third-party assets used.

🏆 Judging Criteria (Out of 100)

Area	Criteria
Theme Connection (20)	Does the game clearly express solace, joy, or both?
Gameplay & Mechanics (20)	Is it engaging, functional, and intuitive?
Art & Audio (20)	Are visuals and sound purposeful and supportive of mood?
Emotional Impact (20)	Does the game feel meaningful, reflective or uplifting?
Presentation & Documentation (20)	Is the submission well-presented with clear intent?

🧠 Need Inspiration?

Ask yourself:

What do I do when I need to reset?
When was the last time I felt completely at peace?
What small moment made me smile this week?

Check out games like:

Kind Words > https://store.steampowered.com/app/1070710/Kind_Words_lo_fi_chill_beats_to_write...
A Short Hike > https://store.steampowered.com/app/1055540/A_Short_Hike/
Islanders > https://store.steampowered.com/app/1046030/ISLANDERS/
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure > https://store.steampowered.com/app/1337010/Alba_A_Wildlife_Adventure/
Wattam > https://store.steampowered.com/app/702680/Wattam/

🙌 Community & Showcase

All games will be displayed on the NCS Itch.io page.
Winning entries will be celebrated during our showcase event on Friday, 27th June 2025 (Time TBC).
Participation certificates for all, plus prizes for standouts!