This jam is now over. It ran from 2025-05-12 10:00:00 to 2025-05-26 09:00:00. View 28 entries

We're thrilled to announce that Norwich Games Festival is returning from 26 - 31 May 2025! The Festival promises a week of amazing events, workshops, talks, and free interactive activities for everybody to enjoy.

Norwich Games Festival is presented by The Forum, Norwich with Lead Partner Norwich University of the Arts, and Partner Connected Innovation. Norwich Games Festival features lots of hands-on game play, including retro arcades and VR experiences, as well as industry events. 

Norwich Games Festival


About the Jam

The game jam will happen over two full weeks and two weekends. Everyone can work on and finish a game, no matter if you're a weekend warrior, participating in the evenings after university or college, or you are jamming every day. 

Create and finish a game your way, while taking regular breaks and working at a sustainable pace. This no-crunch game jam aims to support physical and emotional wellbeing and encourages rest and having fun. You have two weeks, so pace yourself and keep healthy.

Theme announcement, finding team members, and regular check-ins will be happening on Game Anglia's Discord.

The theme of this challenge is "Journey Home".


Games must:

๐ŸŽจ Address the theme announced on the morning of the game jam
๐Ÿ–ฑโŒจ Be playable with a mouse and keyboard as no controllers will be present for the showcase
๐Ÿง’ Be suitable for players aged 7 years old and above (rating PEGI 7) 
๐Ÿ“’ Have detailed instructions on how to play game present on the game's page or present in the game. They should be targeted at the public (i.e. folks who may have never played a game before)
๐ŸŒ Be playable on itch.io. We will not showcase games that are not playable in-browser, on itch, even if submitted as web pages. 

This is to ensure that everyone visiting the Norwich Games Festival can play the games.  

Jam rules:

๐Ÿ‘ฏ Your team should be no more than 5 people, and you can participate as a solo developer 
๐Ÿ› ๏ธ The development of your game must not start before the game jam start date
๐Ÿ”ก You can use Asset Store assets and pre-made frameworks (e.g. a start menu framework), but not continue work on games you were already developing
๐Ÿค– Do not use any AI-generated assets
๐ŸŒ… Your game must address the theme in some way. If the judges do not believe your game addresses the theme at all, we may choose not to showcase your game.

Showcase and Awards

All eligible games will be showcased at the Norwich Games Festival, between 29 May - 31 May. 

At least 1 member can be present at Norwich Games Festival for the awards ceremony on the 31 May 2025. If no team member can be present for the awards ceremony, we reserve the right to not showcase your game and not consider it for an award.  

A selected group of professionals from the video games industry will judge the games, and winners will be announced at a live award ceremony during the Festival on Saturday 31 May 2025.

Award categories:

Judges' Choice โ€“ The best game voted for by a panel of games industry experts.
Game of the Show - The best game voted for by attendees of Norwich Games Festival.
Best Use of Theme- The game which most matches the game jam's theme, voted for by a panel of games industry experts.


About Game Anglia

Game Anglia supports young people and independent game developers in the East of England get the connections, skills and experience needed to succeed in the UK-wide and international game development industry. Since our first conference in 2017, we have helped over 2,000 young people, assisted in the creation of 5 studios, and showcased 56 games. 

Join Game Anglia's Discord


Submissions(22)

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Smash, Drift, and Drive your way to dinner!
Racing
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A short time trial racing game made for the Norwich Games Festival Jam 2025!
Racing
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Some little frogs were swept downstream - can you get them home?
Platformer
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A frantic space management game where you escort a precious egg home through the dangers of space
Strategy
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Flappy bird but crazier with a raven I guess.. plus there is an actual ending which wont make you break a phone!
Platformer
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Create your journey home no matter what line
Puzzle
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Play fetch with your best friend
Visual Novel
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Time to manage the train to Norwich!
Adventure
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Get back home after a helicopter ride
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Find your way home in two different stories
Interactive Fiction
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A Rogue-little turn-based game about a longer than expected journey home after an adventure.
Strategy
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Upgradable Items and Randomised Runs with Online Leaderboard
Action
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A Knight's quest home
Platformer
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A race against time to close a mysterious portal.
Platformer
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As the Eldest Billy Goat Gruff, how quickly can you lead the goats home past the trolls?
Action
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After forgetting to bring your handheld console you have to find a way to pass the time during a long journey home
Action
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become emperor of the penguins
Fighting
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Get passengers home. But your train grows as you do
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Survival
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Can you survive with all your gold against pirates as you journey home?
Action
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