This jam is now over. It ran from 2021-03-13 06:00:00 to 2021-03-29 04:59:59. View results

Welcome to the 1st Retro Platform Jam! The objective of this jam is to make a game that runs in an emulator or on real hardware for any obsolete platform OR Fantasy Console. The idea is to build a game with unusual limitations. All participants and contributors will have the opportunity to vote after the submission period ends March 28th.

Rules

  1. Since developing for retro or restricted platforms is hard enough already, the only submission requirement is a playable game. For the first jam, there will be no themes or additional restrictions.
  2. You may use any assets you have the rights to use. This includes libraries, frameworks, engines, external tools, and previously-made graphics or sounds.
  3. Your submission should specify which emulators or hardware platforms and revisions, if any, your playable game has been tested on.
  4. Individual and team submissions are both accepted with no team size restrictions.
  5. No NSFW content, sexism, racism, discrimination or any kind of exclusion is allowed.

Voting

Games will be rated by participants and contributors in the following areas: 

  • Fun - how fun is the game to play? How good does gameplay feel?
  • Game Design - how well is the game constructed? Do the game systems work together to make a cohesive whole? Are there innovative game mechanics or concepts?
  • Platform Usage - this is basically our graphics and audio category, but submissions might be for platforms with radically different audio and visual capabilities. Do the graphics and audio represent the standards and style of the chosen platform? Are the graphics and audio aesthetically pleasing and/or creative?

Community

In addition to the Community section on the jam page, participants are encouraged to join the RetroDev Discord at https://discord.gg/Vy87aJjEDB

Example Platforms and Tools

Games for the Atari 2600, NES, SNES, Game Boy, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, 68k Macintosh, Apple II, Commodore 64, Amiga, Spectrum, PICO-8, Dreamcast, and more will be accepted. If you have a software-only platform such as a Fantasy Console you would like to build for and experiment with, feel free to submit!

Below are some tools and resources for developing games for retro and constrained platforms.

Engines, SDKs, and Dev Environments

Compilers

  • z88dk (https://github.com/z88dk/z88dk), a C compiler and assembler for various 8088 and z80-based computers.
  • SDCC, the Small Device C Compiler (http://sdcc.sourceforge.net/), a C compiler suite for a large number of processors, particularly ones used in embedded devices.
  • cc65 (https://cc65.github.io/), a C compiler for 6502-based systems including the NES, Commodore Vic-20 / C16 / C64, Atari 2600 / 5200, Apple II, and more.

Forums, Tutorials, and Wikis

Submissions(27)

All submissions
·
Browser playable (13)
·
Windows (7)
macOS (6)
Linux (6)
Android (5)

No submissions match your filter

Wink’s smallest adventure yet! — Made with GB Studio
Platformer
Play in browser
Play classic arcade games on a retro-styled fantasy holographic console.
Disable the reactor of a derelict ship before it threatens the deep sea colonies!
Adventure
Small walking sim for Nintendo DS
Adventure
a short metroid clone
Action
Play in browser
Get all players to the goal at the same time!
Puzzle
Play in browser
A Genesis clone of the famous Chrome game
Platformer
Pipes arcade game for VZ200 / Laser 200 computers
Feel the frustration that implies engaging in a task that no one else feels capable.
Platformer
Play in browser
A subaquatic shoot-em-up.
Shooter
An Adventure Game in a Loop for the Mega Drive aka Genesis.
Adventure
Play in browser
A metroidvania for the Sega Master System
Platformer
Short little platformer with semi-metroidvania elements for any 16kb MSX1.
Platformer
It's the game version of Gandmomo, the band, but it's a game (video game) for dreamcast (dc).
Shooter
Your Gameboy has been confiscated! Time to take it back
Puzzle
Play in browser
Two little sprites just trying to make it work.
Play in browser
A Short and Sweet Platformer, about a cute 'lil mage!
Platformer
Play in browser
1980's arcade style pseudo3D space shoot them'up
Action
Play in browser
A cooperative puzzle-platformer.
Platformer
Play in browser
Retro Endless Runner
Platformer
Play in browser
Adventure
Play in browser
PC-8801 block-breaker game
Action
Amaretto has a lovely dream of catching donuts falling from the sky.
Play in browser