🏰 Welcome to the Tower Defense Game Jam!

Get ready to put your strategic mind to the test! In this game jam, your goal is to create a tower defense game that’s not only fun and functional — but uniquely yours. Whether you stick to the classics or introduce wild twists, we want to see how you build, defend, and upgrade under pressure.

🎯 Jam Theme

"Build. Defend. Upgrade — with a twist."

Bring your own spin to the genre! Think beyond the basics:

• Do your towers have bizarre powers?

• Do enemies evolve or deceive?

• Does your map shift beneath the player’s feet?

• Do resources behave in an unexpected way?

Surprise us! Your creativity is the core of this jam.

🧠 What We're Looking For

• ✅ Core tower defense mechanics: building, upgrading, managing resources, defending lanes.

• ✅ Well-designed enemy waves with smart scaling.

• ✅ Strategic depth and rewarding gameplay.

• ✅ Creative twists that make your game stand out.

• ✅ Polished presentation: even a small, focused, and playable demo is better than something unfinished.

💻 Platforms & Submission Requirements

• All platforms are welcome: PC, Web, Mobile, Console—as long as it's playable and shareable.

• A browser-based (WebGL) version is strongly encouraged to maximize accessibility and visibility.

• Submit your game via Itch.io with:

  • A cover image

  • Game description

  • Theme explanation

  • Controls overview

  • Credits for all external assets used

🚫 Important Rules

• ❌ No generative AI assets allowed (e.g., AI-generated code, art, sound). Everything should be made by you or your team during the jam.

• ✅ Public domain or properly licensed third-party assets are permitted if credited properly.

• ✅ Code and gameplay systems must be created during the jam (utility libraries and frameworks are allowed).

• Be respectful, original, and creative. Keep it fair and fun!

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Who Can Join?

Everyone! Whether you're:

• A solo indie developer

• A group of friends

• A beginner learning your first game engine

• Or a seasoned pro trying something new

This jam is open to all experience levels and team sizes (up to 4 people).

🗓️ Key Dates

• Jam Start: July 26, 2025

• Submission Deadline: July 30 2025 (12:00 your local time)

• Voting Period: July 30- August 2, 2025

• Winners Announced: August 2 2025

🗳️ Voting Criteria

Participants will rate each submission based on the following:

1. Gameplay & Mechanics – How fun, strategic, and balanced is the game?

2. Creativity & Originality – Does the game offer a fresh take on the genre?

3. Visuals & Presentation – Are the graphics clean, readable, and appealing?

4. Audio & Atmosphere – Are the music and sound effects immersive and well-used?

5. Theme Interpretation – How cleverly does the game incorporate the jam's theme?

💡 Tips for Success

• Keep your scope realistic – a small, finished game always beats an unfinished big one.

• Make your gameplay loop tight and satisfying.

• Include tower upgrades and enemy variety to increase depth.

• Get feedback! Playtest early with friends or community members.

• Prioritize clear UI and smooth controls for accessibility.

Good luck, have fun, and show us how tower defense should be done in 2025!
Questions? Reach out via towerdefensejam.alexandrucostea.com  or on the jam’s Itch page.