Hey Redeye!
Game jams are super fun and it feels great when you submit! Here are the tips I have for you.
Limit your scope. This is very important. You only have 48 hours to make a playable game and if this is your first game jam that time is so precious. Does your game really need 20 levels when you could focus on 3 really great levels that showcase the mechanic? Does it need a fancy text-box system? Make a list and focus on important features that will compliment your mechanic. I really can’t stress this enough and I still fall victim to it. You’re going to need time to polish and fix bugs so keep your core idea manageable and within your skill level.
As you’re working on your game make a list of everything that needs to get done and sort them by importance to the playability of your game. Some things are not going to get done so you need to use your time wisely to finish the most important aspects.
Be apart of the community! You don’t necessarily have to interact with anyone but simply joining the discord and checking in with what people are working on can be inspiring and motivating for your own project!
Get adequate sleep, exercise, take showers, get fresh air, and eat! While you might think this is obvious game jams can become consuming and its easy to forget basic needs. We are more productive and do much more efficient work with less mistakes if we have our basic needs met.
Drink WATER! (Coffee is not water)
Hope that helps and I am looking forward to playing your game!