I think the most important lesson I learned is that you have to work in a big team and have amazing artists. It's impossible to do well working alone, which is a little unfair in my opinion, but makes sense, and is not against the rules, so whatever. I never rated popular games, instead choosing small creators and beginners, to give them some criticism and a bit more of a chance. I tried to rate games as fairly as possible and disregarding art completely, but in the long run, first impressions are what matter the most, but giving 1 star just to benefit yourself is incredibly childish.
The voting was really fun for me, because I for to play plenty of creative games! Even the bad ones at least gave me an opportunity to talk to the creator. The feeling of community is the main reason I do jams.
I'd rate my own game a 4 in design, 4 in theme and 3 in originality.
I'm gonna participate next year, even though there's no way in hell I'm getting close to the top 100, because the challenge and community are what keep me going.