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I uploaded two submissions.  I didn't have much time because of family vacation,  so I rushed my first one. I had more time this morning while the family sleeps so I made another. Can you just pick the best out of those and disregard the other?

Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I made the game mostly for controller because that's what I use for platformers. I find keyboard controls very difficult for most platformers. 

Thank you, I played your game and liked it a lot too. To answer your question, no. The music is the only thing I didn't make, I got that from one of the royalty free sites. 

Cool concept,it took me a minute to figure out the gameplay loop, but then it clicked. I think this concept would make a good mobile game that people would play if it was fleshed out more. 

Yes, but my voice. I did a verbal review as it was narrated and had it clean up the grammar. I work a lot and only had a small window of time to review this. 

This was my first Jam too. You did an awesome job!

Concept & Storytelling:

At first, I wasn’t quite sure what the game was aiming for, but the more I played, the more I found myself drawn in. It’s rare to find a game that genuinely makes you think. The themes of time, memory, and experience were surprisingly deep and thoughtfully handled — a refreshing take that really stood out.

Art Style:

The visuals are simple, but there's charm in their simplicity. The art has a cute, minimalist aesthetic that works well with the tone of the game. As someone who struggles with art myself, I genuinely appreciate what was created here.

Gameplay & Feel:

Movement was a bit slow and blocky, but it seems like that might have been intentional — to match the reflective, meditative pacing of the game. The slower pace actually helps reinforce the story’s tone and the feeling of being “trapped in a box,” which ties in perfectly with the jam’s theme.

Final Thoughts:

This game reminded me that gameplay can be more than mechanics — it can also be emotion, story, and reflection. I truly enjoyed this experience and appreciate the thought and effort put into it. Great job, and thank you for sharing your work!

Art & Style:

The pixelated 2D art style is simple but effective. It suits the platformer format well and contributes to a cohesive visual atmosphere.

Audio & Environment:

The sound design and overall environment are well done, helping to create a solid mood for the game. The in-game dialogue text that appears as the player moves is a particularly nice touch.

Gameplay & Concept:

While the game is titled In a Box, the connection to that theme isn’t immediately clear during gameplay. The core mechanics suggest a detective-style platformer, but without strong thematic cues tying back to the title.

Areas for Improvement:

Movement: Player movement feels jerky and delayed — more polish is needed to make it feel smooth and responsive.

Clarity & Instructions: Some clearer guidance or tutorial elements would help, especially when players get stuck.

Controls: Consider adding controller support and improving overall responsiveness.

Overall Impression:

This is a solid submission with standout art, sound, and atmosphere. With some improvements to player movement and gameplay clarity, it could be a very strong experience. Great effort!

I like this a lot, and honestly wish that there was more to play. The game play is fun, but a little confusing. I am not sure what constitutes as points, what affects the timer, and so on. I think you should build this more and make something with it. It's a little addictive. 

You know.... when I first started playing I was like "what is this?" But, as I played I became relaxed and had a sense of ease. Even though there's not much to the game mechanically, the design, sound, and art make you want to keep playing. When I made the delivery, I was both happy and disappointing that the ride was over. Great idea!

This was very fun to play. I was looking forward to trying it when I saw the videos made earlier. The music, gameplay, and environment are very immersive. I want to try to make something like this after playing. Even the text and art design fit perfectly with the theme. Controller support would be great.  Thanks so much, it was really cool! 

Dude... this was very fun to ply. I was looking forward to trying it when I saw the video you sent earlier. The music, gameplay, and environment is very immersive. I want to try to make something like this after playing your game. Controller support would be great.  Thanks so much, it was really cool! 

Great concept! Did you do the art on your own? It looks awesome. I can see this as a good loop for an RPG/Dungeon style game. Nice enemy system, good graphics. Honestly, I wish there was more because it was fun. 

https://gx.games/games/fbhq5n/chicken-a-box/

I can't get it to work  for some reason. Even though I have HTML5, it won't give the option to upload as web game. However, it works fully GX.games.

Thanks for the feedback. Honestly, I wasn't trying to be perfect or make the movement as tight as possible for this one. I wanted to see if I was even capable of making a game. Now that I know I can, I will push more next time. I will check out Hops and play it before bed. 

I'm trying to do it now. 

Hi everyone, I started learning coding and game design about a month ago using GameMaker. I decided to join Mini Jam 188 and give it a go, for the learning experience and to see how it would feel to push myself and release something. This was a great learning experience and I look forward to future Game Jams. 

Please take a moment to play my platformer. The theme of the game jam was "All in a Box." With my since of humor from SNL and Lonely Island Boys, I came up with "Chicken a Box." Get it? 

Anyways, try my game. It works on keyboard and xbox controller. 

Chicken a Box by BadAzzHedgehog

Start Menu: Excellent presentation, clean and professional.

Graphics: Beautiful visuals, even with reused assets; the world feels immersive.

Music: Very well done, atmospheric and fitting.

Writing: Clearly a lot of effort went into the dialogue. Impressive work given the limited time.

Overall Impression: A highly impressive game, especially for a jam entry. Great job!

Areas for Improvement:

Gameplay Preference: While point and click mystery games aren’t personally preferred, the experience was still enjoyable.

Player Movement: The world looks so good that it makes you want to walk around more — a bit more interactivity could enhance immersion.

Additional Notes:

Appreciated seeing this built in Unity.

As a GameMaker user, I feel a bit intimidated by 3D games, but this project shows what’s possible — very inspiring.

Thanks for sharing this, it was a pleasure to play!

Thanks for playing my game. I appreciate the kind words and motivation

Positive Feedback:

Art Design: Very clean, simple, and cool — well done visually.

Mechanics: Solid and functional, well thought-out.

Concept: The box gimmick is clever and interesting.

Overall Impression: A very good game; impressive work with clear thought put into design.

Areas for Improvement:

Character Animation: Would benefit from some animation to enhance visual feedback.

Difficulty Curve: Obstacles come very fast and often; game feels quite difficult, especially for older or casual players.

Mouse Movement: The mouse (or player character) moves too slowly when pushing the box — could use a slight speed boost for better flow.

Additional Notes:

Recognizes the time crunch of a game jam — understands why some elements may be limited.

I'm curious about the game engine used and your level of experience — the game feels professionally structured.

All in all, great work with the game!

Chicken a Box – Game Jam Demo

You’re Chicky, a brave little chicken hatched inside a mysterious cardboard world. Jump, hop, and box-bounce your way through 10 quirky levels filled with crate-themed enemies like Boom Box, Box Hopper, Crate Crawler, and the glitchy menace... Glitchy Box!

Can you survive the demo and rescue the baby egg?

Controls:

Move: A / D or Left / Right Arrow Keys

Jump: Spacebar or Controller A

Controller Recommended

About:

Made in 72 hours for Mini Jam 188: Mystery with the theme “All in a Box.”

This is a short but complete demo – future updates may hatch more surprises. 

This is my first Game Jam, my first game made. I started last month learning code and development. This event was a real eye-opener and a learning experience. I am grateful for the lessons learned. 

https://badazzhedgehog.itch.io/chicken-a-box

Yes, please rate my game. This is my first ever game made/completed. I started learning game development about a month ago. This experience was very good and I learned a lot. 

I finished the Game Jam! Yes, this is a different account because I realized I was using an account from a dead email address.