A Look Back: Our Game Jam Projects and What We’ve Learned

Hello everyone!

As a small indie team, we’ve had the pleasure of participating in various game jams over the years. These events have not only helped us sharpen our skills but also allowed us to experiment with new ideas and approaches to game design. Today, we’d like to take a moment to look back at some of the games we’ve created during these jams and point you to our itch.io page, where you can check them out for yourself!

The Lost Brothers

This was our very first game jam project, developed by a group of university friends who laid the foundation for what would later become EGS. The theme was lost and found, and we took this to heart by creating a story about two twin brothers who grew up playing hide and seek. The levels were designed to reflect an aging process, with the early stages showing a childlike art style and the later stages taking on a more mature, refined look.

While the scope of the game was ambitious for a 48-hour jam, we’re proud of what we accomplished. The narrative and art were central to the design, and although not everything made it into the final version, it was a great start for us as a team.

Searching for Lilly

Our second game jam experience was a lesson in balancing story and gameplay. With a larger team of 11, there were some growing pains as we navigated different design ideas and roles. The theme revolved around switching between realms—one of dreams and one of nightmares. The narrative was built around the five stages of grief, and while we aimed to create an emotional journey for players, the practical side of developing such a game in a short time frame proved challenging.

Ultimately, Searching for Lilly became a reminder that simplicity can often be more powerful in game jam settings, and we learned the importance of clear communication and focused design.

Power Overload

This game, created with a much smaller team, allowed us to really focus on mechanics and execution. The theme was roots, which we interpreted as the source of power. Players had to collect magic to fend off enemies, and while the game lacked some polish, it was a more cohesive experience overall. We streamlined our process, and this project showed us that having a focused team can sometimes be more effective than sheer numbers.

Quick Smith

Quick Smith was a special project for us because it began as our final university project and extended well beyond the game jam. This co-op blacksmithing game saw players crafting weapons for customers in a fast-paced environment. We continued working on Quick Smith for over a year after graduating, and although we had to stop development due to resource limitations, it remains one of our most ambitious and enjoyable projects to date.

Feather Edge

Returning to the game jam scene as alumni, we created Feather Edge, a fun and polished platformer where the player’s main weapon was a feather used to tickle enemies into submission. This project, built around the theme make me laugh, allowed us to show how far we’d come in terms of polish and design. The game was simple yet refined, and it’s one of our proudest game jam projects.

Rat Pack

Rat Pack was made during the Games Anglia Norwich Festival Game Jam, where we won an award for best use of the theme. This quirky game combined space exploration with cheese-loving rats defending their home from invading cats. One of the standout features of this project was the humorous bark system we developed, which added personality and comedic charm to the gameplay.

Conclusion: What We’ve Learned

Each of these projects has taught us something valuable, whether it’s the importance of communication, the balance between narrative and mechanics, or the power of simplicity. Game jams have been a big part of our journey, and while we don’t plan to develop these projects further, they remain a testament to our growth as a team.

If you’re curious to see how we’ve evolved over the years, you can check out all of these games on our itch.io page. We’d love to hear your feedback on them!

Thank you for being part of our journey!