Last month we held the first-ever LittleJS Game Jam and it has been a huge success! A whopping 571 people signed up for the jam, showing just how much interest there is in LittleJS! Out of those that joined, 35 games were submitted using the theme “Animals”, showcasing the creativity and talent of our community. Watching developers push the engine to its limits and create such diverse games was inspiring.

• Check out all the LittleJS Jam Games on itch.io
• Learn more about LittleJS Engine on GitHub

Highlighted Games

Participants also judged each other’s games in 5 categories plus an overall category. The results are in and we’ve put together a short video showcasing the top 10 games from the jam. These games really show off the creativity and skill of the community!

Let’s talk a little bit more about the top 5 games…

🐍 204Snake! by Sodoj, Shai-P – Congrats to the big winner of the jam, sweeping four categories: Overall, Gameplay, Graphics, and Innovation. This unique mix of 2048 and snake features handcrafted levels, relaxing lo-fi vibes, and clever puzzle mechanics.

🐊 G.A.T.O.R. by eoinmcg – Coming in a close second overall and 1st in the Audio category, and a special award for being the top game on Newgrounds! This retro platformer packs action and charm, with jetpacks and adorable animals to rescue.

🦔 A Hedgehog’s Search by willsm1111 – Coming in 3rd place is a chill adventure game about a hedgehog trying to find it’s friends.

🐑 Tetrimals by nixn – In 4th place is an interesting puzzle game that mixes tetris with animals like sheep and chickens.

🐶 Watch the Pups by masa – 5th overall and winner of the Theme category (Animals). This game’s creative and fun use of the theme really stood out, making it a favorite among voters.

There are so many other amazing games you really need to check them all out! We’re still deciding awards for categories like Most Cozy, the Endangered Species Challenge, and Favorite Game on Arcadia. Stay tuned for updates.

Awards and Prizes

Thanks to our generous sponsors, the top games are receiving some amazing prizes:

• Steam and Amazon Gift cards: To the top games in each category and top game on Newgrounds and Arcadia.
• Charity Donation: For the most cozy game, the winner will be announced soon!
• Top 10 Games: A free year of GitHub Copilot and a year-long Newgrounds membership.
• Top 5 Games: A copy of Pyxel Edit by Daniel Kvarfordt.
• Top 3 Games: A year of CodePen Pro, a digital copy of How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself by Matt Hackett, and a year of OpenProcessing Plus+.
• LittleJS Awards: The top 3 games will receive a featured spot on the LittleJS GitHub page, a signed award certificate, and some other surprises from the LittleJS team!

What’s Next for LittleJS?

The energy and enthusiasm from this jam have motivated us to keep improving and growing the LittleJS community. Here’s what’s on the horizon:

• New plugins and tools to extend the engine’s functionality.
• Better tutorials and documentation to make LittleJS more accessible.
• More events and jams to showcase the power of the engine!

Based on the overwhelming success of this first jam, we’re already planning the next LittleJS Jam later this year.

Thank you for supporting open-source software and being part of the LittleJS journey. Here’s to many more creative projects using LittleJS Engine! 🚂🚀