Submissions open from 2024-10-04 19:30:00 to 2024-10-13 19:30:00
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join the discord here!

what is toy jam?

maybe you never realized you could make just the sandbox part of your sandbox game. perhaps you want to make art creation easier for yourself and others. maybe you want to offer a multimedia experience that anyone can enjoy, not just gamers. if you are any of these people, you might like this 9-day gameless jam where we get together to make toys, not games.

toy jam occurs whenever ivy sly feels like hosting it. to be announced: cash prize pool

what is a toy?

a toy is a tool for play.

the term "toy" can be defined by its relationship to puzzles and games: while a puzzle has 1. a win condition and 2. no loss condition, and a game has 1. a loss condition and 2. sometimes a win condition, a toy can neither be won nor lost, only played with. this is an important restriction of toy jam relevant to game developers: the primary means of play will not have a win or loss condition.

toys are not always mindless nor are they always shallow. for one, all forms of creative expression necessarily involve play. studio art software - photoshop, blender, davinci resolve, etc - would all be allowed in this jam, though people will probably like your toy more if it has a lower skill floor.

the rules

  • your creation must allow for play. that is to say it should have interactivity and recreational value. if you submit a spreadsheet software, it better be fun to use.
  • the primary mode of your creation cannot have a win or a loss condition. this would transform it from a toy to a puzzle or a game.
    • do note that an engine for creating puzzles or games is allowed.
  • only entries that can easily be playable by all users are eligible for rating. this largely means digital software and anything you could do with pen and paper. if you make a physical toy at home that is not exactly reproducible by others, nobody will know how fun it is.
  • pre-existing resources (code, assets) are fine to use, but your concept and execution must be done during the jam. you know how it goes

the theme

to be announced. maybe there wont even be one, idk yet

i dont know where to start!

here are some ideas that would be valid entries:

  • a playground where you can spawn different objects and see how they interact with one another
  • a desktop pet
  • an ecosystem simulator where you tweak the starting resources and watch virtual life grow
  • a character creator that generates an avatar for use on social media

and this is a list of existing toys that would be valid entries:


    if you have any more questions, please follow the above link to the discord server :) i hope to see your entry!