'So Bad it's Good' Jam 2024
Itch's CRAZIEST game jam! (As voted by me 🙈)
Like it or not, the 'So Bad it's Good' jam is back for it's 8th consecutive year, and get ready for the most mediocre SBIGJam yet!!! Your game shouldn't be "well-made" or "polished", but it should have a unique charm to it, which make it a fun and original experience. The aim is to create a game that isn't perfect, or extravagant, but is jank to the point where it becomes enjoyable!
Unsure what to do? View our 2023 Jam, 2022 Jam, 2021 Jam, 2020 Jam, 2019 Jam, 2018 Jam and our 2017 Jam.
The Criteria:
Wait? 😮 You're actually going to read the rules?!? Thank you so much! 😍
- Rule 1: "It has to be fun to play"
- This is arguably the hardest category to get right. There is a sweet spot with these types of games. Games that are unplayable, or mediocre to the point of boredom, are not fun. In order to make a true SBIG game, there has to be a level of enjoyment. With that said, it is up to you exactly how you choose to achieve this!
- Rule 2: "It can be original or based off an existing IP"
- You can be as original or shamelessly unoriginal as you want. Just don't use any trademarked or copyrighted material. If you want to parody an existing IP, at least think of a funny name for it. See Low Budget Quantum Tunnelling or Freedom the Eagle for inspiration.
- Rule 3: "Use whatever engine, whatever genre, however many people"
- Just go nuts. If you want to make your game in Unity, Godot, Gamemaker, Unreal, Construct: do it! One person, Two people, Ten people: do it! Hell, if you and your team of 1000 monkeys with typewriters want to create a rom-hack for the Game Child, have at it!! Use what you feel most comfortable with, or try something new, and see how it turns out. The only way you could fail is by not releasing a game at all.
- Rule 4: "Games must be made during the jam period".
- In order to make it a level playing field, you can't submit a game that you've worked on/released before the start of the jam. Once the jam starts, you can work on your game as much as you want, but keep your ideas in your head until the jam begins!
Modifier:
For this year's jam, as with last year's, there will be a modifier. The modifier is a special theme or item that could be added for extra points. For example, our previous modifiers have been "Every suggestion combined", "Ssh! The tortoise might hear!", "one button", "impossible", "retro" and "cyberpunk". As always, the modifier can be taken literally, or figuratively, and you can choose to interpret (or misinterpret) it however you want!
Voting for the modifier has now started in the Discord Server, and my (not-so) trusty Discord bot, VoteBot, will announce the modifier randomly, two days before the start of the Jam.
Voting/Prizes:
As with last year’s jam, games will be voted on the following categories:
- Graphics
- Sound
- Gameplay
- Overall Bad
- Overall Good
- Modifier
Remember, the individual categories will be judged on whether they are so bad it's good. The voting isn't a measure of quality, but a measure of how well they fit the brief of the jam.
In previous years, we’ve created a "Best of the Worst" compilation for the top 10 winners, and the overall winner can choose whether the bundle is free or paid, and if so, what charity the proceeds will be sent to. If you would like to see the previous compilations, you can see our 2023 "Best of the Worst" Compilation, or the 2022, 2020, 2018, or 2017 Compilations.
Find a team:
We have a dedicated Discord channel for finding teams together. If you'd like to find some people to make a game with, the Discord is the best place to do so! You can join the Discord here:
Links:
As mentioned before, we have a Discord server, where you can see the latest updates, and vote on the modifier: https://discord.gg/rn7amBk
We strongly recommend you join the Discord to get a full SBIGJam experience! Over there you can vote for the modifier, and meet your fellow contestants!
With that, let's get SBIGing!