so im new and this is my first game jam ever ,  i have some questions like should i make a platformer game cz thats what im familliar with or is there any specific type i should work on , still learning on this journey and would love some help 

Hi jake! In this jam every genre is allowed so if you want to make a platformer, sure you can. I am also very very new to this so I can tell you my approach: try to add a little twist, something unexpected that can make your minigame more creative and also makes you learn something new :)