This jam is now over. It ran from 2024-05-06 06:00:00 to 2024-05-13 05:59:59. View 52 entries

It's the ninth TweetTweetJam! Make a game in 500 characters of code.

Why 500? Because you don't need a ton of code to make something fun. Because it's nice to scale back. But mostly because it's the length of one Mastodon toot. PICO-8 is our recommended tool, but TIC-80 and other text-based engines will work as well!

Remember to share a gif of your progress and finished game on Twitter or Mastodon using the tag #TweetTweetJam!

Rules:

  • Your final game code must be 500 characters or less. This includes spaces and brackets, but doesn't include the code composing your framework or engine.
  • No spritesheets or external art libraries allowed! All of your game art must fit into your code. Symbols such as 웃 and ★ are acceptable, as long as they work in your editor and can be included in a tweet!
  • We keep rules for TweetTweetJam pretty lax for a reason: there's no voting, so winning/losing the jam is subjective. If you want to stretch the rules, that's your choice!

FAQ

  • Is there a theme to this jam, or can my game be about anything? If your game is made using 500 characters, you can make it about whatever you like! The format alone is constraining enough, so we don't impose themes on genres or topics.
  • Why isn't it called TootTootJam? Cause the name TweetTweetJam has been used for a long time, and we like our bird mascots!
  • My Mastodon instance lets me use more than 500 chars. Do I get to use more for TweetTweetJam? Nope, the jam's limit is 500 characters!
  • Can I use Picotron, Unity, Godot, Unreal, Python, JS, or a custom engine? If you can find a way to script a game in these engines with only 500 characters of code, go right ahead! Most entries tend to be PICO-8, TIC-80, or vanilla JS, but if you'd like to use a more heavy-duty engine, we'd love for you to participate!
  • I need help cutting down on characters! Check out this handy gist by kometbomb.
  • Can I upload NSFW content? Nope, since TweetTweetJam is friendly to users of all ages! There are a lot of NSFW jams you can participate in elsewhere though, so seek them out and participate if that's your thing!
  • Can I submit more than one game? Absolutely! Participants often submit more than one game to TweetTweetJam, since the games tend to be so tiny. Some participants have even gone so far as to submit a game every day of the jam!
  • Can I use built-in emojis, sprites, symbols, or base Unity shapes such as a cube or sphere in my game? Go ahead and use any built-in symbols or assets provided with your engine! If you don’t have to import it, you can use it! 
  • Is it okay to use an external code library? If you want to use external libraries, go ahead. But keep in mind - the constraints of the jam are in place to encourage participants to scale back, so if you find yourself building importable libraries to get around the constraints, you might be missing the point!
  • Can I import music or sound effects? Nope, unless they're generated from your code!
  • Can I spread my code between multiple files? Yes! If your total character count is under 500, then it can be spread between as many files as you’d like.
  • I can't make a fun game without imported art or music! You totally can! Build the core of your game during TweetTweetJam, then revisit your work after the jam to add all your favourite bells and whistles!

Check out these pages for inspiration:

Submissions(51)

All submissions
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Browser playable (48)
·
Windows (19)
macOS (19)
Linux (18)
Android (1)

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math arcade blitz
Puzzle
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A pattern matching puzzle game in 500 characters
Puzzle
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Grow your bubble, don't get popped!
Action
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Zap the faces as fast as you can! Get the WORLD RECORD!
Shooter
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Switch colour and collect hearts the same colour as your character. A TweetTweetJam-9 entry in 499 characters of code.
Action
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A 500 char game written for #tweettweetjam 9
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MS Paint but in TIC-80!
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A Worm game in 500 characters of code
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A puzzle in 500 characters
Puzzle
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Defende the planed from falling stars! #tweettweetjam 9
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BellyFish with keyboard AND touch controls, still under 500 characters
Action
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A gonzo archery simulator in 500 characters.
Sports
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Catch the falling stars before they touch the floor. A TweetTweetJam-9 entry in 500 characters of code.
Action
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Simple darts game in less than 500 characters
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A tiny shared-screen multiplayer real-time strategy game for two players, written for #TweetTweetJam 9
Strategy
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Old-school Snake on a virtual vintage phone in 500 bytes
Action
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A jellyfish game in 500 characters of code
Action
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Train your skills in this state-of-the-art golf simulator. A tiny TweetTweetJam-9 entry in 497 characters of code.
Simulation
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Ruin particle physics research forever in just 500 characters.
Action
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Familiar spin-to-win-a-life game, in just 500 chars for #TweetTweetJam 9
Puzzle
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a runner in 500 characters of Gforth
Action
Get the balls through the gates of the same colour. A tiny TweetTweetJam-9 entry in 500 characters of code.
Action
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Infinite mazes to enjoy in 500 characters
Puzzle
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A falling number puzzle game in < 500 chars
Puzzle
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A SHMUP in 500 chars for Tweetjam
Shooter
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Zoop (kind of) in 500 characters
Puzzle
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Move the kitty, hit the button!
Rhythm
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An infinite 10-second horror game
Action
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Triangle pegboard solitaire in 500 characters of code
Puzzle
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<500 character Pico-8 game
Action
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Dig Doug like game in 500 characters
Action
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A rough approximation of a classic in just 500 characters.
Action
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A simple arcade game made with only 500 characters
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Frogger clone in 500 characters
Action
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The real definitive soccer simulator that everyone was waiting for. A TweetTweetJam-9 entry in 500 characters of code.
Simulation
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TweetTweetJam9 Pong Game
Action
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TweetTweetJam tiny pong game, in just 500 characters of Pico-8
Action
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<500 char survivors-type for tweettweetjam9
Survival
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Super minified take on the arcade/mobile game
Rhythm
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Shoot the bouncing enemies. ​A TweetTweetJam-9 entry in 498 characters of code.
Shooter
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Void Stranger demake in Godot using <500 characters
Puzzle
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a survivors-like in 500 characters?
Action
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Drive on the motorway and avoid cars! 500 characters, made in TIC-80
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Sneaky...
Action
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A fun pico-8 game
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360 ping pong!
Puzzle
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Bellyfish, but touch controlled, still in 500 characters
Action
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TweetTweetJam9 Reaction Game
Action
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Make mini neon signs!
Be a Spaceship(Star) and destroy Asteroids in limited time, in 499 characters of code!