Deadline: December 4th, 2009 – 11:59PM PST

I’m sure you’ve all been speculating about what the new monthly contest theme was going to be. Well, here it is: 60 Seconds to Fame. More specifically, I want you to create a game that lasts no more than 60 seconds long. Let me explain and provide some examples that range many genres of why I decided on this theme.

Theme: 60-Second Game

Your game must be over/finished and ready for a score submission in 60 seconds or less. It does not matter how good you are in the game, it will still end in 60 seconds or less. The goal in these types of games is to push a user to get better, not so they can last longer, but rather get more points within that same time limit. It’s to spark the “oh, I get it,” or, “Maybe if I tried this…” in the player. Also, it’s to force a developer to stick to their idea without the fear of feature creep, which is often times a key factor in causing your game to not be completed. Here are some examples of games and game series that utilize this theme very well:

  • Bejeweled Blitz – You have 60 seconds to get as many points as possible in the classic Match-3 setting. The frantic pace and balancing “best combo” vs. “blast some gems because you have 15 seconds left” is addictive, urging someone to try again.
  • Wario Ware Series – This series is from Nintendo. It’s a console/handheld title that essentially has you playing microgame after microgame where each game lasts roughly 3-5 seconds a piece. You try to get through as many as you can before time is up or you run out of lives.
  • Cursor Chaos – Similar to the Wario Ware games, you try to finish as many games as you can. The limitation in this game is lives, but you often don’t see yourself playing for more than a minute anyway. It’s a concept that follows in the essence of 60 seconds, but not exactly.
  • Vending Machine Champ – You have 20 seconds a round to rough up a vending machine as much as possible, breaking its front window to get at the delicious innards. An example of fast gameplay, humor and aesthetic appeal.
  • Bokorin – This PC indie title was created by Ikiki, which essentially places you as an individual who must damage other individuals as much as possible within 60 seconds. Simple graphics, yet an engaging experience of “Ha! Ha! What’s going on?”, makes this one a great example. After you give it a go, refer to this video to show you how it’s really done.
  • Half-Minute Hero – This PSP game essentially jams an entire RPG into 30 seconds. The humor, style and gameplay are all fantastic, making an amazingly memorable experience. This would actually be the game that inspired me the most to choose this theme.

Rules

  • 60 Second Time Limit – Your game, not including menus/cut-scenes/help dialogue boxes/etc., cannot last longer than 60 seconds. I have mentioned “60 seconds or less”. This is for those games that also want to incorporate lives. If you choose this path, it’s a 60 second game or lose all your lives, whichever comes first.
  • Version Control – The game must use the Mochimedia Version Control system.
  • Distribution Enabled – We want these games to be played by everyone, so the game has to be Distribution Enabled.
  • Leaderboards – Your game must use the Mochimedia Leaderboards and it must auto-submit when the game is over. You want to show off to your friends how much better you are at this game anyway, right?
  • Tag Your Game – In order to properly find your game, you must tag it “nov2009-contest” without the quotes.

Prizes

  • Grand Prize Winner: $400
  • Honorable Mention (x2): $50 each

Deadline: December 4th, 2009 – 11:59PM PST

If you have any questions, comments, or would like to discuss the “WHY, MR. SHEN?” of it, please feel free to contact me on the forums or via e-mail.