Our Spring 2009 contest in Zanesville, Ohio, gathered 14 contestants together to create games. We had 8 games submitted, with one game created by a 2-person team. On this page you can see the winners, and download the games to play yourself. All games were created using Game Maker.
First Place: RoboNinja
Aj Hallmon and Collin Thomas created RoboNinja. Use the arrow keys to move left, right, and to jump. Navigate your way through the deathtraps to the final level!
Second Place: Running To Freedom
Emily Vanasdale created Running To Freedom. Play as Gregory, a horse trying to escape to freedom and find his mother. Use the arrow keys to move, and the space bar to reveal secret doors. Press 1, 2, or 3 to save a game to one of three slots.
Third Place: UFO Game
Lance Hecker created UFO Game. Use the arrow keys to move the UFO, and avoid bullets. You can take several hits, but too many will kill you! Use the space bar for the normal attack, and the B key for a once a level super attack.
Honorable Mentions
We also had a number of honorable mention awards in different categories. Listed in no particular order:
Great New Version Of A Classic Game: Pong! The Revival
Nathan Stout created an updated version of Pong, one of the first video games ever. This new version features a tough to beat AI, even on easy mode. Or you can play two player action with a friend. In one player mode, use W and S to move your paddle. A second player uses the arrow keys.
Terrific Fantasy Backstory: Grado
Justin Hunt created Grado, a fantasy game with a great backstory. Play as the knight out to defend the villagers from demons. Use the arrow keys to move, and WASD to shoot fire.
Great New Version Of A Flying Shooter: Warzone
Fernando X. Avila-Soto created Warzone, a tribute to classic games like 1942. Try to shoot a wide variety of planes and other enemies. Lots going on in this one! Luckily you have a lot of life available.
Best Use Of A Simple Concept: Pform
Steven Hixson created Pform, a game with a simple concept. You’re a ball trying to jump your way through a platform maze. Very addictive!
Most Ambitious Design: Platform Madness
Ferdinand G. Avila-Soto created Platform Madness. The game originally had a far more ambitious design, with no horizontal platforms but instead many worlds each with its own gravity. The main character could jump from world to world through space. Doing all that would have required more advanced techniques than we were able to cover in the contest workshops, so Ferdinand settled for horizontal platforms.