Hey there! Do you like Mascot Horror? Do you want to see it grow and get new, fresh ideas on the genre? Do you hate it and want to make a parody of the state it has ended up in? Then this is the jam for you!

The goal of this jam is to introduce new and exciting Mascot Horror games that break the mold of the sea of generic slop that has unfortunately become synonymous with the genre.

If you are new to the scene, Mascot Horror has different definitions depending on who you ask, but for the purpose of this jam, Mascot Horror is a horror game that has an identifiable character/monster/environment used as the "mascot" of the game. Often times it is something that is normally bright and colorful, or even child-friendly, turned horrific and deadly.

We are choosing to keep the definition relatively vague so we can get different ideas and takes on the genre that we haven't seen. After all, the goal of the jam is to get new and interesting titles that explore this medium in a creative way.

Examples of Mascot Horror games include: The Five Nights at Freddy's series, Poppy Playtime, Indigo Park, Bendy and the Ink Machine, Granny, Garten of Banban (Unfortunately), Finding Frankie,  My Friendly Neighborhood, Spooky's Jump Scare Mansion, as well as others.

The jam takes place in April and gives you until the end of the month to create your take on a Mascot Horror game! Afterwards, there will be a week to rate each of the games. (Note: It is mandatory that you rate at least one random game before being free to rate whichever game you choose.)

Once the voting period has ended, I will stream the top rated games on my Twitch.

(Date and Time of the stream TBD)

If you want a good way to organize teams and stay in the loop, feel free to join the discord!

This jam follows a theme that will be revealed at the start. Your game must incorporate this theme in some way, though the way you do this is up to you.

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(Want to suggest a theme? We are currently taking theme suggestions which will later be voted on! Feel free to submit more than one, just please try not to spam, thank you! You can submit your idea here!)

1. Theme - How well does your game implement the theme of the jam? Was it given thought or just tacked on?

2. Creativity - How creative is your game idea? Is it something new and fresh for the genre, or is it the same thing we've been seeing for years now?

3. Gameplay - Is the game fun to play, or is the game itself secondary? Is it stable or are there a bunch of bugs? Are the controls satisfying or clunky?  Basically, how well is it put together as an experience?

4. Art - How good does it look? Does the art style fit the game you've made, and make for a better experience?

5. Audio - How does the sound add to the game? Does it enhance the experience? Do the sounds and music fit the game, or was it clearly added as an afterthought or maybe not at all?

6. Horror - How spooky is the game? Does it do a good job of unsettling players, or is it just a jump-scare simulator?

1. No promotion of hateful topics such as racism, sexism, anti-lbgtq+, or any other such topics. (This is not an extensive list, use your best judgement) In general, don't be a dick.

2. The project must be a game, however the type of game is up to you, as long as it fits the theme and "mascot horror".

3. NO SPAM ENTRIES. The game must be made for this jam, though submitting to multiple is allowed as long as you follow the rules of each.

4. While it is okay to brainstorm ideas and drafts beforehand, the game itself must be made during the jam.

5. The game must follow the theme, but you are free to interpret it however you like. The more creative your interpretation is, the better it will stand out!

6. You may work alone, or in teams. There is no size limit, however do keep in mind the more members you have, the harder it is to make sure everything is organized and everyone is on the same page. So use your best judgement on that.

7. Absolutely NO use of generative AI whatsoever. This is meant to celebrate what people can make. If you need a specific role filled, reach out in the community tab or the discord.

8. You may use pre-existing assets as long as you have the right to use them, and you must credit them if you do so.

9. NSFW/18+ topics are not allowed. While some blood and gore is okay (this is a horror jam after all) try to keep things PG13. (Some heavier topics and themes are allowed, just be sure to provide the proper warnings. If you have any questions about certain content being allowed, feel free to ask me!)

10. Overall, this is a jam about Mascot Horror. What that means to you is open to interpretation, but it must be obvious that you are following the spirit of the jam.

11. Take breaks, get rest, have fun and make something cool! You got this!

Is there a specific engine I need to use?

Nope! You are free to use any engine you'd like, or even use no engine!

What platforms should the game be for?

It is recommended that you export for multiple platforms or to make a web build so that your game is more accessible. The more platforms you make it for, the more people can play and rate your game! At minimum, you should export a windows build if you want your game to be streamed.

I'm late! Can I still upload my game?

I will still accept late submissions within reason. However, it would be best to make sure you scope your project accordingly so you can get your game in on time.

Does ____ count as Mascot Horror?

Probably. Use your best judgement on that one. If you still don't know, you can shoot me a message.

Who even are you?

Hi! I'm Happy Havok, an artist, animator, and streamer! And I love playing Horror Games!

You can check out my Twitch here, as well as my YouTube channel!