What is Nelson Game Jam?
Nelson Game Jam (NGJ) is a twice-yearly creative event held in the beautiful city of Nelson, BC, where passionate developers, artists, musicians, writers, and dreamers come together to design games over an intensive 48-hour period. From 5pm Friday until 5pm Sunday, followed by an exciting showcase, participants dive deep into the creative process of game development.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience level! Whether you're a seasoned developer or someone who's never touched a game engine, there's a place for you at NGJ. We recommend tinkering with a game engine beforehand if you want to focus on coding or design, but artists, musicians, writers, and anyone with creative passion will find their niche in our collaborative environment.
While we primarily focus on video and computer games, board game designers are equally welcome! We're a chill, flexible community that believes great games come from diverse perspectives and collaborative creativity.
How It Works
The Theme
At the start of each jam, we announce a surprise theme that participants are encouraged to incorporate into their games, sparking creativity and ensuring unique interpretations.
48 Hours
From Friday 5pm to Sunday 5pm, teams have exactly 48 hours to conceive, design, develop, and polish their games from start to finish.
Showcase
Right after the development period ends, we host a showcase where all teams present their creations to the community and celebrate everyone's achievements.
Previous Themes
Each Nelson Game Jam brings a unique creative challenge. Here are the themes we've explored so far:
Summer 2024
Elemental
Winter 2024
Bubble (aligned with Global Game Jam)
Summer 2025
Tangle
More themes will be added as we continue our game jam journey!
Join Our Community
Ready to be part of Nelson's most creative gaming event?
To get added to the game jam email list, contact:
[email protected]Join the Kootenay Game Dev community on Discord:
🎮 Kootenay Game Dev DiscordOur Supporters
Nelson Game Jam is generously supported by the Kootenay Association of Science and Technology (KAST), who provide our amazing, modern workspace at the Nelson Innovation Center. KAST's commitment to fostering innovation and technology in the Kootenay region makes events like NGJ possible, creating opportunities for our local creative community to thrive.
📍 Nelson Innovation Center
91-D Baker St, Nelson, BC
Game Dev Friends
Connect with other game development communities across BC:
More communities coming soon!
Recommended Game Engines
If you want to start playing around with making games at home before the jam, here's some great tools to get you started!
🎮 GameMaker
Best for 2D games, top-down adventures, and pixel art RPGs. Code-optional.
A great choice for solo devs or small teams who want to get a complete 2D game up and running fast. You can prototype quickly with drag-and-drop or dive into its scripting language for more control. Perfect for jam-style rapid development!
⚡ Unity
Best for 3D games, mobile games, and VR/AR. Powerful and flexible.
Widely used in the industry, Unity supports both 2D and 3D but really shines with immersive 3D experiences. Tons of tutorials and free assets make it beginner-friendly—just be ready for a learning curve. Great for ambitious jam projects.
🚀 Unreal Engine
Best for high-end 3D, first-person games, and cinematic visuals. AAA power.
Ideal for teams tackling ambitious 3D projects. Unreal uses Blueprints (a visual scripting system), so you don't need to write code to get started—but it helps. Expect big tools, big assets, and big results. Perfect for teams with 3D art experience.
🎨 Meiker
Best for 2D maker apps, dress up games and character creators. Artist-friendly.
Work in your art program and let Meiker do all the coding for you. Post your game on Meiker to instantly share it online. Perfect for artists who want to focus on creativity without getting bogged down in technical details.
Remember: The best engine is the one you're comfortable with! Don't spend the whole jam learning new tools—pick something you can be productive with quickly.