/icon_text_light_svg.svg){kind=icon}
Game ideas that fit a hackathon: small enough to finish in a weekend and fun enough to demo. The first game below came from a real game jam that used Chatforce, and the events Chatforce has taken part in are linked at the bottom.
Games from events and ideas worth stealing
Fowler Outbreak
Made by a team at the FLC++ Chatforce game jam at Folsom Lake College: a side scrolling platform shooter against waves of zombie clones.
Sky Roomba
Idea: what if a robot vacuum cleaned the sky? You fly a cleanup drone over the Toronto skyline and vacuum up wildfire haze before time runs out.
Pythagoras Bridge
Idea: turn a lesson into a quest. You rebuild broken village bridges by solving Pythagorean theorem puzzles.
Math Duel
Idea: a quiz you play against a friend. Two players race through school subject questions, and faster answers score more.
Building at a hackathon? You can make your game on Chatforce and spend your time on the idea and the demo.
Hackathon game ideas
A game that teaches one concept
Pick one idea, like recursion or fractions, and make it the main mechanic. Judges like a clear purpose.
Try this prompt: Make a 2D puzzle game where each level teaches one coding concept, starting with loops.
A game about a real problem
Turn a cause into play, like cleaning smoggy skies or sorting recycling.
Try this prompt: Make a 2D arcade game where I sort falling trash into the right recycling bins before they overflow.
Multiplayer from one link
A live demo where the judges join from their phones is hard to forget.
Try this prompt: Make an online multiplayer trivia game where the audience joins from a link and answers on their phones.
The stupid idea, done well
Commit to a silly premise and polish it.
Try this prompt: Make a 2D game where I am a pigeon stealing fries from people at a food court.
A game about your city
Local landmarks and jokes make a demo feel personal.
Try this prompt: Make a 2D top down game set in downtown Toronto where I race to catch the last streetcar.
AI character you can talk to
A detective or shopkeeper that answers questions in chat.
Try this prompt: Make a 2D detective game where I question suspects by typing and one of them is lying.
Accessibility first
A game playable with one button or sound only.
Try this prompt: Make a one button rhythm game with big visuals and clear audio cues.
Data as a game
Turn a public dataset into levels or enemies.
Try this prompt: Make a tower defense where each wave is based on a real weather dataset.
Events where teams used Chatforce
At the FLC++ game jam at Folsom Lake College, teams of two used Chatforce to make games that teach coding concepts, then played each other’s games before judging. Chatforce has also sponsored hackathons including SOON, the Stupid Ideas Hackathon in Toronto and ShowerHacks in San Francisco. The news posts linked below have the details.
Tips for a hackathon game
- Lock the idea in the first hour and write it in one sentence.
- Get a playable version early, then improve it in small steps.
- Plan a 60 second demo: what the judges see first, and the one moment you want them to remember.
Frequently asked questions
What are good hackathon ideas for beginners?
A small game that teaches one concept, a game about a local problem, or a silly idea done well are good beginner projects. Each can be demoed in a minute.
What are good AI hackathon ideas?
A game with an AI character you question by typing, a game built from a public dataset, or a game made entirely by describing it to AI agents are strong AI hackathon projects.
Can I build a whole game during a hackathon?
Yes. On Chatforce a first playable version usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes, which leaves the rest of the event for improving the game and the demo.
Can other people play what I make?
Yes. A published Chatforce game gets its own link that anyone can open in a browser without an account, and there is no watermark.