HTML5 and JavaScript Game Development Competition in just 13 kB

Package size below 13 kB

All your code and game assets should be smaller than or equal to 13 kilobytes (that's exactly 13,312 bytes, because of 13 x 1024) when zipped. Your package should contain index.html file and when unzipped should work in the browser.

Two sources - readable and compressed

The competition is focusing on the package size, but learning from others is also very important. Please provide two sources of your game - first one should be minified and zipped to fit in the 13 kB limit (sent via the form) and the second one should be in a readable form with descriptive variable names and comments (hosted on GitHub).

No external libraries or services

You can't use any libraries, images or data files hosted on server or services that provide any type of data. Your game should work offline and all the game assets should fit in the package size limit. If you manage to shrink your favorite library below 13 kilobytes including the code itself, then you can use whatever you want, just remember about the 13 kB limit.

Main theme - number 13

The main theme of the competition is the number 13, but it's not mandatory, so your game could be about anything you want and will still have the chance to win.

Use Prefix-Free... for free

A little something to all of you who would code your game for one browser only (to save on the size), which is bad. You can include Prefix-Free in your game and it won't be counted in the file size limit.

Deadline - 13th September 2012

The competition starts at 13:00 CEST, 13th August 2012 and ends at 13:00 CEST, 13th September 2012. No submissions will be accepted after the end of the competition.

Licensing

You have to have the rights for every asset used in your game. Remember that the submitted games will be published and made available for everybody to see.

New content only

Do not submit any old games or demos - you have a whole month to work on something new and fresh, this should be more than enough.

Errors and browser support

Your game must work in at least one browser. The more supported browsers, the better - you can get more points for that. There should be no errors - you can lose some points if your game is showing any errors in the console. If we cannot play your game, it won't be accepted. You'll get extra points if your game supports any mobile devices.

Teams

It doesn't matter if you're working alone or with your friends, just remember that the number of prizes is fixed, so you'll have to share your trophies with your teammates.

Sending submissions

Use this form to submit your game. Please remember that you have to provide two sources (see the Rule #2 for details) - a link to a public repository on Github and a zipped package. If you have a Node.js game you can deploy it on Nodejitsu - read the walkthrough in this blog post.

Accepting submissions

Submissions will be checked manually and published after positive verification. This may take up to a couple of days, so be patient if your game is not yet online. I claim the right to reject any submission without giving a reason, although I hope I don't have to. I also have the right to update the rules of the competition at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why exactly 13 kB?

Well... why not? :)

What's in it for you? Are you getting paid or sponsored?

Nope, it's just my own idea and it's made for pure fun.

What does the "zipped" term exactly mean?

Sent package should be zipped with your usual system archiver, the only allowed extension is .zip. Let's keep it simple - it's a competition for coders and this should be your main focus, the code itself. Thanks to the zipped archive you will easily send your game and we will easily check the file size.

Can I use Node.js?

Yes, as long as your code size is lower than or equal to the 13 kB limit. No libraries like Socket.io or Express are allowed though.

Can I use Flash?

No, you can code your game using only the open web technologies like JavaScript, HTML and CSS.

Can I use CoffeeScript?

Yes, you can use it, but you can't submit it. Only pure JavaScript code will be accepted, so remember to have your compiled code within the 13 kB limit.

Can I use compression through the self-extracting PNGs?

No, this technique is strictly prohibited. Only pure JavaScript minifying is allowed.

More questions?

Send them in, check out the Contact section or visit #bbg channel on Freenode IRC.