Hey Newgrounds! Remember this classic project?

Turns out that time is linear - that means that we get to do it again, but better than ever! You may have seen posts by @Whirlguy and @Mantis for the Audio and Art collabs respectively, and this post has everything you need to know for the Game Collab. This project will have a hub dedicated to minigames, and we're looking for submissions!

-- THE GIST --

As the main game will be playable on both mobile and desktop, your minigame can only use mouse/touch-based input. There's plenty to be inspired by - Are you making a classic shooter? A dressup game? A point and click adventure? An escape game? The Tankmas ADVENTure games also have some fun minigames.

Your game will also be expected to have some relevance to Newgrounds history. Feel free to do some exploring and show some love for characters that haven't been seen in a while!

-- THE TECH --

The project is being built in Godot V3.5.2, rendered in OpenGL ES 2.0. Any submissions made must be compatible. This example project has what you need to get started, including required components.

You’ll find a scene object titled “NG30thGameTemplateConnector”, containing the script “NG30thGameTemplate”. This object must be in your scene! It serves as a connector between the full game and your minigame, ensuring that input is tracked properly, your game is loaded/unloaded as necessary, and you have access to Newgrounds API features such medals, high scores, and cloud saves (note that API functionality is enabled only when your minigame is integrated back into the main game; think of the API functions as placeholders). The NG30thGameTemplate.cs script contains detailed documentation on the functions you have available. Additionally, this connector gives you the flexibility to code your game in either GDScript or C#.

You’ll be relying on the script for input. Do not use Godot’s InputEvent functionality to handle this, as it won’t interface well when implemented in the final game. The script has you covered, including functionality to check where the mouse was pressed, if a sprite was pressed, and if the mouse is currently held down. The example project shows some of these functions in action; the pong paddles can be moved by holding down and dragging anywhere on the screen, and the example sprite detects when it’s clicked.

Note that your final game will also be displayed in a 16:9 window, regardless of the player’s screen size. Below are examples of how your game could look on an ultrawide monitor or on a mobile screen:

(Mobile users will also have the option to rotate their screen for landscape orientation)

See how there's a Newgrounds-themed frame around the game in both those screenshots? With your game, you’ll be asked to submit some artwork that will be used as a frame in the same way. I recommend low contrast art. Remember, the frame will adapt to the screen’s size, so most of the image will spill off the edges. This is intended - it’s not meant to be the star of the show, your game is!

-- I WANNA JOIN! WHAT NEXT? --

If you’re intending to submit a game, please reach out to me on here or Discord (my username there is Intrapath as well) early on. Be descriptive in your pitch, outlining details such as gameplay, what assets you’ll be making, the game’s scope, and who else you intend to collab with. You may also need to be flexible if someone else has already submitted a similar game idea: one of our goals is to have a variety of game types, and we can’t have that if there are 3 quiz games! Get the go-ahead before you start developing. I’ll be tracking games already in development here.

Your prior experience will also play a big part in getting your game approved. Someone who has completed several small games will have a much better chance of getting approval than someone presenting big, grand ideas without the experience to back it up. If your game is approved, I’ll check in with you frequently to ensure development is going smoothly. 

As far as the content of your game, use the content submission guidelines. In short: don't be a dick. Oh, and... nothing that would net us an A rating here, eh?

Lastly: if you’re not experienced in Godot, but have proven experience in other platforms (i.e. Flash, Unity), please feel free to still pitch your game to me! Godot is fairly easy to pick up (especially coming from Unity), and I’d be happy to help guide you while developing your game. I’ve worked with both those platforms before, and can help you transition.

-- DEADLINES --

Game pitches will be due by March 24th, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.

Final game submissions will be due by May 25th, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.

Now, who's ready to make some awesome minigames?