How to make a game with AI and participate in Vibe Jam

What is a game jam and do you need programming experience

A game jam is an event where participants create and showcase games within a limited time. Vibe Jam is hosted by the Ukrainian Vibe Coding community. It is a separate online contest with its own rules, not a stage of the Global Game Jam.

In our format, you can start without coding skills. You just need to be able to explain how the game should work, notice an error, and verify the fix. "No manual programming" does not mean "no checking": AI can produce a game that looks beautiful but won't run or has awkward controls. If this approach is new, start with an explanation what Vibe Coding is.

Which 2D game to make first: five small ideas

For your first project, choose one core mechanic and a short attempt. Write down three things: what the player does, how they understand success, and why they will want to try again.

These are educational ideas, not participant works. Do not start immediately with multiplayer, accounts, or a massive open world. For our contest, the game must be autonomous: no separate server, external APIs, or player software installation.

Ready-to-use prompt: create a browser game in a single HTML file

Pass this request to your available AI coding assistant. Replace the concept and controls to fit your game. This is a prepared task template, not a guarantee of a working result on the first try. Tool options can be found in the AI programming guide.

Create a simple 2D browser game called "Space Sweeper".
Player controls a ship, collects space debris, and avoids
asteroids. Debris = 1 point, collision = -1 life.
Start with 3 lives. Each round lasts 60 seconds.
On PC: arrows or WASD; on mobile: large
screen buttons. Show controls before the game starts.
Need a start screen, visible lives and score,
clear game over/win state, and a "Try Again" button.
Use simple original Canvas graphics.
Do not distinguish hazards by color alone: add different shapes.
Start sound only after clicking "Start";
add a mute button.

Provide a ready index.html: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript inside,
under 2 MB. No CDNs, external images, APIs, keys, servers,
logins, payments, or player-installed dependencies.
The game will run in an iframe sandbox without allow-same-origin.
Do not use cookies, localStorage, IndexedDB,
service workers, or web workers. Keep state in memory.
Restarting must not duplicate timers or key handlers.
Write and fix all code yourself; I will describe changes in words.
Provide a downloadable file and a pre-submission checklist.

Copy prompt

Why HTML + JavaScript? For such a small project, you can bundle markup, styling, and logic into a single file. A basic example of a 2D Canvas game is described in the MDN educational material. In the contest, the AI still has to write the actual code; documentation helps you understand the result.

How to ask AI to fix a game without breaking the rest

Instead of "everything is bad, redo it," describe a specific action, the expectation, and what actually happened. Add a screenshot or error text without personal data. Keep a previous working version of the file so you have something to revert to.

Problem: after clicking "Try Again," the ship moves
twice as fast. I expect the same speed as in the first round.
Check for duplicate timer and event handler creation.
Fix only this problem. Preserve graphics, rules,
controls, score, and the single autonomous HTML format.
Return the updated ready file and explain how to verify the fix.

Regenerating the entire game due to one error might change mechanics you have already tuned. More examples in the material what to do when AI breaks the code.

Checklist: is the game ready for the contest?

Follow these steps specifically within the website's preview window. Running the file locally does not prove the game works in the contest environment.

1. Start. The goal and start button are immediately visible; the player doesn't lose while reading the rules.
2. Controls. Keys or touch buttons respond; action stops upon release. Test every device you list in your application.
3. Clarity. Lives, score, and obstacles are easy to distinguish. Color is supplemented by shape, symbol, or text.
4. Completion. Win or loss is explained, final score is visible.
5. Repeat. Three restarts in a row do not speed up the game or overlay music.
6. Autonomy. No external libraries or resources that are blocked during launch on the site.
7. Rights. Graphics, music, and other resources are your own or used with permission. Do not submit someone else's finished game.
8. Preview. The card must feature a real frame from your game that clearly shows the gameplay.

How to upload a game to the Vibe Jam

You can submit several different games from one account. In the adding tab, open "My games" and click "Add another game". Each must have a separate file, preview, application, and review. You get one vote per account per round; you cannot vote for any of your own games.

On game submission page log in via email with a confirmation code or ChatGPT and drag the file into the upload window or select it from your device. The site accepts one HTML up to 2 MB or a ZIP up to 20 MB. In a ZIP, you need index.html and all resources: not a source repository, not node_modules and not a file .exe.

If the AI created a project with multiple files, ask for a ready-to-use autonomous web build: up to 200 files and up to 40 MB after unpacking. All resource paths must be relative. Full requirements and the packaging prompt are in the "Rules" tab on the contest page.

Launch the game, check it, and save a frame for the preview. If automatic capture doesn't work, add a screenshot. Fill in the title, nickname, description, controls, AI tools used, and contacts. Only you and the organizer can see your Email and Telegram. After submission, the work undergoes review; it will appear in the public gallery after approval.

How voting and the 500 UAH prize work

First, there is a period for receiving and reviewing entries. The organizer will separately open voting for three days once there are at least two approved games and all submitted applications have been reviewed.

You can play without logging in. To vote, you must log in via a verified email or ChatGPT: try two different games by others for 30 seconds each and pick one. If only one other person's work is available, that is enough. One vote per account is counted per round; your choice can be changed before closing. Self-voting is prohibited.

The organizer is the first to see the tally. They decide when to publish the results. If the display is turned on before the end, these are interim results, not the winner announcement. The winner by votes receives 500 UAH from the organizer; in case of a tie, an additional one-day round is provided. Full terms are in the contest rules.

Frequently asked questions

Can I create a game with AI for free?

Participation in the Vibe Jam and playing on the site are free. Creation costs depend on the chosen AI service and its limits. A paid subscription is not a requirement for the contest, but we do not guarantee unlimited free generation in third-party services.

Do I need to write code myself?

According to the rules of this contest — no. All custom code is generated and fixed by AI. You can come up with the idea, provide prompts, copy the generated code, use an editor, and run the build. Manual code edits are not allowed.

Will a game created in another AI builder work?

Only if you can obtain a ready-to-use autonomous HTML/ZIP web build that complies with the rules and runs in the review window. A link to another platform or a beautiful demo without the necessary export does not replace the game file.

Can I play from a phone?

This depends on the specific game. The author indicates supported devices. If you add touch controls, test them on a phone, not just in a resized computer window.

What to do if the game doesn't launch after loading?

Ask the AI to check external CDNs, absolute paths, browser storage, and server dependency. Provide the exact error description and the contest requirements. You can withdraw your entry to fix it and resubmit before the deadline.

Sources and limits of this guide

• Vibe Jam: current rules, formats, and deadlines — the primary source of our contest terms.
• MDN: 2D game with JavaScript and Canvas — a technical educational example.
• Global Game Jam — a separate international event, cited for context on the concept of a game jam.

Prompts, ideas, and checklists are prepared by the editorial team for our platform's format. The specific generation result depends on the tool and testing. This article does not promise prizes, guaranteed development time, or automatic application approval.