LevelUp Game Hackathon

Build. Play. Innovate. Welcome to LevelUp Game Hackathon 2026 – Online National Game Development Hackathon, where creativity meets technology. This is a 12-hour online hackathon that challenges students from across India to design, develop, and submit a fully playable game from scratch based on the official theme announced at the start of the event. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced game developer, this hackathon is your opportunity to showcase your talent, collaborate with teammates, and build an innovative gaming experience under real-world development conditions. Participants may use any game engine, programming language, or framework to create their game. AI-powered development tools are also allowed, provided their usage is disclosed during submission. Throughout the hackathon, participants will demonstrate their skills in game design, programming, UI/UX, creativity, debugging, teamwork, and innovation while competing for exciting prizes and recognition. The top three teams will be awarded Winner, Runner-up, and Second Runner-up prizes. All eligible participants who successfully complete the hackathon will receive a Digital Certificate of Participation. If you're passionate about creating games and ready to turn your ideas into reality, this is your chance to build, compete, and stand out. Gamnexis is a student-led game development and technology community committed to fostering innovation through hackathons, coding competitions, and collaborative learning. Allowed Technologies: Participants may use any technology stack, including but not limited to: Unity Unreal Engine Godot Construct Phaser HTML/CSS/JavaScript Android Studio Flutter React Python C# Java C++ AI Tools (ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Claude, Gemini, etc.) Round 1: Project Proposal Submission: Overview: Welcome to Round 1 of the LevelUp Game Hackathon. This round is designed to evaluate your game idea, planning, creativity, technical approach, and overall understanding of the hackathon theme before the development phase begins. Participants are required to submit a Project Proposal Presentation (PPT/PPTX/PDF). This proposal will be reviewed by the judging panel, and shortlisted teams will advance to the Final Development Round. No playable game is required in this round. Objective: The objective of Round 1 is to: Evaluate the originality and creativity of your game idea. Understand your interpretation of the hackathon theme. Assess technical feasibility and development planning. Review your proposed gameplay mechanics and user experience. Shortlist the most promising projects for the Final Round. Submission Requirements: Participants must submit one Project Proposal in any of the following formats: PPT (.ppt) PPTX (.pptx) PDF (.pdf) Maximum Slides: 10 Slides Maximum File Size: 25 MB Required PPT Structure: Slide 1 – Cover Page: Include: Team Name Game Title Team Members College Name (if applicable) Slide 2 – Theme Understanding: Explain: Your understanding of the revealed theme. How your game relates to the theme. Why your idea is relevant. Slide 3 – Game Concept: Describe: Game Genre Storyline Objective Target Audience Slide 4 – Gameplay: Explain: Core Mechanics Player Controls Win/Lose Conditions Game Progression Slide 5 – Key Features: Mention the major features of your game. Examples: Multiplayer AI Features Leaderboards Levels Achievements Character System Slide 6 – Technology Stack: Specify: Game Engine Programming Language Frameworks APIs AI Tools (if applicable) Slide 7 – UI/UX Design: Include: Wireframes Mockups UI Concepts User Flow Slide 8 – Development Plan: Explain: Team Responsibilities Development Timeline Major Milestones Slide 9 – Challenges & Future Scope: Describe: Expected Challenges Risk Management Future Improvements Slide 10 – AI Usage Declaration: If AI tools are used, clearly mention: Tool Name Purpose of Usage Which parts were AI-assisted If no AI tools are used, simply write: "No AI tools were used in preparing this proposal." Evaluation Criteria (100 Marks): Innovation & Originality – 30 Marks Theme Relevance – 20 Marks Technical Feasibility – 20 Marks Gameplay Design – 15 Marks Presentation Quality – 15 Marks Important Guidelines: The proposal must be your team's original work. Previously completed projects are not allowed. AI tools are permitted, but their usage must be disclosed. The proposed game must align with the hackathon theme. Incomplete submissions may not be evaluated. Late submissions will not be accepted. One participant may register and participate in only one team. Selected teams will qualify for Round 2 – Final Game Development. Round 2: Final Game Development & Submission: Overview: Congratulations on qualifying for the Final Round of the LevelUp Game Hackathon. This is the most important phase of the competition. Shortlisted teams must transform their proposed idea into a fully functional, playable game within the hackathon timeline. The game must be developed primarily during the hackathon and should align with the announced theme. Teams are expected to demonstrate creativity, technical skills, innovation, and problem-solving while delivering a polished gaming experience. Objective: The objective of this round is to: Build a complete and playable game. Demonstrate technical implementation and creativity. Deliver an engaging user experience. Showcase innovation and originality. Present a stable and well-tested project. Development Duration: 12 Hours The official timer begins immediately after the hackathon theme is announced. Required Deliverables: Every team must submit the following before the submission deadline: 1. GitHub Repository: Public GitHub repository Complete source code Proper commit history README included 2. Playable Game: Submit one of the following: Android APK (.apk) Playable Web Link Windows Executable (.exe) (if allowed) 3. Project Presentation: PPT, PPTX, or PDF Maximum 15 Slides Final project overview 4. Demo Video: Duration: 2–3 Minutes Show gameplay and explain key features 5. README File: Include: Project Description Installation Steps Controls Features Technology Stack Team Members 6. AI Usage Declaration: If AI tools were used, clearly mention: AI Tool Name Purpose of Usage Features developed using AI Game Requirements: The submitted game must: Be fully playable. Follow the announced hackathon theme. Be original. Include a clear objective. Contain minimal critical bugs. Provide an intuitive user experience. Include appropriate sound effects and visuals. Judging Criteria (100 Marks): Gameplay & User Experience – 30 Marks Innovation & Creativity – 25 Marks UI/UX & Visual Design – 15 Marks Performance & Stability – 15 Marks Technical Implementation – 10 Marks Documentation & Submission Quality – 5 Marks Submission Guidelines: Ensure all submitted links are publicly accessible. GitHub repository must remain available during evaluation. Demo video should clearly demonstrate gameplay. The game should run without requiring additional configuration. All required deliverables must be submitted before the deadline. Late or incomplete submissions may not be evaluated. AI Usage Policy: AI tools are allowed. However: AI-generated content must be disclosed. Teams must understand and be able to explain their implementation. Projects created entirely by AI without meaningful participant contribution may receive lower evaluation or be disqualified, depending on the judging panel's decision. Disqualification Rules: A team may be disqualified if: The project is plagiarized. Previously completed projects are submitted. False information is provided. Offensive, illegal, or harmful content is included. Copyrighted assets are used without permission. Malware or malicious code is included. Multiple team registrations violate the rules. Required deliverables are missing. The submission deadline is missed. Any attempt is made to manipulate or unfairly influence the judging process. Winners: The highest-scoring teams will be selected as winners. Awards: Winner Runner-up Second Runner-up Best Mobile Game Best Web Game Best AI-Powered Game Important Note: By submitting your project, you confirm that: The project is your team's original work. You have the necessary rights to all assets used. You agree to the Hackathon Rules, Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Intellectual Property Policy, and Code of Conduct. You understand that the organizers may showcase submitted projects for promotional, educational, judging, documentation, and community purposes in accordance with the event policies. Good luck, and we look forward to seeing your creativity come to life! WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/EwZzSjgrNKFDCRe7SCuHEy