Official Code It! Challenge Guide
Who can participate?
The Code It! Challenge is open to all D65 students and Evanston residents in grades 5th – 8th.
What game design platform can I use?
You must design and code your game using MakeCode Arcade. We will only accept games from this platform.
Can I submit a game I’ve already made?
We will also only accept games created specifically for this challenge. You can’t submit a game created for a previous challenge or assignment.
When is my game due?
The challenge begins Saturday, October 16th. You must submit your game before 8:00 pm on Sunday, December 5th.
What do I need to include in my game?
Your game must include a minimum of 10 core game design elements from the following categories. In order to count towards your total, a game design element must be something you coded or designed yourself. It is okay to remix an existing game, but you must include at least 10 core elements you added yourself.
You can and are encouraged to include more game design elements. Some elements are critical to a game and others are optional. Feel free to mix and match elements from each category. The more game design elements you include the more prize tokens you can earn. We have tutorials you can watch for each Game Design Element listed below.
Character Design
- Develop a story for your game
- Add a character from the gallery
- Edit a gallery character
- Design a character
- Animate a character
- Create a custom NPC
- Create a custom Projectile
Level Design
- Edit the background color
- Change the color palette
- Add a sound effect
- Compose background music
- Add an obstacle
- Add text splash screen
- Design a custom tilemap
- Create a custom tile
- Animate an obstacle
- Design an intro screen
- Add an extra level
- Add a room
Game Engine
- Add a life system
- Add a scoring system
- Add a game timer
- Use win/lose conditions
- Add button controls
- Add a projectile
- Add a projectile to a NPC
- Create a jumping mechanic
- Add a double jump mechanic
- Spawn NPCs
- Design automatic movement
- Add random occurring events
How do I submit my game?
You will need to submit a shareable link to your game using our online submission form. Click the button below for instructions on how to share your game with us.