First things first: we're down to only about 3 1/2 days, let's do some Danger Category rating! Click on my Kirby fanart at the bottom of the post for a quick link to the Danger games in need of ratings. I've also got some suggestions in need of ratings!
Now, down to the second matter at hand: now that more games have hit 20, it's game recommendation time! I'll organize games by five of my favorites in each category.
Overall
Uhhhh.... honestly I can't really rate this one since I consider Overall to just be the average of every other category.
Fun
This is a hard category, because there are so many great games....
How could you not have fun with this? The crazy physics of the submarine you're trying to steer will make you have a blast playing this.
Do you like Mario Kart? Do you like synth soundtracks? Well this is the thing for you: faster-paced action than a 200cc Mario Kart Time Trials, plus a killer soundtrack! The stopwatch is great for speedruns.
Vast Trivia Of The Void by @jorgegamedev, @moski, and @zachary-blystone
Not going to lie, I've probably played this for 5 to 6 hours. With hundreds of trivia questions, plus support for making more with JSON files, this game can't ever get boring. You can even play as the dev team, Whalechan, Monetization Man, or any of the other characters you know from other Whales And Games projects!
Online leaderboard, oh yeah! If you think beating PCEOFCKE's score of 41 is easy, take a look at the top scores.
It's similar to Doctor Mario, but even better. Sicker soundtrack (yes yes, I know, bad dad joke), better gameplay, and some nice simple art. You'll have fun with this one!
6 Feet Under by @frozendoze, @mirando, @kepsert, @gryffo, and @thestoff
You've probably already seen this epic adventure of Kevin the zombiegirl, since it's one of LD48's most trending and rated games, but still, this is a must play for speedrunners and casual gamers alike! Who needs jumping when you've got physics on your side?
Innovation
Another hard category....
toasteater not only made a basic OS, but also simulated an active online message board. Real creative!
Try and solve this mystery, or just spend half an hour playing moefall.exe like I did. 😄
This game needs ratings!! Hurry and help get this one to 20!
Beautiful use of physics to make a unique and challenging mining game!
🤔 I honestly don't know what to say about this. It's quite an interesting experience, if you don't play I'd say you're missing out.
Deeper And Deeper by @empyreanrrv, @the-beefy-boy, @dtersegno, and @ishmandoo
Switching between two characters and making one of them go into autopilot when you're playing as the other one, plus reusable checkpoints so you don't lose all of your progress? Out of the box thinking!
Most creative Bananagrams/Scrabble/crossword type game I've ever seen. Enjoy great audio and poetry while giving your brain some exercise!
Theme
I'll list games that either nailed the theme or did something cool with it.
The Deepest Heist by @tanukiwish and @adrien-dittrick
Now this is deeeeep. Really good use of the theme, and the game is so good I haven't even beaten it yet (most likely due to the fact that I'm rather dumb).
The Pit by @fullmontis
A great spin on the falling games! Not only do you have to obey gravity and fall, you also have to avoid running out of HP, control your gravity, and "yeet" the enemies back at the other enemies.
Duggy by @neowhoru
What could be better for this theme than a Dig Dug-style game? This is pretty darn fun, definitely console-worthy.
If ldjam.com had a trophy system like on ludumdare.com, this game would receive the award for best Game Over screen ever. Not only does this nail a cool use of the theme, but it also has a Game Over screen I just can't get over. 😂
😱 Now this is scary. And that's coming from the person who had the nerves to play The Nightmare by @saltfactory-studio and consequently has been permanently affected by the scariness. If you like edgy well-written horror narratives, She Waits Below is the game for you.
Graphics & Audio
Already covered a lot of games for this, so I'll group this together.
This game needs more ratings!! Hurry and help this game get to 20!
If you're a huge fan of handdrawn graphics like I am, play this game ASAP.
Now this is something else. Not only is it a candidate for the Innovation category, but it also has some incredible graphics.
Do you like Alice In Wonderland-based games where an adult woman is dressed as Alice and the game uses Alice In Wonderland and some great music to make a statement about the current state of society? Let's hope this gets a post-jam update!
I GOTTA SH*T by @ogsupersand and @spyispie120
The music and SFX are very fitting for this interesting game. If you like running to your local 7/11 and back to your house, all the while clenching your butt cheeks to avoid pooping your pants, play this!
Humor
I think I might need to make all of these descriptions laughing emojis.
Masseuse You Loose by @coleslaughter, @ruddiculous, and @ruddgasm
Behold, your hands now have a purpose!
🤣
Deeper And Deepar by @kilily, @slavi, @, @hykosit, and @kingblop
🤣
🤣
Check the comments section, us players have some pretty sweet screensnips down there.
Have you ever been peacefully playing Super Mario Maker and then you come across a diabolical troll level? Don't worry, this is not something like that! (whew)
🤣
Completely free to play, no need to make bribed reviews, watch ads, or pay the developer for content.
Mood
Whether it's 😭, 😱, or 😮, I love this category so much.
A Taste Of The Past by @caiojmini, @julia-lee, @johnnywan, @isabelle-szeto, @lancival, @carolinewang, @kelvin-nguyen, @jaimi, and @emily-pitcher
😭 I cried my eyes out for this one.... this game is just so beautiful I don't know if there's any possible way to describe it. I highly recommend having a box of tissues ready and plenty of time to sit there and think after playing, because this game is really good at making even the toughest man cry. This right here is a life-changing experience in the form of a game.
PANEMUAN by @etrealjunior
This is also a game that'll pull at your heartstrings.... it's a beautiful tale of how you must always stay true to yourself.
Nanna by @genie, @bcav, and @gamebuilder
Such a strong atmosphere.... as is usual for this great team, this game has a really neat story and an atmosphere that isn't easy to make in a game.
When does Cocoa Moss not make an awesome game? (Never) It's got an amazing atmosphere, great graphics and audio, ever-changing gameplay, cats, and the coolest birds you will ever meet. 😎
Feel the mood and get into this rhythm game's groove! Featuring an epic soundtrack, nice gameplay, and a cat, this game is pretty darn awesome.
Remember, I suggested some pretty fun games, but don't forget to check out the Danger Category too! Developers worked hard on their games and they need some ratings. Play some games, rate 'em, and leave some useful feedback about the strengths and weaknesses!
Click on my Kirby fanart image below to link to the Danger category, as is usual in my posts:
My game "DigAway" is a little digging-survival game. You need to dig deep to survive.
The simple building function is also a characteristic.