Solitice (Game Jam 2026)

What I Built
I built Solitice, a relaxing, Solstice-themed 2D pixel art sidescroller. My intended goal was to capture the atmospheric and calming essence of the solstice season within a lightweight, accessible web game.

Players can experience a tranquil platforming journey that ties directly into the challenge theme by celebrating the longest (or shortest!) day of the year through its environment, pacing, and visual aesthetics.

You can play the web build (HTML5) over on my itch.io page here: https://jchildree.itch.io/solitice-game-jam-26

Video Demo

Code

jchildree / Solatice-Gam-Jam-26

How I Built It
I chose to build "Solitice" using the Godot engine. Godot's node-based system is incredible for 2D platformers and it allowed me to quickly iterate on the game's relaxing physics and movement mechanics. I focused heavily on cultivating a calming aesthetic using 2D pixel art.

One of the most interesting aspects of my technical approach was utilizing AI-assisted coding to help build out some of the game's systems. This allowed me to spend more time finding the right artwork and improving the atmospheric feel of the game to ensure it perfectly matched the Solstice theme.

To bring the project over the finish line, I leaned heavily on Google AI to handle the writing and presentation. I used Google's AI tools to brainstorm and generate the in-game descriptions, helping to flesh out the game's theme and tone without getting bogged down in writer's block. Furthermore, I used Google AI to help draft and structure this very Dev.to submission article! Using AI as a writing assistant allowed me to focus the bulk of my jam time on actual development and polish.

Prize Category
Best Google AI Usage
I am submitting this project for Best Google AI Usage. I utilized Google AI as a core part of my publishing and world-building workflow. Specifically, I used it to generate the game's descriptions and text, as well as to write and format this Dev.to submission article. It served as an invaluable writing assistant that helped me communicate my project's vision clearly for the game jam.