The Gamedev.js Jam 2026 has officially wrapped, and the numbers speak for themselves: 495 entries submitted, 2,782 developers registered on itch.io, and over 10,000 ratings cast during the community voting period. It's the biggest edition of the jam yet, and the quality of entries matched the scale.
The theme this year was Machines, and developers ran with it in every direction imaginable. Puzzle games, rhythm games, strategy titles, platformers... The breadth of what the community built in just 13 days is genuinely impressive.
Phaser Challenge: The "Build It with Phaser" Winners
As we covered when the jam was announced, Phaser was a Gold partner of Gamedev.js Jam 2026 and ran its own challenge inside the event. The rules were simple: build your entry with any version of Phaser and you were automatically in. No extra steps, no separate submission.
Richard Davey and Ana from Phaser Studio went through all qualifying entries and picked 15 winners. Here they are.
$5,500 in Prizes Up for Grabs
The top 10 winners will each receive a Phaser Editor Pro annual subscription. Places 11 to 15 will each receive a Vampire Survivors bundle (the game plus 5 DLCs).
Full Winners List
Congratulations to all 15 Phaser Challenge winners:
01 It Was the Robots by Richard
02 Deus Ex Machina by RemarkableGames & VHSM3
03 Bauhaus Builder by MadMarcel & Unaim
04 ChillGPT Empire by khushalsolanki001
05 Gearbox Symphony by Mochipuff Studio
06 Working in a Broken Factory by CodeKokeshi
07 Energy Duel by RoryStandley
08 Freddy: Rebel Machine Slayer by NCL88
09 Neko Jam by smdrr11037
10 Micro Machines by Lee Reilly
11 Dr. Moby's Wandering Machine by jkadam
12 Block Yard by urbandrei
13 Spare Knight by chrisdalbano
14 Overclocked: Toaster Survivors by DominHQuan
15 Save Me, Commander! by Faraz the Web Guy
Phaser Games in the Top 13 Overall
The overall jam rankings are voted by participants themselves, judging entries on Innovation, Theme, Gameplay, Graphics, and Audio. Five Phaser-built games made it into the top 13:
01 Bauhaus Builder by madmarcel & Unaim
07 Kobots by Golen
08 Weeds & Wires by happybats, Velvetlobster & luaris-here
09 Machine Disco by Stiggstogg
11 Draft Punks by Fatal Exit
Worth noting: Bauhaus Builder took first place overall and also appears in the Phaser Challenge winners list, making it the standout game of the entire jam.
Genre and Quality: What Made This Year Special
One of the most striking things about Gamedev.js Jam 2026 is the sheer variety of genres that emerged from a single theme. Machines meant something different to every developer who entered, and that showed in the results.
Bauhaus Builder [Overall #1 + Phaser Challenge Winner]
A physics-based machine building puzzle game wrapped in a Bauhaus and expressionist visual style. Fully playable on mobile with touchscreen support. It ranked #2 in both Theme and Innovation, and #3 in Gameplay — the most consistent top performer of the entire jam.
Kobots [Overall #7]
A Lemmings-inspired game where you use cutting-edge Kobot machines to pillage treasure. One of the most well-rounded entries in the jam, ranking #7 in both Graphics and Audio — a rare combination of visual and sonic quality in a game jam context.
Weeds & Wires [Overall #8]
Plays like Stacklands but focused on automated farming with economy simulation and chance management. Players can manage water systems, energy, and shifting market prices. Ranked #5 in Audio and #7 in Gameplay — strong fundamentals across the board.
Machine Disco [Overall #9]
A rhythm game where robots have very particular dance patterns and do not appreciate freestyle. Observe each robot's moves, hit the dance floor, and mirror them perfectly across 5 songs — or get caught. Ranked #4 in Theme and #6 in Audio, making it one of the entries that best captured the spirit of the jam.
Draft Punks [Overall #11]
A one-of-a-kind hybrid that mixes deckbuilding, rhythm gameplay, and live music production. Players have 4 minutes to build the sickest set they can, keeping the crowd engaged with variety and creativity. Lose their vibe and it's over. Solo developed in just 4 days using Phaser 4 and Tone.js, with original audio samples made in FL Studio. Ranked #1 in Audio across the entire jam.
Play the Games and Stay Tuned for Next Year
495 games shipped in 13 days, all built around a single theme. The Phaser community never disappoints. See you at the next one 🙂
Want to build your next jam game with Phaser v4? Start here →