I love doing little jam entry round-ups on my BlueSky account, especially for jams with a lot of submissions. But the character limit is always so challenging! I genuinely enjoy talking about other people’s games, and while I do find it useful to be able to distill something to an elevator pitch, I wanted to say MORE. So I’m blogging today about ten favorites (so far) from this year’s One-Page RPG Jam.
Since I have the luxury of space, I’ll be discussing a few different aspects of each game that jump out to me. I have made up my own categories that I’ll be using to talk about why each of this games is a favorite for me. Let’s get some definitions out of the way:
- Feast: What makes this game a feast for the senses? Is it beautiful art? Clean layout? Carefully crafted language? Something about each of these games is absolutely delicious.
- Flow: What is the flow and cadence that makes this game shine? It might be a really clever game loop, a strong thematic through-line, or something more abstract.
- Fascination: I’m looking for games that have an element (form OR function) that makes me actively eager to play them. What makes this game work for ME specifically? What’s the hook that takes it from page to play?
- I have also included some accessibility thoughts when I have something of note to highlight or suggest.
There are a LOT of games in the one-page RPG jam, so to help me out I’m going to focus on solo games for this round-up. I will try to do a separate list of non-solo games, so stay tuned.
Without further ado, and in no particular order…
1. Analog by SobreTabletop | “A micro-game about reconnecting with our human roots.”
Feast: The feast for me here is the way Analog specifies you must choose one activity over another – for example, replacing your doomscrolling with strolling down the street, or reading a book instead of watching a Youtube video. That makes the whole thing feel more intentional, because you have to choose each activity on purpose. This cleverness is really satisfying to see realized so simply on the page.
Flow: This game offers a full experience. Every aspect suits the goal/purpose, from the log being included on the flip-side of the folded zine making it easy to pick up and play, to the extension activities at the end designed to help you bring your experiences from Analog forward into the future. The cohesion is well-designed.
Fascination: This game aligns really nicely with a goal to be more present that I already have! I am actively playing this game this week, and I’m choosing activities that I want to do more of, like working on paintings, tidying things up, and going on walks without my phone. Not only is it a nice little dopamine hit to write it in my log and score some points, but I also am genuinely enjoying the experiences I have.
2. Selves by what else | “People-Watching + Imagination. A deeply human field journal RPG”
Feast: I love the way this game offers multiple levels and layers of observation. Both looking at people and noticing them, and then also using that as a springboard for imagined lives. The directions around imagination are particularly helpful reminders, such as “Remember, every stringer contains a life as rich, contradictory, ordinary, and meaningful as your own” and “Allow yourself space to invent freely.” Imagine is a great mechanic.
Flow: Selves includes little rows of 6 boxes to fill in with your d6 rolls as you go means that it really is easy to just sit and play, which suits the idea of a game to take out people-watching really well. It also only takes up one side of a page, which means if I were to take it on the go, I would likely write my observations on the back of the game page.
Fascination: All I want is a little game that sends me out into the world and lets me people watch!! Any game that sends me out into the world with an activity or goal in mind delights me, but this one in particular is a great imaginative spark.
Accessibility Note: Fellow game-dev Pinayu left a comment that digital dice might be more subtle or comfortable for playing this game in public, and I think that’s a great note. I’m also keeping my fingers crossed for a plain text version to be added!
3. I Got Reincarnated in a Magical World and Must Use my Art Skills, Empathy, and this Box of Old Magaines to Convince People I’m a Witch! by GAME THNG | “A game of meaningful crafting”
Feast: This game is really fun to look at. It includes actual visual examples of the collages you’re prompted to design within gameplay, and the bright purple with clean light textboxes makes it very satisfying aesthetically. Also, bonus points for feast for the title alone – what a long, specific mouthful, which is extremely fun.
Flow: This game has a d8 Problem Generator that helps you create problems that have to be solved, and it has a great amount of range, while also setting the tone of the game. I appreciate the thought that went into setting up this table; I think it elevates this game from something fun to something functional – both great qualities to have, but it’s so nice when a game has both!
Fascination: I love how arts and crafts this is; it reminds me of junk journaling and collage and scrapbooking, and I can see myself playing it as a meditation. Games that give me something to do, especially when I get to have a finished product at the end, are extremely satisfying and appealing to me. If you like to make collages and tell stories, you’ll probably also like this game!
4. The Oracle’s Stroll by Chris Hill | “A solo walking RPG”
Feast: I noticed right away how much I loved the look and layout of this game. Everything feels cohesive and satisfying. The font choices are lovely and match stylistically with the adorable folky artwork, the color palette is consistent throughout, and even the art around the dedication is just lovely. Any game that’s this aesthetically pleasing wins big points with me.
Flow: There is some great interplay between the gameplay mechanics and physically taking a walk and paying attention to your surroundings. Chris cites some references about observations and noticing, which have clearly influenced the game design here in a positive way. I appreciate seeing the familiar trappings of a tarot spread (past/present/future) and oracle answers (growth and opportunity, or the need to ask for help, or clarity) tied to specific things that you may observe. It’s also nice that those things are really open ended, like “something moving in a straight line” or “repetitive sounds.” It’s also lovely that each section focuses on different sensory inputs. There’s a lot of thought that’s gone into how this works.
Fascination: Any game that asks me to go take a little walk is a game that wins in my book, but especially when it’s something that feels very achievable to me. Obviously, what works for everyone’s body is going to be different, but this game asks you to take a 30 minute walk in 10 minute increments. For me, that is achievable for my body and within my neighborhood.
Accessibility Note: While I understand that going for a walk is the mechanical core of this game, if moving your body through your neighborhood is not accessible for you right now, or if you don’t live in an area where you’d have spots to stop every ten minutes, I have a suggestion of how to modify the game into something seated and still.
Find one steady place to sit outdoors, or where you can watch from a window if outside is not an option, and find a different meditative activity to do instead of walking. Walking has some cognitive and physical benefits, and I would recommend finding an alternative that will mirror at least one benefit of walking, to support the mindfulness aspect of this game.
- The Butterfly Hug Tapping Method can ease your mind. While it is explained here in the context of trauma, I learned about it from my therapist as a mindfulness and grounding exercise.
- Box breathing will increase oxygen flow to your brain, mirroring one benefit of walking.
- A simple but mindful craft like a knitting project or drawing will keep your mind engaged and focused as you pass some time.
Adjust the amount of time you will pass – if you’re just box breathing, you might not want to do that for ten whole minutes. Then, when you are ready, look at the space around you, and notice what’s new or different, or even just focus on observing a different part of the space that you didn’t see before. If you’re within your home, and you have more than one good window vantage point, try moving locations.
5. Skygazer by Kevin Strickland | “The world has always turned to the sky for meaning, and this year, it’s your turn to find it.”
Feast: The beautiful minimalist artwork is what drew my eye in initially – I love stars and constellations, and it was nice to know right away what this game is about. I love the typography design on the cover of the pamphlet, with letters and stars behind forming a constellation, and another constellation on the back. A subtle detail here is that the layout mirrors the Sky Table, or the game board, so it’s also a cue/example of gameplay.
Flow: The directions have a good flow; the trifold is formatted so you open it up into a Getting Started section that has an overview and instructions. Then, in the brochure interior, you’re taught how to create the Sky Table, then you scatter small objects in order to mark stars in the sky, and are prompted through the Skygazing – rolling dice, drawing a constellation, and answering a seasonal prompt. Wrap-up prompts for the end of the year help to bring the game to a close. I like the way its organized, going step-by-step so that no one part of the process takes too much of your focus.
Fascination: I really do love constellation games. I live in the city, so I don’t get to see the stars as much as I’d like, and anything that invites me to engage with constellations is exciting to me. Seeing the example on the front of how this can look, I feel even more eager to give this a try.
Accessibility Note: A blank star chart template is provided, which I really appreciate – sometimes little barriers like those small set-up tasks make it hard for me to wrap my head around actually sitting down to play a game.
6. Bird is Dragon! by Nipafruticans | “a solo-ish drawing, nature journalling, and birdwatching TTRPG”
Feast: The premise in this game is genuinely so delightful to me: You’re observing dragons, aka birds, at the Annual Dragon Watch! As a children’s librarian, I have a few favorite picture books that draw the link between birds and dinosaurs; this game feels like a nod in that direction, and it genuinely makes me so happy. It’s a feast for the imagination, and I for one am excited to go watch some dragons.
Flow: The little bird diagram included in this one-page game took the intimidation factor away for me pretty immediately. I am not a skilled sketcher, and I also don’t know a ton about bird anatomy. Having a diagram to explain everything, paired with excellent tables for draconic features, made a drawing game feel possible.
Fascination: As we already know from earlier in this post, I love a game that sends you out into the world on a little quest. An additional thing that makes me excited to play this game is the hashtag to share sightings online. It makes me want to go and see what other birds dragons people have seen, and enjoy the community aspect.
Accessibility Note: I LOVE how an alternate bird website is provided in case you are unable to make it out into the wild to observe birds, or you live in an area where you don’t expect to see a lot of birds. Directions are even provided for how to randomize birds.
7. Romantasy Klondike by Eve Golden-Woods | “A solo journalling game that builds a romantic fantasy tale by playing solitaire”
Feast: Using a deck of cards to build a romantasy story means there are a LOT of prompts needed, and this game does a wonderful job with them! The prompt table covers people, places, things, and events, and provides multiple options for every single card you can draw. The pull from romantasy tropes and genres is clear, and it’s just really charming and fun to read through even before trying to pull cards and generate prompts.
Flow: The Setting the Scene and How To Play directions really make me feel ready to play this game. Each step is accounted for, from making decisions about what the suits represent, to deciding who our main characters are. I really appreciate that a note is included that the key here is choosing what’s different between the characters – a “fundamental divide” between the characters, which is very Romantasy-coded – rather than relying on gender as the difference. I also like that there are some threads that carry through the game; the example provided is: “If you decide that the five of clubs is a talking sword, it cannot later become a tavern.” But the game also provides some flexibility around events, so that they only happen once and do not get repetitive.
Fascination: I love solitaire, and I haven’t played it in a while, so I truly think that this game is going to get me breaking out a deck of cards for some good old fashioned solo play. While lots of solo games call for a deck of cards, it’s really fun to see cards used in a different way. In some cases I might be worried by needing to play multiple games to complete a story, but I like solitaire so much that it just excites me here! I am so intrigued by this game that I’m also going to go check out the cited influence – Regency Solitaire by Grey Alien Games, which is actually a PC/Switch game. Two discoveries in one jam entry is a win for me!
Accessibility Note: I really appreciate when different ways to play are given equal value, and this game has a ‘special power’ that you get for BOTH playing physically and digitally. AKA, the digital gameplay acknowledges all the features and functions that come with digital solitaire, like an easy undo option, or specific difficulty/ease settings, and physical gameplay tells you that it’s okay to look at the next card if you want to.
I think if I were going to play this game, I’d want to take notes on what was going on, and I might even use a deck of cards that I don’t mind writing on so that I could label each card and not have to worry about remembering what it represents as the game goes on. (I could also probably achieve this by adding a post-it note to each card!)
8. Solo Scoping In The Dungeon by Úna-Minh Kavanagh | “A smol scope TTRPG”
Feast: This game strikes a great balance between informative and humorous. The framing of a future world where the industry is in shambles combined with specific, actionable instructions on how to develop your OWN game idea, makes me smile. (The thumbs up illustration with flames in the background goes right along with it!) It really does feel like a fun little game, but it’s sneaky in its call to action! The tongue-in-cheek tone is maintained throughout, which I find really enjoyable.
Flow: I love the Extra Challenge option, and how it offers ways to take your game idea even further. Gamifying the timeline for a prototype is really fun, and the suggestion to comment and let Úna-Minh know how your idea is coming along is genuinely encouraging. Every piece of this one-page game feels truly useful and builds forward design momentum. Especially the part where you’re directed to put your phone in a different room…
Fascination: It’s not like I need any more game ideas. I have a mile-long list and a million in-progress projects. But this approach makes me WANT to make a game. A new one, using these rolling tables to help guide me. What I like so much is that this is less about the specific content of your game, and more about what kind of game you’re going to make, which leaves a lot of room for me to genuinely bring my own ideas into the mix, and let new things emerge.
Accessibility Note: Úna-Minh writes on the Itch page about the experience of writing games for work and then creating solo games outside of that structure, and emphasizes that this is a tool to help you get started and refocus your mind. I find myself wondering if after my own sometimes-draining day job, a game like this would serve a similar function, and that really excites me.
9. Creature Comforts by Roman Hyacinths | “A silly & wholesome solo journaling TTRPG”
Feast: This is a game about working as a matchmaker helping dungeon monsters find love, and it is adorable. The layout and color palette are delightful right alongside it. Subtle things like good spacing/padding within text boxes, a visually engaging but non-distracting background texture to soften white space, and visual representation of dice outcomes make this game truly enjoyable to look at, even before I start to dive into the mechanics and content.
Flow: This game is well-sectioned, from Client Intake (character creation/building with a longing and an insecurity) to The Date Itself (with specific setting and event tables), through to the End (a post-date outcome). I love the idea that at the end, if your Monsters really hit it off, you could send them through on another date – it’s always fun to have the option to extend gameplay in a specific way.
Fascination: I enjoy the idea of a solo journaling game that lets me create characters and then have them interact with each other. I can see myself making a little creature bracket, or running little Creature speed-dating, as ways to expand gameplay. You know a game has got you intrigued when you start imagining your own ways you could play it even more.
10. The Walden Paradox by Exeunt Press | “A transcendental solo journaling game.”
Feast: The more retro/old-school layout and graphic design are genuinely such a pleasure to look at. I accidentally printed a paper copy of this game in black & white instead of color and I was genuinely disappointed in myself. It’s not surprising to me that Exeunt Press has a great layout, but I think there’s a lot of value in knowing where to go simple and where to put a flourish.
Flow: This game has a time loop that is well-explained and defined. The directions are clear and concise, and a New Visitor Guide table provides lots of options for generating visitors. Because the table focuses on the things that are strange (a.k.a. things that are anachronistic), there’s lots of room for building characters through subtle/observational details – something that I personally find suits this open-ended style of journaling game. The specific and granular makes room for broader ideas to be shaded in by me, the player.
Fascination: Here’s the thing. I love a time loop/time travel story. I particularly like when a timey wimey game surprises me – and this one really did, because of its premise and tone; it offers a very specific structured narrative, while still providing the flexible play options described above. Also, to be quite honest, I live in Massachusetts so I love that it feels “local” to me.
There are so many amazing, incredible games in this year’s One-Page RPG Jam, and I feel like every time I check the jam page, more have been uploaded! I haven’t gotten to read them all yet, so I’m sure there are gems that I’ve missed. I strongly encourage you to read as many entries as you can so that you can form your own favorites list, whether or not you share it anywhere. And you should go give those games a 5-star review, and leave the authors a nice comment.
On that note, I will offer the disclaimer that these are some of MY favorites, which means they are very tailored to my preferences and style. For example, I’m not big on horror, so there’s not a single horror game on this list, even though there are some awesome-looking horror games uploaded to the jam.
If and when I write more posts about jam entries, I’ll try my best to remember to update a link here. And if you’re feeling up for it, check out my own entries to the One-Page RPG Jam: The Fairy Tale Mail Mystery, and Kicking & Screaming & Crying, both solo games but tonally extremely different from each other! (They’re both paid, but since you read all the way through this blog post, you should go ahead and claim a Community Copy as a little treat!)
Leave a Reply