The student games cabinet is a community art installation at Lassonde Studios, managed by the Make Space. This arcade cabinet is a home for student-made games of all sorts, it’s a great way to check out the games other students are making.
The purpose of the installation is to inspire students to make games by providing a platform where they can share those games. You may notice that the control layout is fairly limited, and this is an intentional creative limitation; while we welcome games that students have made in the past, we are more concerned with inspiring students to make something when they otherwise may not have.
The cabinet was designed, built, and completed by Maeve Hirschi. It features side panel art by Sarah Hare, and a stained glass marquee by Ander Hirschi.
Want To Submit A Game?
Before submitting a game, please be familiar with the Game Guidelines. It is also highly recommended to read through the User Manual. When you’re ready, make a submission using the form. Find these resources below.
Current Game Catalog
Visit the Game Catalog to find all the games we have available so far. You can find links to digital storefronts, developer contact information, and other details.
Resources
Here are some materials that will be handy if you intend to submit a game for the cabinet. The Game Guidelines are crucial to read, but it is highly recommended to also read the User Manual.
Game Guidelines
The following guidelines are mandatory. If any of these are not met, your game will be automatically disqualified.
- The game was made in significant part by a student (or students) of the University of Utah
- Bigotry and hate will not be tolerated
- Please avoid mature content; this will be played in a very public space.
- No alcohol or drugs
- No excessive violence
- No nudity or sexually explicit content
- No AI-generated assets are allowed, and any code not credited to another developer should be fully authored by students.
- No copyrighted materials, and the game should credit all contributions within a credits section, including downloaded/purchased assets that you have the right to use.
- Shows passion!
The remaining guidelines are mainly platform-related. If you plan to bend these guidelines for a creatively interesting game, please reach out to the Cabinet Manager to describe your game first.
- Compatible with the cabinet control scheme (see the user manual)
- Any button icons roughly match the symbols assigned to the corresponding controls on the control board
- Launches in fullscreen (or can be configured to do so) and is optimized for the actual display resolution (see the user manual)
- Polished and reasonably bugless.
We reserve the right to deny games deemed not suitable to be available on the cabinet for any reason. We also may remove games that we later deem not to be suitable.
P.S. If you are submitting a capstone or other class project, please note that it is not guaranteed to be accepted! It is not recommended to build your capstone project around compatibility with the Student Games Cabinet.
User Manual
The User Manual has a lot of technical details that will be invaluable for understanding the Student Games Cabinet and how your game will run on it. It is an extensive reference sheet which we keep updated with all the latest information about the cabinet. Please read through it at the link below.
The Arcade Cabinet User Manual
Game Asset Pack Examples
There are certain required and optional assets to submit with your game. These are the screenshots, title icons, and background images that will be displayed on the cabinet interface. Like the games, AI-generated assets are prohibited. The asset format is very particular, so it may be helpful to have some examples. Those can be accessed below.
Game Submission Form
When you are ready to submit a game, you can do so using the Qualtrics link below. There are many fields apart from just the game itself, so feel free to peruse the form to be aware of what you will need as you prepare your submission. When we receive a submission, we will review the game, and then reach out with any issues before putting it on the cabinet. There may be a significant delay before games are also available on the Game Catalog below.
Game Catalog
- FlipFlop — Try to get as far as you can. The game speeds up as you go. Compete against yourself and others on the local leaderboard for a high score.
- Path of Embers — A puzzle game about a child lost in a dungeon, with only their lantern. Keep the oil from running empty, and find your way back home.
- Train Journey — A PICO-8 game about a mysterious train to which the player is seemingly bound. Travel between stops, meet unique characters, and learn their stories. Can you free yourself and return home? Or will you ride the train forever … ?
