Intel Level Up

The Intel Level Up was a series of annual video game competitions organised by Intel to support independent video game development, with winning games receiving monetary rewards in addition to the award.[1] The first competition, titled the Intel Game Demo Contest, was held in 2006.[2][3] It was restarted in 2009 as the Intel Level Up Game Developer Contest.[4] The competition has not been held after 2017.[5]

Intel Level Up Game Developer Contest
CountryUnited States
Formerly calledIntel Game Demo Contest
StatusInactive
First awarded2006
Last awarded2017

A distinctive feature of the contest was the participation of game-industry luminaries as judges. At different times, the judges were Sid Meier, Will Wright, Chris Avellone, Todd Howard, Tim Schafer, Chris Taylor, etc.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Winners

2006

Award[13]CategoryWinnerDeveloperNotes
Best Threaded Game1st PlaceCommand: Operation Winter StormKoios Works
2nd PlaceGun DragonAvocado Overboard
3rd PlaceTiki Lounge BlackjackThe Jelly Filled Games
Honorable MentionInsanipaint
Honorable MentionEl Condor PasaSweet Mobility
Best Game on the Go1st PlaceTobloSteve Chiavelli, John Jensen, Brad Rasmussen, Ben Smith, Zach PetersonDigiPen
2nd PlaceInsanipaint

2007

Award[14]CategoryWinnerDeveloperNotes
Best Threaded Game1st PlaceHarmotionErik ChanBottomless Pit Games
2nd PlaceBurning TiresRasmus Barringer
3rd PlaceAntiPlanetLev Dymchenko
4th PlaceSynaestheteZach Aikman, Andy Maneri, Will Towns, Joe TkachDigiPen
5th PlaceRed AssaultAndreas Papathanasis
Best Game on the Go1st PlacePenguins ArenaCristophe CanonFrogames
2nd PlaceEmpyreal NocturneReed Gonsalves, Chad TaylorDouble Hawk Games
3rd PlaceHexaxis XXITim Hackett
4th PlaceOthello³Alain LabrieWare-Wolf Games
5th PlaceHelicomasterJean-Philippe Doiron, Simon Ampleman

2008

Award[15]CategoryWinnerDeveloperNotes
Best Threaded Game1st PlaceGoo!Tommy RefenesPillowfort Games
2nd PlaceXenus II: White GoldSergey ZabaryanskyDeep Shadows
3rd PlaceWinding TrailElena Sagalaeva
4th PlacePredtechiSergey ZabaryanskyDeep Shadows
5th PlaceDeadly LightYakov Sumygin
Best Game on the Go1st PlaceMagic WorldsDmitry Dobryak
2nd PlaceI’m Lulu King!Cheng Chen
3rd PlaceSub0Bradley Wesson
4th PlaceArmy of EarthTom Spencer-Smith
5th PlaceProtozoaMauro Persano
Best Game on Intel Graphics1st PlacePixel and Vega in: Crunch Time!Aaron MurrayTandem Games
2nd PlaceProtozoaMauro Persano
3rd PlaceGoo!Tommy RefenesPillowfort Games
4th PlaceWinding TrailElena Sagalaeva
5th PlaceArmy of EarthTom Spencer-Smith
Judge's Choice1st PlaceDeadly LightYakov Sumygin
2nd PlaceLens Flare Programming using 3D plains instead of spritesAlip Kumar Saha
3rd PlaceArmy of EarthTom Spencer-Smith

2009

Judges: Sid Meier, Will Wright, Rick Raymo, Brad Wardell, Christophe Canon, Mathieu Mazerolle, Mary Beth Haggerty, Dmitry Oganezov, Gina Bovara, Jeff LaFlam, Brad Werth, Steve Winburn.[12]

Award[5]CategoryWinnerDeveloper
Judges' ChoiceRise of Flight: The First Great Air WarAlbert Zhiltsov
Best Game Optimized For Intel Graphics1st PlaceI Know Your DeedsYakov Sumygin
2nd PlaceSpin TiresPavel Zagrebelnyy
3rd PlaceInfersusInfersus
Best Threaded Game1st PlaceInfersusInfersus
2nd PlaceI Know Your DeedsYakov Sumygin
3rd PlaceThe Ray Tracing GameEugene Klyuchnikov
Best Game on the Go1st PlaceSpin TiresPavel Zagrebelnyy
2nd PlaceGerminationBradley Wesson
3rd PlaceRise Of PiratesStefans Keiss

2010

Judges: Chris Avellone, Vic Davis, Todd Hollenshead, Todd Howard, Rod Humble, Raph Koster, Rick Raymo, Bill Roper, Tim Schafer, Adam Sessler, Jeff Vogel.[16][11]

Award[5]CategoryWinner
Best Game on a Laptop1st PlacePurple
2nd PlaceIcebreakers
3rd PlaceCar Washer: Summer Of The Ninja
Honorable MentionBillichess
Honorable MentionGladius
Best Game on a DesktopHave Time Will Travel
Best Game on a Netbook1st PlaceCycle
2nd PlaceMechanism III
3rd PlaceKarttoon Rally
Honorable MentionBullzeye
Honorable MentionHeliride
Honorable MentionSpellbinder
Judges ChoiceBest Art DesignMechanism III
Best Character DesignIcebreakers
Best Graphics PerformancePurple
Best Sound DesignHave Time Will Travel

2011

Judges: Andy Schatz, Jeff Vogel, Wolfgang Engel, Chris Taylor, Jim Rossignol.[10]

Award[5]CategoryWinnerDeveloper
Game of the YearBlackwell's AsylumBlackpipe
Best Adventure/Role PlayingBlackwell's AsylumBlackpipe
Student Game Of The Year and Best Strategy Game (tie)The White LaboratoryTao Xin
Best Casual GameDivoLogic Droids
Best Educational GameAtooms To MooleculesBitsits Games
Best Puzzle GameSpliceCipher Prime Studios
Best Shooter GameMilitAntXibalba Studios
Best Simulation GameImagine EarthSerious Brothers
Best Strategy Game (tie)Plutonic Repulse: A Tale Of LimerenceBlackcow Studios
Judges ChoiceBest 3DThunderwheelsG-Boot Games
Best PhysicsThunderwheelsG-Boot Games
Best ArtBeatbuddyThreaks
Best SoundBeatbuddyThreaks
Best CharacterTrash TVLawrence Russell

2013

Judges: Andy Schatz, Wolfgang Engel, Rami Ismail, Jordan Weisman.[9]

Award[5]CategoryWinnerDeveloper
Game of the YearPerfection.Dumb and Fat Games
Best Puzzle/Physics GamePerfection.Dumb and Fat Games
Best Adventure/Role PlayingLilly Looking ThroughGeeta Games
Best Action GameAssault Android CactusWitch Beam
Best Platformer GameProtocellTeam Primordia
Best “Other” GameCube & Star: A Love StoryDoppler Interactive
Skill and CraftBest Game PhysicsTorquelFullPowerSlideAttack.com
Best SoundBeatblasters IIIChainsawesome Games
Best Character DesignLife Goes OnInfinite Monkeys
Best 3D GraphicsForcedBetaDwarf Entertainment

2014

Judges: Chris Avellone, Wolfgang Engel, Rami Ismail, Marc Saltzman, Tim Schafer, Chris Taylor, Nathan Vella, Tyrone Rodriguez.[8]

Award[5]CategoryWinnerDeveloper
Game of the YearDuetKumobius and Tim Shiel
Best Action GameDuetKumobius and Tim Shiel
Best Adventure/Role PlayingBravadaInterbellum Team
Best Platformer GameBiglands: A Game Made By KidsDiego Acevedo
Best Puzzle GameFramedLoveshack
Best “Other” GameOTTTDSmg Studio
Skill and CraftBest Art DesignToast TimeForce Of Habit
Best Use Of Game PhysicsAirscape: The Fall Of GravityCross-product
Best SoundDuetKumobius and Tim Shiel
Best Character DesignA Good Snowman Is Hard To BuildAlan Hazelden, Benjamin Davis, Ryan Roth
Best 3D GraphicsForced 2: The Rush!BetaDwarf Entertainment

2015

Judges: Chris Avellone, Kate Edwards, Wolfgang Engel, Rami Ismail, Tim Schafer, Chris Taylor, Tyrone Rodriguez.[7]

Award[17][5]CategoryWinnerDeveloper
Game of the YearThe Franz Kafka VideogameDenis Galanin
Best Adventure/Role PlayingThe Franz Kafka VideogameDenis Galanin
Best Action GameSynchromMorphiks
Best Linux GameSpacejackedRotten Mage
Best Platformer GameBean DreamsKumobius
Best Puzzle GameTumblestoneThe Quantum Astrophysicists Guild
Best “Other” GameGalactic Missile DefenseBlacksheep Games
Skill and CraftBest Art DesignKarma, Incarnation 1AuraLab
Best SoundKarma, Incarnation 1AuraLab
Best 3D GraphicsSteamfarerIgor Rashkuev
Best Character DesignBulb BoyBulb Boy Team
Best Game PhysicsSuper Adventure Pals 2Massive Monster

2016

Judges: Chris Avellone, Kate Edwards, Wolfgang Engel, Rami Ismail, Tim Schafer, Tyrone Rodriguez, Anne Toole.[18][19]

Award[5]CategoryWinnerDeveloper
Game of the YearEllipsisSalmi Games
Best Action GameEllipsisSalmi Games
Best Adventure/Role PlayingElsinoreGolden Glitch Studios
Best Platformer GameLittle BugBuddy System
Best Puzzle GameShe Remembered CaterpillarsJumpsuit Entertainment Ug (haftungsbeschränkt)
Best “Other” GameDuskersMisfits Attic
Skill and CraftBest Art DesignOverlandFinji
Best 3D GraphicsGuns Of Icarus AllianceMuse Games
Best Character DesignTooth and TailPocketwatch Games
Best Game PhysicsGoatpunksStudio Canvas
Best SoundAnimated Puzzles StarMexond Games

2017

Judges: Chris Avellone, Kate Edwards, Wolfgang Engel, Rami Ismail, Tim Schafer, Gary Rowe, Tyrone Rodriguez, Laila Shabir.[6]

Award[5]CategoryWinnerDeveloper
Game of the YearResynthPolyphonic LP
Best Puzzle/Physics GameResynthPolyphonic LP
Best Adventure/Role PlayingCat QuestThe Gentelbros
Best Platformer GamePepper GrinderRiv Hester
Best Action GameMegaton RainfallPentadimensional Games
Best Open-Genre GamePaperbarkPaperhouse Games
Skill and CraftBest Art DesignCat QuestThe Gentelbros
Best 3D GraphicsStardropJoure Visser
Best Character DesignThe Adventure PalsMassive Monster
Best Game PhysicsPepper GrinderRiv Hester
Best SoundYankai’s PeakKenny Sun

See also

References