what constitutes a jon game?

Usually something non traditional which defies your expectations and is likely silly in some way. It may not quite have the broad appeal that most more well known games do. Often single player.

common themes

• flow state inducing
• speed run / time attack encouraged
• rhythm action
• mischief
• Incremental
• controls which feel good / impactful
• peculiar
  • gameplay
  • themes
  • art style
• smaller budget

jon games

• Trombone champ
  • because it is unadulterated silliness all the way through
  • also rhythm games are great
• Return of the obra dinn
  • Lucas pope just has a great eye and puts in so much work and polish into his creations
• Mars after midnight
  • ditto
  • this was such a charming game
• Golf with your friends
  • i have some awful friends who really love to punish you when you’re doing well
• Arctic eggs
  • was bought this by a friend because… eggs… did not expect it to be anywhere near as charming or compelling
• untitled goose game
  • top tier mischief
• Neon white
  • proper flowstate game which nudges you into a speedrunning mindstate
  • super smooth gameplay, which allows for creative routes
• Donut county
  • mischief, just pure mischief
• The gnorp apologue
  • incremental games have always scratched a hell of an itch for me, but none of the others have cutie gnorps
• Jazzpunk
  • of everything i’ve played in the past few years, I think this one made me laugh the most often
• Teardown
  • mischief sim
  • with cool voxel destruction
• Thumper
  • rhythm / flowstate
• I wanna be the guy
  • been a long time since i played this now but i struggled at this for years and years. classic. Don’t think i actually finished 100% but i recall beating the majority of bosses
• Nidhogg II
  • only played this for a short time, the combat is brutal and fast
• I am your beast
  • another flowstate / speedrun encouraging game
  • really rewards learning the weapons and maps and pushing for quicker completions
• Cryptmaster
  • very silly concept, executed really well.
• Firewatch
  • very uncomfortable setting without being jumpscareish
• Speedrunners
  • there was a period of time when I played this for hours a night with a great group. I miss those nights
• Battlebit remastered
  • mandatory open mic as you die, and a less toxic community than similar large scale FPS games = players acting out their deaths over hot mic
• Sayonara wild hearts
  • gorgeous art style and soundtrack
  • smooth and unpunishing gameplay
  • rhythm
• Lethal company
  • not much to say, many good jumpscares and holes to fall in among friends
• Thank goodness you’re here
  • slap
• Gun frog
  • name is a spoiler
• Tuna hakes underwater
  • psx era gfx and music style thps gameplay style but you’re a fish doing flips
• various playdate titles in season 2
  • chance’s lucky escape is fantastic

upcoming

• Big walk

some historic games which contributed to my taste

• Liero
  • local multiplayer, one player uses the left half of the kb one uses the right
  • enormous multitude of pc hardware punishing weapon effects
  • basically realtime worms (though that undersells it)
• jazz jackrabbit
  • one of the greatest soundtracks of all time (yt link)
  • only had the demo/shareware version of number 1 as a kid
• elite beat agents
  • probably my most played ds game, definitely the rhythm action game which got me hooked

other suggestions

I would love to hear of other stuff which should be on my radar, mayhaps @ me with reccs?

todo

recall and list more historic games which left a mark