Microsoft"s annual Dream.Build.Play competition is a way for indie game developers to submit their creations for a chance to win some money and also a chance to have their games published by Microsoft on its Xbox Live Arcade download service. Today during PAX Prime in Seattle, Microsoft announced the games that won the 2011 edition of the Dream.Build.Play competition. All of the games were created via Microsoft"s XNA Game Studio 4.0 development tools which can be used to make games for the Xbox 360, PC, and Windows Phone platforms.
The grand prize winner for 2011 is Blocks That Matter, a puzzle-platformer hybrid game created by Guillaume Martin of France. Martin will receive $40,000 for his efforts. The first prize winner, who will receive $20,000, is Jay Watts from Australia. He created Solar 2, an open world sandbox game. Second prize went to Julian Volyn of the US. He created TIC: Part 1, the first chapter of an episodic action-adventure series. He received $10,000 for his efforts. Finally third place of $5,000 went to Jason Wishnov of the US for Sequence, a mix of RPG and rhythm game.
In addition to the main prizes, Microsoft game some honorable mentions to some other games submitted for Dream.Build.Play. Ninja Crash, a multiplay action game, got a nod for "Fun Factor". Another game, a 2.5D puzzle-platformer The Bridge, was given a "Innovation" honorable mention. Finally Alien Jelly, a 3D puzzle game, was named by Microsoft with a "Production Quality" honorable mention in the competition.