Competition

An event for which a number of games are written to a certain set of requirements, and then released as a group to the community. Frequently, but not mandatorily, reviews will be solicited or pre-arranged for the games; the quality of the games will be ranked by a group of judges; and prizes will be awarded.

The longest-running, most-popular competition is the The Annual Interactive Fiction Competition. This has been held since 1995 by the readers of the Usenet group rec.arts.int-fiction. For fans of the old Infocom games, as well as for newcomers to the genre, the competition is a chance to enjoy some of the most highly ranked, short adventure games available.

Other competitions worth noting include the Chicken-Comp, the LOTECH Comp, the IF Art Show, and the Spring Thing. Small, themed competitions are also referred to as minicomps. A similar endeavor was Emily Short's Walkthrough Competition, which did not require a complete game.