The Short Game

We're back with our 2nd IFComp Episode, this time focusing on community picks from our discord! 

The Short Game is listener supported on Patreon. Check out the Patreon and links to join our discord at www.shortgame.fm.

The Short Game kicks off its 2026 IFComp coverage with a new three-episode format, along with a brief chat about custom IF engines and the comp's new AI rules.

• 0:00 - Intro and IFComp Basics
• 5:00 - How We Are Covering IFComp This Year
• 10:54 - 9 Days in a Van with Your 3 Best Friends by Nathan Leigh
• 25:55 - Sidetrack: Custom Engines, AI, and IFComp
• 29:41 - Forensic Necromancy: A Murder in Nineveh by Daniel M. Stelzer
• 45:10 - Ryan Veeder's Agatha Christie's The Murder on the Orient Express
• 57:39 - Wrap Up

• (00:00) - Intro and IFComp Basics

Shane and Laura played The Incident at Galley House, Evil Trout's remake of William Rous's TypeHelp. Before the spoiler break they discuss the game's deduction interface and some gameplay highlights, then they had so much to talk about they needed TWO spoiler breaks: one for "what's going on", and one for Act III's shift into **************************.

• (00:00) - The Incident at Galley House

This week, Nate, Laura, and Shane play Pizza Possum — a chaotic arcade game that's stealthy and snackable. We talk about the gorgeous Italian countryside, dog cops, difficulty spikes, and the little bits of polish and shine that make this one sing. Plus possum stories, pizza tales, and a literary return of What's Making Me Happy.

• (00:00) - Pizza Possum

We return to you with our extended coverage of indie phenomenon Deltarune, now in it's 5th episode.

This week, Shane and Laura talk about some Short, and Not So Short Games.

• (00:00) - Grab Bag: Short Games and Not-So-Short Games

Think you're good at chess? That might not be helpful in this troll bridge troll chess game made by a solo dev. Nate & Laura break down why this game is fun, frustrating, and worth your time (~2 hours), even if it doesn't always feel like it. 

The Short Game is listener supported on Patreon. Visit our patreon at https://www.patreon.com/theshortgame, and join our Discord for free at: https://discord.gg/XrwERANC

Also, play Nate's daily word puzzle game at: https://crossonym.com/

Turns out if someone hands us a haunted CD-ROM, we are playing it.  This week, Laura once again tricks the whole podcast into playing solitaire, only this time it's *Forbidden*.  OooooOOooooOOO.

Forbidden Solitaire was made by Grey Alien Games and Night Signal Entertainment, and should take about 4-7 hours depending on your solitaire prowess.

• (00:00) - Forbidden Solitaire

Titanium Court. An absurd game that refuses to explain itself. Winner of the 2025 Whoever McSomeone Grand Prize.

This week we're talking Skate Story, a skateboarding game where you're a demon made of glass and pain on a mission to eat the moon. We open with skaterboi stories before kicking into the game's large arsenal of tricks, vaporwave soundtrack, and surprisingly difficult boss fights. Curse you, The Eternal Centipede!

• (00:00) - Skate Story