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. The first competition, titled the Intel Game Demo Contest, was held in 2006. It was restarted in 2009 as the Intel Level Up Game Developer Contest. The competition has not been held after 2017.
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.

Winners

2006

2007

2008

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.
AwardCategoryWinnerDeveloper
Judges' ChoiceRise of Flight: The First Great Air WarAlbert Zhiltsov
Best Game Optimized For Intel Graphics1st PlaceI Know Your DeedsYakov Sumygin
Best Game Optimized For Intel Graphics2nd PlaceSpin TiresPavel Zagrebelnyy
Best Game Optimized For Intel Graphics3rd PlaceInfersusInfersus
Best Threaded Game1st PlaceInfersusInfersus
Best Threaded Game2nd PlaceI Know Your DeedsYakov Sumygin
Best Threaded Game3rd PlaceThe Ray Tracing GameEugene Klyuchnikov
Best Game on the Go1st PlaceSpin TiresPavel Zagrebelnyy
Best Game on the Go2nd PlaceGerminationBradley Wesson
Best Game on the Go3rd 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.
AwardCategoryWinner
Best Game on a Laptop1st PlacePurple
Best Game on a Laptop2nd PlaceIcebreakers
Best Game on a Laptop3rd PlaceCar Washer: Summer Of The Ninja
Best Game on a LaptopHonorable MentionBillichess
Best Game on a LaptopHonorable MentionGladius
Best Game on a DesktopHave Time Will Travel
Best Game on a Netbook1st PlaceCycle
Best Game on a Netbook2nd PlaceMechanism III
Best Game on a Netbook3rd PlaceKarttoon Rally
Best Game on a NetbookHonorable MentionBullzeye
Best Game on a NetbookHonorable MentionHeliride
Best Game on a NetbookHonorable MentionSpellbinder
Judges ChoiceBest Art DesignMechanism III
Judges ChoiceBest Character DesignIcebreakers
Judges ChoiceBest Graphics PerformancePurple
Judges ChoiceBest Sound DesignHave Time Will Travel

2011

Judges: Andy Schatz, Jeff Vogel, Wolfgang Engel, Chris Taylor, Jim Rossignol.
AwardCategoryWinnerDeveloper
Game of the YearBlackwell's AsylumBlackpipe
Best Adventure/Role PlayingBlackwell's AsylumBlackpipe
Student Game Of The YearThe White LaboratoryTao Xin
Best Strategy GameThe 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 Plutonic Repulse: A Tale Of LimerenceBlackcow Studios
Judges ChoiceBest 3DThunderwheelsG-Boot Games
Judges ChoiceBest PhysicsThunderwheelsG-Boot Games
Judges ChoiceBest ArtBeatbuddyThreaks
Judges ChoiceBest SoundBeatbuddyThreaks
Judges ChoiceBest CharacterTrash TVLawrence Russell
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2013

Judges: Andy Schatz, Wolfgang Engel, Rami Ismail, Jordan Weisman.
AwardCategoryWinnerDeveloper
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 Art DesignLilly Looking ThroughGeeta Games
Skill and CraftBest Game PhysicsTorquelFullPowerSlideAttack.com
Skill and CraftBest SoundBeatblasters IIIChainsawesome Games
Skill and CraftBest Character DesignLife Goes OnInfinite Monkeys
Skill and CraftBest 3D GraphicsForcedBetaDwarf Entertainment

2014

Judges: Chris Avellone, Wolfgang Engel, Rami Ismail, Marc Saltzman, Tim Schafer, Chris Taylor, Nathan Vella, Tyrone Rodriguez.
AwardCategoryWinnerDeveloper
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
Skill and CraftBest Use Of Game PhysicsAirscape: The Fall Of GravityCross-product
Skill and CraftBest SoundDuetKumobius and Tim Shiel
Skill and CraftBest Character DesignA Good Snowman Is Hard To BuildAlan Hazelden, Benjamin Davis, Ryan Roth
Skill and CraftBest 3D GraphicsForced 2: The Rush!BetaDwarf Entertainment

2015

Judges: Chris Avellone, Kate Edwards, Wolfgang Engel, Rami Ismail, Tim Schafer, Chris Taylor, Tyrone Rodriguez.
AwardCategoryWinnerDeveloper
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
Skill and CraftBest SoundKarma, Incarnation 1AuraLab
Skill and CraftBest 3D GraphicsSteamfarerIgor Rashkuev
Skill and CraftBest Character DesignBulb BoyBulb Boy Team
Skill and CraftBest Game PhysicsSuper Adventure Pals 2Massive Monster