Summer into AI 2026: Week1 - Midnight Submissions

Many great projects came in last night!

Myles snuck in three entries close to the buzzer last night. The third I missed, and to everyone who submitted additional entries after I retired from a full, lovely day I see you and am using this article to bring us current.

Myles brings us a 8-bit chat with a LLM. This project is interesting-much so, and I’ll be writing soon about “Qwen Franklin”.

Evan brings us a crack at an 8-bit turn-based RPG-bringing tactical complexity to the forefront.

Adam brings us the first puzzle game of the competition with The Republic Room. I was thinking back over past competitions and this might be the first puzzler of any entry I’ve seen in these AI competitions of 2026.

Adam also brings us an interactive idea that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen before in a digital sense-memories associated to US postmarks. This is an innovative little idea that’s super interesting. Bringing history forward by way of this interaction reminds me of exhibits in a museum-those interactive kiosks one might see. I may be borrowing this thought for week 2!

As Adam notes in his article, “I learned of competitors point maxxing within the rules with little time left, so something had to be done, and this is the beginning of that something!” Well, sometimes that pushes us into innovative territory! The stamp memory card is such a neat little idea.

Jake brings us three entries towards the closing bell. As with all these submissions I have more to do and to explore, but let me just note that Jake has one of these that stunned me was even possible. First up, a civics interaction in founding a republic. Walk thru history and found a republic!

In Jake’s next submission we experience a little more retro-arcade flair-bringing a familiar game back to the present. I remember going to a local pizza parlor on the weekend evenings once a month to play Galaga and pool, for hours at a time. This is a bit of nostalgia for me of a lost age.

Read more on this one here-

And the last entry of last night’s submissions-if I missed your submission, please ping me! I’m catching up on notifications and emails and believe I have everyone. I’ll be updating the spreadsheet later on tonight.

That said, you’ll want to see this.

Jake opens up this third act with a Timestorm homerun that had me nearly spit my coffee out this morning.

Hall of the Republic is a first-person Wolfenstein-style walk through 250 years of American history-say what? Also THE CHARACTERS HAVE VOICE ACTING. Jake Strait - impressive work.

Great work everyone. We had many amazing submissions for week 1.

Week 2 is now underway!