Ep 0081 - Locked-In Game Jam Revue

9/1/2026

This time, uh, can one of you pop the latch on the outside of my mech? Please? I’ve gotta get out so we can cover the entries for the 2026 Locked In Mech Media Jam. Let’s launch into it!

COCKPIT OR COFFIN?

You never thought it could happen. Your mech, the titanic robot that gives you the power to fight back against overwhelming forces, has… failed you. Maybe it’s suffered too much damage. Maybe there’s been a total power failure. Maybe it’s a super structure you’ve lost yourself in too far this time. Maybe it’s your friend, now dead. Maybe it’s your burden, now unwilling to let you out. Whatever the situation, you’re no longer piloting—you’re LOCKED IN.

This game jam originated as a tossed-off idea on the podcast On the Shoulders of Giants (OSG), a podcast about mechs across media and why we love them. This jam was intended to explore a trope/theme we’ve enjoyed running across in mech media and prompt mech-loving creatives to make more. The below entires were submitted by amazing creatives, and this episode is discussing them. We encourage people to try out these games, all of which can be found on this ITCH.IO Game Jam page!!

Content warnings for this episode: please check each entry's itch.io page for specific content warnings!

Our theme is “She Loves Your Fusion” by PartyFactor on Pixabay. Other sound effects also sourced from Pixabay. Any and all clips of copyrighted media are included for transformative use or commentary, and On the Shoulders of Giants makes no claim of ownership on the sampled audio.