That's the idea behind the annual Life. Love Game Design Challenge, now in it's second year.

Jennifer Ann's Group today announced the winners of their second annual flash game design contest, handing out $1,500 to Jared Sain for first place. Runners Up Brian Crick and Toronja Concepts each received $100. A door prize of another $100 was awarded to Bence Joful.

All four of their games are playable over on the Jennifer Ann's Group webpage. As a judge I've already played through all of the entries and was surprised to find how the developers tried to tackle the serious issue this time around.

The games include versions of tower defense games, a music game and even a few click adventure titles.

Other judges for the challenge were group founder (and my brother) Drew Crecente, advisory board member Dr. Elizabeth Richeson, Independent Games Festival chairman Simon Carless, Kotaku's Stephen Totilo, GameDaily editor-in-chief Live Goad, Persuasive Games co-founder Dr. Ian Bogost, and professor Brenda Brathwaite.

2009 Game Contest Winners [Jennifer Ann's Group]

The object of the competition is for people to create a Flash game about teen dating violence prevention and to do so without violent content or a violent theme.

First prize has been bumped up to $1,500 and judges, besides myself, include Simon Carless, director of the Independent Games Festival; Stephen Totilo, of MTV and huge brain fame, Libe Goad, editor-in-chief of AOL GameDaily, and Dr. Elizabeth Richeson, a psychologist, Texas Psychological Association Board member, and my mom.

The contest is open to anyone, not just those in the U.S. and runs through May 15. Hit up the site for the full details. Last year's winners here.

2009 Life. Love. Game Design Challenge

The $1,000 winning design "Escape Your Boyfriend's Room" by Jorge Goyco is an interesting point and click game that manages to get both the warning signs of an abusive relationship across as well as how you can get yourself out of the relationship. I loved the look of the game and its approach to the subject matter really impressed me.

The first runner up $100 prize was handed out to "A Walk in the Park by Jared Sain." I loved the look of the game. My only suggestion is that maybe the game could do a better job of explaining how to get out of an abusive relationship. The final $100 runner-up was "Decisions, Decisions by Mark Kakareka"

Judges for the contest were my brother, Drew Crecente; Simon Carless, director of the Independent Games Festival; Stephen Totilo, of MTV and huge brain fame, Georgia Tech prof Ian Bogost and Dr. Elizabeth Richeson, a psychologist, Texas Psychological Association Board member, and my mom.

The winning entries were quite innovative, but more importantly I think this particular contest reiterates the mantra that video games can deal with important and delicate issues appropriately.

My understanding is that Drew plans to run the contest again next year. I hope it has just as many good entries. Hit up the site to check out the winners.

Jennifer Ann's Group

My brother just launched a Flash game design contest that I'll be one of the judges for. The object of the Life Love Game Design Challenge is for people to create a Flash game about teen dating violence prevention and to do so without violent content or a violent theme.

Quite a brain teaser, but having played innovative Flash games for years now, I'm pretty sure the design community is up to the challenge.

First prize is $1,000 and judges, besides myself, include Simon Carless, director of the Independent Games Festival; Stephen Totilo, of MTV and huge brain fame, and Dr. Elizabeth Richeson, a psychologist, Texas Psychological Association Board member, and my mom.

When my brother first contacted me about this, he said he wasn't sure that it was a good idea, he didn't know if a Flash game could deal with so serious an issue, but I pointed out that people like Ian Bogost do that for a living.

Life Love Game Design Challenge