We can’t deny it; our third competition has been our best yet! Many amazing games filled this contest; innovative concepts, unique visuals, and fun gameplay were the norm, not the exception. We had more great games than we could rightly recognize without it seeming like we gave everyone an award. Not that all the entrants didn't deserve one, though.

We at indiePub would like to personally thank all of the contestants for entering. Thank you for not making the decisions for finalists and semi-finalists easy. Thank you for showing your support for your favorite games. Thank you for posting and discussing things on the forums. Thank you for making this our best contest yet, and telling us how we can make our next contest even better. And finally, we'd like to thank one of you for taking $100,000 of our hard earned money.

Without further ado, here are our five finalists and grand prize winner:

Catapult for Hire was chosen as Staff Pick because we thoroughly enjoyed the game. The game play is simple yet entertaining, involving physics based, object launching challenges. The game is also overflowing with tongue-in-cheek humor about its own unfinished state. A 'Lord Placeholder' asks for your help, and an Ogre without a body pushes rocks with his face. Even the pseudo old English language that the characters use adds depth to the humorous realm in which the game takes place. Catapult for Hire is fun, addicting, and popular; that's why we chose it for Staff Pick.

The Dream Machine was chosen for Best Art due to the meticulous detail that went in to every object and landscape in the game. Even the smallest element, from the wet grains of sand, to the uneven floorboards, or even the cracks in the ancient stone pieces, adds volumes to the narrative and immersion presented to the player. By using an art form rarely seen in games and presenting it in a masterful manner, it is no wonder that The Dream Machine has earned the award for Best Art.

Coma was chosen for Best Audio from the immersive nature of the game's music. From character sounds to the background music crafted to uniquely portray certain areas, every note and every noise plunges the player further into the game. The peculiar sounds that other beings make are notable in how they don't just give the character a voice but rather give them a personality. Due to the games integration of music within the storyline and virtual world of Coma, it was deserving of the award for Best Audio.

Vanessa Saint-Pierre Delacroix and Her Nightmare was selected for Best Design due to its interesting amalgamation of intriguing game play concepts and magnificent presentation. The game included not only a full-fledged story, but also a novel platforming innovation. Complexities are stacked upon complexities as this game builds up its difficulty but never becomes incomprehensible. Every step forward is calculated to give the player a chance, but not hand them the objective. Because this game was a solid implementation of intriguing game play, it obtained the award for Best Design.

Hazard: The Journey Of Life was chosen for the Technical Excellence award because of its success at the creation of impossible environments. This innovative game uses simple game play components within a non-traditional environment to sculpt a truly one-of-a-kind experience. The elegance of the technical accomplishments within this game gave it a seamless feel, earning it the award for Technical Excellence.

Dustforce! was selected for the Grand Prize due to its excellence in all categories. Each level is visually consistent and leverages a deft blend of creative. The audio in each level perfectly accents all of the visual niceties. The unique concept of this platformer gives it an intriguing and distinctive design unparallel to others. The game play is impeccable and extremely enjoyable. Every element about this game demonstrates a level of polish that should be required of any game contest champion. Dustforce! was a challenging and addictive game; we couldn't help but try to sweep every surface, wash every wall, and launder every level we played.

We would like to give a sincere thank you to all the entrants, and a big congratulations to all of the winners. Make sure to check in with indiePub for more contests in the future, and continue to participate in the growing community! As we write this, we're working on some cool ideas that'll give you even more opportunities to show us your skills and potentially earn some cash – so you don’t want to miss out!