Welcome to MechMania 31!
Please make sure to register using this Google form!
See you on September 19th, 2025!
MechMania is a 24-hour hackathon where students team up to write a bot that plays a game. Every year, we build a game in secret, and challenge you to write the best bot! You can fly solo, or participate in a group of up to four. If you do not want to participate solo but also don't have a team yet, don't worry! We will have some time at the start of the tournament for you to find a team! Learn more here at our FAQ.
How to Compete
MechMania open to all skill levels of coding. We provide the starter code in Java and Python, and you can focus on creating an awesome strategy to beat the other teams' bots in our game. No experience in artificial intelligence or machine learning is required to participate. In many years past, several freshmen have won the top three positions!
If you want to find out more about the game, you'll just have to see us in person, on Twitch, and/or Discord on September 19th :)
Competition Schedule
We will be hosting MechMania in Room 1404 of Siebel Center for Computer Science on UIUC campus, come join us!
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, September 19 | 4:00 PM | Opening Ceremony | Siebel CS Room 1404 |
| 4:30 PM | Networking Event (Sponsored by Caterpillar) | ||
| 6:00 PM | Bot Submissions open | ||
| 9:00 PM | Room Closed | ||
| Saturday, September 20 | 9:00 AM | Room Opens | Siebel CS Room 1404 |
| 4:00 PM | Final Tournament Starts | ||
| 5:00 PM | Awards & Closing Ceremony |
Oh, and did we mention there are prizes?
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st Place | $250 for each member of the team |
| 2nd Place | $150 for each member of the team |
| 3rd Place | $100 for each member of the team |
(To be eligible for prizes, you must fill out the registration form at the top of the page)
Title Sponsor
MechMania 30 Recap
Last MechMania, the theme was Airplanes! Participants made bots to control a squadron of planes in a 1v1 dogfight-style battle. The goal was to shoot down all enemy planes and rule the skies!
dibz vs Nullifier, MechMania 30 (2024)