The second challenge of its kind, Canadian outfit XMG Studio has announced it is to team up with The National Post to host a 48 hour hackathon.

The Great Canadian Appathon² will come with a total prize pool of $45,000, challenging college and university students to develop a top quality app between September 30 and October 2.

Superhero games

It follows on from the first Appathon organised by the two companies  in April, where around 300 students spread across 100 teams delivered more than 50 titles, the top prize going to the superhero-themed Super Punch.

As a result of their triumphs, XMG is currently working with the top three finalists to polish and publish their respective titles.

"We were very impressed with the quality of the submitted games from the initial GCA and can't wait to get knee-deep in code with that young Canadian developer talent," said XMG founder and CEO Ray Sharma.

"It's a great way to socialise, network and play around with the latest APIs."

Tackling time management

Shortly after the last Appathon, Sharma said the skills developers pick up from hackathons can prove to be valuable throughout their entire career in the mobile industry.

"To me, the Appathon illustrates how totally wide open the mobile gaming industry is," he said in a guest post on PocketGamer.biz.

"A good mobile game with a simple concept can be brought to market quickly and generate a great return on investment.

"The biggest challenge to creating a game is time management, and the best teams in the Appathon knew when to start cutting features in order to meet the time lines."

The Great Canadian Appathon² will kick off at 5pm on September 30, with sponsors on site giving away prizes and recruiting for job openings. Winning games and team will then be honoured at a grand finale in Toronto.

Those interested in attending should visit the event's website, or follow the Appathon account on Twitter.