The original Infectonator was for a game jam? Honestly I should have seen it coming.
A unique twist on the classic Pandemic 2 game, focusing on fast-paced gameplay rather than slow, world-wide domination. The focus is more on the RPG-style of progression, going into a level, collecting money and spending it on various upgrades to spread faster, rather than a resource-management game typical of the infection-style genre.
The gameplay is fairly straight-forward: go into a level, infect as many as possible, upgrade, repeat. However, despite the repetitive nature of the game it is still very much addictive.
The timer is simply annoying, preventing players from enjoying the game as fully as they could. The limit is understandable considering it was for the 60seconds-to-fame challenge, and has the bonus of making the player play the game multiple times to find the best route for their progression, but the timer is, in the end, not necessary for the game to work.
As for the music and sound design, it is simplistic yet effective. The main theme is slow and methodical, with a bit of insanity thrown into the mix, giving the feeling of a mad scientist at work with all the time in the world. The music before the infection starts is peaceful and plodding, giving the impression of a perfect day. The music after the infection starts is the complete opposite, quick and manic, with a feeling of speed, matching the frenetic pace of the gameplay very well. As for the sound effects, they are few yet work well. There are sounds of panic, bullets going off, and explosions. Mixed with the music this makes the scene chaotic, but not overly so.
Infectonator is an instant classic. The gameplay, music, and unique design would likely not last long on their own, but together pull into a nice, cohesive whole, offering an experience like no other.