How to make a game in a short amount of time?

Ar you struggling to finish your side project? Number one tool to help you out: Quillotine.

The most best feature in the resulting game is a feature unimplemented, because that feature you didn't make will get you closer to release than many hours of work.

And remember: Only you will know the absence of a feature. No player can know what you don't show them.

I'll end with one of my favourite quotes:

If you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late

~ Reid Hoffman, co-founder of Linkedin

So maek sure you really concentrate on the quillotine. It's too easy to focus on a billion different additional ideas that won't drive you anywhere closer to the goal. If you wonder if the thing you want to build is not necessary for the final game, it's often not. Just cut it off.