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Game On! Make Games

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Game On! How to Start Making Your Own Games

Have you ever played video games and thought, “I could make something like this!”
Well, you can — and it’s easier (and more fun) than you might think.

Welcome to Game On!, MiniMag’s new series that explores the amazing world of game development — where creativity and logic join forces to turn ideas into adventures. Whether you love drawing, writing stories, solving puzzles, or figuring out how things work, you already have the skills to start making games.

What Exactly Is Games Development?

Game development is the process of bringing a game to life — from the first spark of an idea to the final level you play. It’s a mix of art, imagination, coding, and teamwork.

Behind every great game is a team of creators who each play a part:

  • Game designers imagine the world, story, and rules.

  • Artists draw the characters, backgrounds, and animations.

  • Coders write the instructions (called code) that make everything move and respond.

  • Sound designers create the music and sound effects that set the mood.

  • Testers play the game over and over to make sure it’s fun, fair, and bug-free.

Every idea counts, every role matters — and every game starts with someone who was curious enough to try.

 

Photo by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash

Why Making Games Is Awesome

Building games teaches you more than you might expect. You’ll learn how to solve problems, plan ahead, and think creatively — all while having fun.

Coding helps you think logically, art helps you express ideas, and testing teaches you patience and persistence. Even if you don’t become a professional game developer, these skills can help you in almost anything you decide to do in the future.

The best part? You get to make something completely your own — something no one else has ever played before.

Start with Free Game-Making Tools

You don’t need expensive gear or years of experience to begin — just curiosity and imagination. Try one of these free tools that real young creators use:

  • Scratch – Perfect for beginners. Snap together colourful coding blocks to make characters move, talk, and play.

  • Tynker – Step-by-step challenges and projects that help you learn coding through fun games.

  • Bitsy – Make tiny pixel-art adventures filled with your own stories and puzzles.

Each of these tools gives you a chance to build, test, and share your own creations — right from your browser.

Your First Mission: Dream Up a Game!

Every great game starts with a great idea.
Here’s how to begin your first project:

  1. Create your hero. Who are they, and what makes them special?

  2. Choose their world. Where does your story happen — a jungle, a spaceship, or maybe a secret underwater city?

  3. Decide the challenge. What’s the goal or problem the player needs to solve?

  4. Sketch it out. Draw your character and their world. This is called concept art — it helps turn your idea into something real.

That’s it — you’ve just taken your first steps as a game designer.

Photo by Maac India on Unsplash

Why Making Games Matters

Making games is more than a hobby — it’s a way of thinking. You’ll learn how to plan, create, and improve through trial and error. It’s okay to make mistakes — that’s how every good game (and every good game-maker) gets better.

You’ll also see how many different skills come together to make something amazing — just like teamwork in real life.

Ready to Play, Create, and Learn?

Every time you open a game, you’re looking at the result of hundreds of creative choices.
Now it’s your turn to make some of your own.

Grab your ideas, open a game editor, and start experimenting.
Who knows — the next big hit could start right on your screen!

📚 Further Reading

If you enjoyed learning how games are built from ideas and imagination, you might also like our article on:

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