Leave it to Nintendo to game-ify making games themselves. Nintendo has announced a new kid-friendly game-making game, Game Builder Garage, coming June 11 exclusively on Nintendo Switch ($29.99).
Game Builder Garage begins with Lesson Mode, where your budding programmer will meet the Nodon. Nodon are colorful creatures that teach visual programming through step-by-step, interactive lessons. There are dozens of Nodon, each with unique functions. For example, connect a Stick Nodon with a Person Nodon to create a walking animation.
Lesson Mode includes checkpoints for players to test their newly acquired skills via small puzzles and test games.
In Free Programming mode, players can go wild using their programming skills to create their own games. A single button press swaps between programming mode and game screen so you can instantly test the game to see how it plays. Using the Nodon, you can create different kinds of games, including side-scrolling platformers, shoot ’em ups, and kart racers.
Players can also download and share games over the internet or local connection to show off their creations, as well as see other games. Players are encourage to load up interesting games in Free Programming mode to reverse engineer how they were made.
“For anyone who has always wanted to make their own video games, Game Builder Garage is the perfect place to start,” said Nick Chavez, Nintendo of America’s Senior VP. “Through the use of guided lessons and memorable Nodon characters, Game Builder Garage helps make creating video games just as much fun as playing them!”
Game Builder Garage also supports a USB mouse, by plugging it directly into the USB slot on the Switch dock. It’s coming June 11, and rated E for Everyone.
