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| Nintendo brings a new game to aspiring game designers |
Nintendo Game Builder Garage has released, a new programming game that teaches beginners the basics of game programming and design.
Game Builder Garage uses visual programming, includes pre-made tutorials and games, and will launch via Switch next month.
Game Builder Garage appears to be based on some of the ideas that have emerged in the company's previous projects, such as Lab Experiences and Super Mario Maker's series "Self-Service Experience."
The visual programming language is at the heart of the experiment because it uses letters called nodons that you can move around and set their properties.
Just like in Super Mario Maker, players can quickly switch between Build and Play to quickly copy ideas.
The app also offers several different control options: a Joycon controller, a touch screen, or a USB mouse.
Game Builder Garage includes 7 pre-made games, from 3D platform games to multiplayer games. This tutorial will show you how to create it so you can see the process from scratch.
Each game is divided into several phases, from basic concepts (like sports) to more complex design features (like adding counters or game screens).
In addition to these seven games, there is also a "free programming mode" where players can create whatever they want as desired. If you don't want to listen to the lessons included, you can use this mode from the start.
Players can also share their creativity through tokens that can be sent to other players. Nintendo said it may choose to report inappropriate games, especially given that Game Builder Garage's target audience is younger.
To share their creativity, players must sign up for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
After downloading other people's games, you can play them and watch the programming view to understand how they were designed. You can also make a copy of this to build on game development.
In recent years, Nintendo has put more emphasis on creating easy-to-use building tools and offering them to a wider audience.
In 2016, the company partnered with the San Francisco Public Library to run a series of game design courses through Super Mario Maker, and in 2018 it launched a pilot program to bring Labo into schools.
Game Builder Garage will be available for $ 29.99 on June 11.