Game Builder Garage Review
The Game Builder Garage for Nintendo Switch introduces visual programming for kids. It uses nodes called Nodons to program or create a game. It has a useful step-by-step lessons to help kids start making their first game in no time. There are plenty of games that can be made using the Game Builder Garage. You will just be limited by your own imagination.
What games can you make with the Game Builder Garage
The step-by-step lessons teach you to create some of the basic games. They can remind you of the early 8-bit games from the Nintendo Family Computer. Here are some of the games you can make from the Game Builder Garage Tutorials:
- Tag Showdown
- Maze or Treasure Hunt Game
- Alien Blaster or Space Invader Shooter Game
- First Person Shooter Game
- Car Racing Game
- Side Scroller Adventure Game
- Escape Rooms or Puzzle Rooms
The tutorial introduces you to just the basics in making a game. But there are a lot of Nodons and programming skills that you can still use in making a game. There are crazy Game Builder Garage ideas already popping out in social media on what they can do with the Game Builder Garage. Some are even recreating classics like Pacman, Mario Kart and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Easy to Learn
The Game Builder Garage is easy to use. My 10-year-old son was already making his own game in just the first day we bought the game. He has some background with visual programming using Scratch. This helps him understand some of the basic concepts in programming.
My son was able to complete the seven tutorials in less than two weeks. He was able to make his own modifications and his own version from the tutorials. The games are very basic but still fun to play with. I also find it impressive. A 10-year-old child can now make 2D and 3D games on their own.
He lets me try his games and I did enjoy playing them. But I play them only once. The games are easy that I can finish them with one life only. There are also no reward or difficulty levels to achieve. Making more advanced games on Game Builder Garage will take more time and more skills. But I am happy that he is able to learn and understand the entire game with our any help from adults.
Game Builder Garage Limitations
I don’t expect recreating all levels of Super Mario on the Game Builder Garage. The game has its limitations. You can only use up to 512 Nodons per game and up to 1,000 connections only.
Using too many nodons and connections doesn’t look neat. They look like tangled strings that can be hard to debug. It looks messy to others but my son has no problem understand his own programs.
Programming the Game Builder Garage uses the touch screen of the Nintendo Switch and the JoyCon when in handheld mode. It can be slow for coders who are used to keyboard and mouse to make a program. But thankfully you can attached a USB mouse on the Switch dock to create your game.
Game Builder Garage Review Summary
I have been playing Nintendo games since the 90s and finally I can make my own Nintendo games with the Game Builder Garage. I will need a lot of time and coding to faithfully create the classic games that I grew up with but I am just excited with the possibility.
For kids, this is a good introduction to game programming. Unlike Scratch, the Game Builder Garage is more specific to understand game design and development. The learning curve is quick with it’s 7 simple tutorials. There are over 80 nodons to use. That creates thousands of possible games to make. The limit will be just your imagination.
For adults, I recommend using it in dock-mode, with the TV monitor and a USB mouse attached. Your eyes will thank you for it.
Where to Buy
The Game Builder Garage is available as a downloadable purchase at the Nintendo eShop. You can buy Nintendo eShop Digital Card Credits at lgmplaymore Store in Shopee. You can also buy the physical game cartridge at GameLinePH Online Store.
For the Nintendo Switch Console, you can get it at GameOne in Shopee.
