Department 1 · Game Design
Video game ideas for kids: a goal, a hero, and a reason
Watch this 58-second film with your kid before they open the Game Design department. Tek shows how a game studio turns one small idea into a game.
What your kid learns
- Every game starts with one small idea: a goal, a hero, and a reason.
- A hero with a fear or a wish gives players a reason to care.
- Hearts set how hard the game feels. More hearts make it easier, and fewer make it scary.
The steps
- 1
Your kid picks the goal: get out of every level, or save a friend who's locked in a cage.
- 2
They pick the hero and why the hero is there. In the film, Pip is a puppy who is scared of the dark.
- 3
They choose how many hearts the hero gets.
- 4
They give the game a working title. They can change it any time before launch.
Transcript
Every video game starts with one small idea. Real game studios have a team just for that. It's called game design.
Step one. Pick the goal. Get out of every level, or save a friend who's locked in a cage.
Step two. Who is your hero, and why are they here? Pip is a small puppy who is scared of the dark. Now we want Pip to get out.
Step three. How many hearts? More hearts make it easier. Fewer hearts make it scary.
Step four. Give it a working title. You can change it before you launch.
A goal, a hero, and a reason. That's a game idea. Now let's draw it!
Next department
How to draw video game characters with your kid