Department 3 · Level Design
Video game level ideas: five levels your kid builds
Watch this 63-second film with your kid before they open the Level Design department. Tek shows how each level adds one new thing, from the door to the boss.
What your kid learns
- Each level adds one new thing, so players learn the game as they play.
- A new game has five levels, built in order: the door, the key, the villain, a challenge (spikes, a moving platform, or a timer), and the boss.
- A good level is tricky but fair. If your kid can beat it, players can too.
The steps
- 1
Your kid gives the level a picture. They draw a room, snap a photo, or ask Tek to paint one.
- 2
They drag the platforms, the key, and the door into place, then check that the level can be beaten.
- 3
They pick the rules, such as "When you press Jump, Pip jumps," and whether the villain patrols or chases.
Transcript
Level designers build the places where you play. Your game has five levels, and each one adds something new.
Level one, find the door. Level two, find the key. Level three, watch out for the villain. Level four, pick a challenge. Level five, the boss!
Step one. Give the level a picture. Draw a room, snap a photo, or ask Tek to paint it.
Step two. Drag the pieces around. Platforms, the key, the door. Then tap: can it be beaten?
Step three. Pick the rules. When you press Jump, Pip jumps. Does the villain patrol, or chase you?
Make it tricky, but fair. If you can beat it, your players can too!
Next department
How to make video game music with your kid