is a

programming game A programming game is a video game that incorporates elements of computer programming, enabling the player to direct otherwise autonomous units within the game to follow commands in a domain-specific programming language, often represented as a ...

developed and published by Nintendo for the

Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a tablet that can either be docked for use as a home console or used as a portable device, making it a ...

. It was announced on May 5, 2021, and released on June 11, 2021.

Gameplay

In ''Game Builder Garage'', the player uses a

visual programming language In computing, a visual programming language (visual programming system, VPL, or, VPS) is any programming language that lets users create programs by manipulating program elements ''graphically'' rather than by specifying them ''textually''. A VPL ...

centralized on the concept of creatures called Nodon. The Nodon represent various facets of input, game output, logic, and on-screen objects, such as a Stick Nodon that reports input from the

Joy-Con Joy-Con are the primary game controllers for the Nintendo Switch video game console. They consist of two individual units, each containing an analog stick and an array of buttons. They can be used while attached to the main Nintendo Switch con ...

analog stick or a Person Nodon that represents an on-screen character. The player builds a program by adding Nodon and making connections between the various nodes on Nodon, such as connecting the Stick Nodon to the Person Nodon as to tie the analog stick to movement of the character on-screen. Nodon are available to interface nearly all features of the Switch and Joy-Con, including the infrared sensors and motion controls. The game features a lesson mode to guide the player through using the Nodon language and to help them understand some of the principles of game development through a series of seven built-in games that the player can create. Games built within ''Game Builder Garage'' can support up to eight different Joy-Con, effectively allowing up to eight-player local multiplayer games to be built. ''Game Builder Garage'' has a share function, that allows creators to upload their games and share them with other people. However, it does not feature a game browser, but rather a code has to be shared by the creator for other people to access it. Fans of the game have been creating their own platforms for sharing their games; the most popular one being MyGarage Games. The game also allows for the use of commercial USB

computer mice A computer mouse (plural mice, sometimes mouses) is a hand-held pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows a smooth c ...

Development

The game was announced on May 5, 2021, being released on June 11, 2021. Game Builder Garage was developed specifically by Nintendo EPD 4, the division behind games like ''

Nintendo Labo is a toys-to-life concept developed by Nintendo and released in April 2018. Labo consists of 2 parts, where one part is a game and one part is multiple sheets of cardboard. The games come as kits that include cardboard cut-outs and other mater ...

'', ''

Ring Fit Adventure is an exercising action role-playing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. The game comes with two physical components: the Ring-Con, a Pilates ring that the user holds and one Joy-Con slots into, and a Leg Strap, ...

'', ''

1-2-Switch ''1-2-Switch'' is a party game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch, which was released worldwide on March 3, 2017. The game extensively uses the system's Joy-Con controllers, with players facing each ot ...

'', '' Miitopia'' and many more. The game was directed by Naoki Masuda, a programmer at Nintendo who had previously worked on ''Nintendo Labo'' and the ''Pikmin'' series. In a developer interview, Masuda and programmer Kosuke Teshima described the ''Nintendo Labo'' series, particularly the VR Kit, as a key inspiration for ''Game Builder Garage.'' After seeing non-programmer Nintendo employees using the Toy-Con Garage to create their own games, Masuda described that he wanted to "find a way to make it easier for people to have the fun of creating games through trial and error." The developers tested the game on elementary school students interested in programming to ensure the lessons were accessible to beginners.

Reception

''Game Builder Garage'' received "generally favorable" reviews according to

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

. ''

Nintendo Life Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and ot ...

'' Alex Olney praised the game's tutorials, but criticized the lack of visual options given to players. ''

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa dist ...

'' Seth Macy enjoyed the amount of options and tools the game gives to players. ''Game Builder Garage'' was described by ''

Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed '' polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two t ...

'' as a followup to

. It was also the bestselling retail game during its first week of release in Japan, with 71,241 physical copies being sold across the country. As of December 31, 2021, ''Game Builder Garage'' had sold 1.06 million units in total worldwide. Creators have recreated several notable games using the software, including recreations of ''

Super Mario Kart ''Super Mario Kart'' is a kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The first game in the ''Mario Kart'' series, it was released in Japan and North America in 1992, and in Europe th ...

'', ''

F-Zero is a series of futuristic racing video games originally created by Nintendo EAD with multiple games developed by outside companies. The first game was released for the Super Famicom in Japan in 1990, and along with North America’s Super Nint ...

'', and ''

Sonic the Hedgehog is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformer ...

''.

Notes

References

{{reflist 2021 video games Nintendo games Nintendo Switch games Nintendo Switch-only games Programming games Video game development software Video games developed in Japan Video games with user-generated gameplay content Multiplayer and single-player video games