How to Make a Homemade Video Game: Beginner's Guide

1. Pick Your Toolset

2. Plan Your Game

• Core loop: What does the player *do* every 30 sec? (Jump, shoot, match, build)
• Scope: Prototype one mechanic in a weekend. Clone Pong → Breakout → Platformer.
• Assets: Use free art (Kenney.nl, OpenGameArt, itch.io) or simple shapes.

3. Build Iteratively

1. Player movement & collision.
2. One enemy / obstacle.
3. Win/lose condition + restart.
4. Juice: sound, particles, screen shake, UI.
5. Playtest → tweak → repeat.

4. Publish

• Web: itch.io, Game Jolt, Newgrounds (HTML5 export).
• Mobile: Google Play / App Store (requires dev accounts $25/$99).
• Desktop: Steam Direct ($100 fee), Epic, GOG.

Golden Rule

Finish a tiny game. A completed 5-min Pong clone teaches more than an abandoned RPG dream.