Coding and Gaming Design - Building a Mini-Game Prototype

Building a Mini-Game Prototype takes students through the complete cycle of game development—from concept to playable product—using AI coding tools to make the process accessible at any experience level. Students design, build, test, debug, and iterate their way to a working mini-game they created themselves.

Students begin with the basics of game design thinking: what makes a game satisfying to play, how core mechanics are defined, and how constraints and feedback loops keep players engaged. They sketch a simple concept for their own game—keeping scope realistic and playability central.

Using AI coding assistants, students generate starter code for their game concept, then roll up their sleeves to understand, test, and modify it. The lesson emphasizes that AI-generated code is raw material, not a finished product—students are expected to break it, fix it, and make it their own.

Multiple rounds of playtesting and iteration are built into the lesson structure. Students give and receive feedback on each other's prototypes, focusing on what's fun, what's confusing, and what would make the game better with one more change.

Students leave with a working playable prototype, experience in the full game development loop, and the confidence that comes from building something real.

ISTE Standards 1 and 5 aligned.