This tool allows you to create 3-D games without having to go through all the hassle of coding. On Kodu, learners act as game designers and are given a variety of features and functions, which help them as they go about creating games. Students can share their designed game with other users and also get access to other users’ games. Its lessons focus on teaching kids core academic concepts

Website: https://www.kodugamelab.com/

What Users Love About the App

“Kodu Game Lab grabs the attention of students because it mimics modern video games. Unlike true coding, Kodu is set up to be a graphical game design builder making it less intimidating to young programmers.”

“This is a very powerful tool. This app works great in a more structured environment. I love Kodu in the classroom!”

“Kodu is a great app for learning some of the basics of programming. The students love experimenting with it, and the fact that the games they create can be played on an X-Box 360 is added incentive.”

“It is very student friendly. The students thoroughly enjoyed making games and playing the games they made. Its a good tool for students beginning to learn game creation without bothering about detailed programming techniques”

“This app is a dream for critical thinking and problem solving, along with creativity and innovation! The students have LOVED being able to create “games” and explore cause and effect as they “program” the actions in the app. The game is built using the Xbox 360 game controller and aren’t too difficult to pick up,”

What Users Dislike About the App

“The tutorial sets you up but doesn’t really follow through with explaining how to accomplish what it set out to do. An experienced programmer will have to do a lot of experimenting to get the feel of the land before they figure out what they have to do.”

“Because students need to know how to read and to identify color coding/patterns to know what logically makes sense when assigning characteristics to the elements of their game, I would recommend this for students in grade 4+.”

“Students tend to be easily distracted by the many tutorials and examples. Without close supervision students quickly end up off task. It would also be useful to be able to set up multiple student accounts – currently if a student on the computer previously makes changes to the tutorials, the next student to use it has the modifications show up when they launch the program.”

“Some limits on amount of data allowed. I do hope it becomes cross platform or web based.”

“I tried to use it as an individual approach with my 3-6 graders learning block programming, everyone learning at their own pace, but this didn’t work well due to the inadequate tutorials.”