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Retro Arcade Game Design

A short course hosted by the Museum of Computing, Swindon.

Make your own retro-style arcade game – the kind that feels like it belongs on an old handheld or classic console – using Microsoft MakeCode Arcade. You’ll design your characters, build levels, add sound effects, and test your game like a real developer.

This is a practical, friendly course aimed at helping children leave with skills they can keep using at home, not just a one-day activity.

Note: Numbers are limited so book early to avoid disappointment

Over the course, participants will:

  • Plan a simple game idea (genre, goal, player controls)
  • Create pixel-art sprites and animations
  • Build game levels and obstacles
  • Add scoring, lives, power-ups and basic “game rules”
  • Add sound effects and simple music
  • Playtest, debug, and improve their game
  • Export and share their finished game

No prior coding experience needed.

How it works:

We’ll use a step-by-step approach that keeps things moving, with lots of testing and small wins. MakeCode Arcade is visual and beginner-friendly, and it’s designed for exactly this kind of “build a full game” learning. (MakeCode Acade is a little bit like Scratch, which children may already be familiar with.)

Participants will spend most of the time making, not listening.

What they’ll take home

By the end, each child will have:

  • A playable retro arcade game they built themselves
  • A clear understanding of how to keep developing it at home
  • The confidence to start new games independently using the same tools

Keyboard Controls: Move: AD or arrow keys;
SPACE = Jump; X = Shoot

This course is suitable for children who:

  • Enjoy games and want to understand how they’re made
  • Like creative activities (drawing characters, inventing worlds, designing levels)
  • Are curious about coding but don’t want anything too intense or “school-like”

It’s designed to be welcoming for beginners while still giving confident makers plenty of room to extend their ideas.

Arcade Max

Participants will even get to load their game onto a hand-held device to test it out and share around. And if they like the way this works, you might even want to buy the one as a present! https://arcade.makecode.com/S37301-67846-06803-40719

About the venue

The course is hosted at the Museum of Computing in Swindon – a brilliant setting for making retro-style games, surrounded by the history of computers and gaming.

Note: The training suite is downstairs so there is no wheelchiar access

Details:

  • Age range: 9–13
  • Dates: tbc
  • Time: 10:30am – 12:30pm
  • Length: 6 weeks
  • Price: £90 (£15 per 2-hour session)
  • Location: Museum of Computing, Swindon
  • Spaces: 10 places

Book a place

Optional Photography and Video Consent

Digital Writes staff sometimes take photographs or short video clips during sessions to celebrate participants’ work, share achievements, document the project, and report to funders.

Images or footage may be used on the Digital Writes website, social media, printed publicity materials, or in reports. We will never publish a child’s full name alongside images without separate permission.

Sharing Participants’ Work

Digital Writes staff sometimes share participants’ creative work (such as artwork and music) to celebrate achievements, showcase the project, and report to funders.

Work may be shared on the Digital Writes website, social media, in printed materials, or in funding and evaluation reports. We will not publish a child’s full name alongside their work without separate permission.

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