Game Builder Garage Review

Game Builder Garage

Release: January 1, 1970
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Developer:
Genre: Action, Adventure, Family, Genres, Nintendo Switch Categories, Puzzle, Racing, Retro, Shooter, Switch Reviews
PEGI:
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Do you like Sony’s game builder Dreams? Do you wish Nintendo had an interesting, more complex game builder too? Then you should check out this review of Game Builder Garage for the Nintendo Switch!

Game Builder Garage is unlike any other game on the Nintendo Switch eshop right now. Yes, we’ve seen other game makers on the system like Super Mario Maker 2 and RPG Maker MV. However, Game Builder Garage is more complex than those games and offers more tools for the talented.

And there’s the rub about Game Builder Garage. The tutorials included will help you make some games (and the humor in these is really good) but if you want to create something on your own thats pretty good, you’ll have to be a bit talented. Its much like Dreams in that way.

No, Game Builder Garage isn’t as powerful or as good looking as Dreams: you won’t be able to make the same level of artwork that Sony’s game makes. That said, you’d be very surprised by what you can make in Game Builder Garage if you have talent.

The tutorials built into the game are the best way to learn all the ropes, but you’ll need to invest serious time into completing all of these challenges. Through these tutorials, you will build a total of seven different games, all using different aspects of Game Builder Garage. Programming is as simple as changing menu options, linking Nodons to actions, and more. It’s putting them all together into a comprehensive game that gets tricky, and it’s a real shame most folks won’t put in the work to get to that point.

Still, as far as programming goes, Nintendo has done everything they could to put these tools into the hands of fans. It’s really up to the fans to figure it out and create. From drawing unique figures and items, to programming characters, to developing environments, there are no shortage of things to do in this experience.

Wondering if a seven year old can play Game Builder Garage? Check out our Editor-in-Chief’s let’s play with his son Lochlan! It gives you a good idea of how well these tutorials are built, for all ages. Check it out:

[YouTube video=‘k5cSMoLmNnA‘]

I’ve played a level that looked like Mario Kart, another that was like Konami’s P.T. demo, a 3D Grand Theft Auto game, and lots more interesting creations. Game Builder Garage has only been out since Friday of last week! It’s amazing how many talented people there are out there, and being able to play what they’ve created via online sharing tools is fantastic!

And if you have Game Builder Garage you can play these games! You could buy Game Builder Garage and never build your own creations; you could easily get your 39.99 out of it just by playing games made by others.

Unfortunately, there is no online hub where you can access the games like Super Mario Maker or RPG Maker or even Dreams. Instead you will have to go onto social media or other places on the internet to actively search out these games. That is a total shame, although perhaps this is Nintendo’s way of protecting youth. Still, it should be super easy to play people’s games. That being said, Game Builder Garage is a very interesting game and a hard one to score for this reviewer.

Game Builder Garage is such a difficult game to score. Its visuals can look better than the initial simple 3D if you are a talented artist, the gameplay can be whatever your talent allows, and I’m sure there’s a way to make the music even better too.

I’m just settling on a score here. Game Builder Garage is as good or bad as you want. And its so amazing to see Nintendo put this tool out there. I just hope we get an update sooner or later that adds an online hub.

Let’s get these games to everyone!

If you like Dreams and you own a Nintendo Switch, you should buy Game Builder Garage.

Thank you to Nintendo Canada for providing a digital code for this review. Game Builder Garage is now available via retail and the Nintendo Switch eshop!