Code to Console: The Make Code Game Engineering Lab

Students will dive into real coding, game mechanics, and interactive design using Microsoft MakeCode. Participants learn the same foundational concepts used by professional software engineers and game developers, including logic, variables, loops, conditionals, physics principles, and user input systems. Using both block-based and text-based programming environments, students design and build original games and simulations they can play, test, and share. Working collaboratively like a real game studio, they explore mechanics such as scoring systems, character movement, collisions, and even basic AI behavior while gradually transitioning from visual coding to JavaScript- and Python-style logic. The program culminates in a capstone showcase where students present their fully developed games—leaving with tangible projects, stronger computational thinking skills, and a deeper understanding of computer science and engineering pathways. Register Now