Construct 3 is a video game creation platform that students can use to develop their own games. The games students can create with Construct 3 aren’t simple quiz-based games like many other platforms offer. Instead Construct 3 offers students an opportunity to create games that might remind you of some classic video games like Mario Brothers, Zelda, or Space Invaders.
Construct 3 uses a visual programming language and a drag-and-drop interface. Students don’t need to have prior programming knowledge in order to create a game with Construct 3. That’s partly due to the nature of the Construct 3’s game development environment and partly due to the excellent tutorial that students are guided through the first time they try Construct 3. Construct 3 also offers many game templates that students can copy and modify to suit their needs.
Games that students create on Construct 3 can be played online and can be played offline. Likewise, the Construct 3 game development environment can be used online or offline.
Applications for Education
Beyond the obvious fun factor of students making their own games, there are a couple of aspects of Construct 3 that make it appealing for classroom use. First, the visual drag-and-drop nature of Construct 3 makes it accessible to students who don’t have prior programming experience. Creating a game can be a could introduction to some important programming and game development concepts. Second, for students who do have some prior programming experience, Construct 3 does include options for development via Javascript while still being able to refer back to the comfort of a block interface.
