Building appsBeginner · about 20 minFree · no signup
Build your first game with Google Playground
Start with a simple game idea, personalise the character and test a playable browser game.
By Alan Brown · Works with Google Playground
🎮 Describe your game idea and turn it into a playable browser game with Google Playground. No coding experience required.
- 🔗 Try it: playground.google/ — check current eligibility at playground.google/helpcenter
- 📍 Checked 9 October 2026: US, age 18+. Creation access is rolling out; free users may need the waitlist. Google AI plans offer higher limits. Singapore access is not listed at launch.
- 1️⃣ Start with one idea: catch falling ice cubes, or try the prompt below.
- 2️⃣ Add an optional JPG or PNG of your cat to guide the character design. Google turns reference images into stylised game assets.
- 3️⃣ Generate, play and request one focused change at a time. Test controls and restart on your phone.
- 4️⃣ When ready, choose Unlisted to share a link or Listed for public discovery. Review who can play before publishing.
Context & limitations
What game would you build first? This starter prompt was written for the guide; swap the cat and ice cubes for your own idea.
Do this yourself
GAME IDEA
Move a character left and right to catch falling ice cubes before they hit the floor. Keep the first version simple and playable.CHARACTER AND STYLE
If I attached a photo of my pet, use it as a reference for a playful cartoon character. Otherwise use a friendly cartoon cat. Use clear shapes, a bright background and strong contrast between the player, cubes and obstacles. RULES Award 10 points per cube caught. Start with three lives and remove one life when a cube reaches the floor. End the game when all three lives are gone. Increase falling speed gently every 30 points, with a reasonable maximum so the game remains playable.CONTROLS AND SCREENS
Support left/right arrow keys on desktop and large left/right touch buttons on mobile. Keep the play area within the screen. Include a start screen with one sentence of instructions, a visible score and lives counter, and a game-over screen with final score and a Restart button. Restart must reset score, lives, speed and falling objects.FIRST BUILD
Use the features available in this environment. Build the playable version first, without extra levels or multiplayer. Tell me about any feature you could not implement. Keep the game as a draft for me to test before I choose how to share it. CHECK Check controls, scoring, lost lives, increasing difficulty and restart behaviour. State what you actually tested and what I should test myself on a phone. After the first build, wait for my feedback before adding features.Paste this into Google Playground once you have creation access. One small game loop makes the first version easier to test.
Want to build this with a teacher?
Pathwise Academy runs small, hands-on AI classes in Singapore for ages 10–17 and adults.