You've probably had dreams before of making a superb and awesome game. The only problem is that you didn't know how to make the game, and had no way of putting it together. Maybe you want to make your own platform game with Sour Bob as the main character, or you wanted to make Super Crazy Pinball. Either way, one of the easiest and free game creation programs out there is Game Maker.

"Did you always want to design computer games but you don't want to spend a lot of time learning to become a programmer? Then you came to the right place. Game Maker is a program that allows you to make exciting computer games without the need to write a single line of code. Using easy to learn drag-and-drop actions you can make professional looking games in little time. Games with backgrounds, animated graphics, music and sound effects. And once you get more experienced there is a built-in programming language that gives you full flexibility. What is best, Game Maker can be used completely free of charge. And you can use the games you produced in any way you like. You can even sell them!" -Game Maker Pages

The great thing about Game Maker is the ease of use. Just as the paragraph states, this game creation program is perfect for those who are just learning how to make games or want to learn how to. In a basic sense, this is the other program I would use rather than RPG Maker 2000 if you wanted to make certain types of games rather than RPGs. To start off, Game Maker is organized into folders or sections which divide your game into parts. The main folders that control the game are sprites, sounds, backgrounds, paths, scripts, objects, and rooms. Then, you have the game information & options. Sprites are the pictures you see in the game. A face of a character, or a bouncing ball are sprites. Sounds are your effects that make a sound when something happens. They can also be used for music. Backgrounds are the huge pictures that go behind the levels. A starry night or a luscious blue background all represent backgrounds. Paths are special coordinates assigned to certain objects that move the object along a predetermined course. They're good for making computer race cars or something of that sort. Scripts are the actual programming language that determine the computer AI, movement, effects, and pretty much anything that is extra. Scripts require some programming knowledge. Objects are the actual things that sprites represent. If you see a red bouncing ball, the object is the ball and the sprite is the red picture of the ball. Finally, rooms are the actual frames or screens you see in the game. A room is like a level which is composed of all the elements.

How does it all come together? Very nicely. Once you get the hang of the Game Maker system, you'll find it extremely easy to make as many games as you would like. What I like the most about Game Maker is its range of use, although it's not really made for making 3D games, they still are possible. Game Maker allows you to make isometric, 2D, strategy, turn-by-turn, arcade, shooter, and simulation games while being able to provide the detail and enhancements that each game requires. Plus, there are plenty of documents, tutorials, and even games out there to aid you on your quest to make your perfect dream game.

Alright, so you're probably wondering, what makes Game Maker better than any other game creation program? For one reason, it's free. Most of the decently good programs out there will charge you $20 or $50 just for a lite edition. However, Game Maker was created by a programmer and is entirely free. Plus, there are hundreds of sites out there with tutorials, resources, and games for you to download. Another good reason is that the program itself is good. For being a free program, it offers a ton of options and events to help make your game as customizeable as possible. So if you're looking for a beginner game maker, then download Game Maker.

If you're interested in downloading Game Maker, check out the official page:

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