The Nintendo Switch can now teach your kid how to make their own video games

Teaching kids how to code has been all the rage in STEAM-based learning for the past few years, and now Nintendo wants to give your kid a fun way to do just that while creating real video games they can play alone or with friends.

Nintendo's newest game, Game Builder Garage, was just released today and, parents, you're gonna want to get this for your video-game-loving kid. The premise is simple, players use charming creatures called Nodon as building blocks to create fun platformers, racing games and so much more (there are even games that make use of the Nintendo Switch's motion controls!). As your kids go through the game's Interactive Learning section, they'll discover what each Nodon does and how to connect them to each other to make their games come to life.

As soon as they get a good grasp on the main concepts, players can switch over to the Free Programming section where they can use the over 80 different Nodon to create pretty much any game they can imagine.

Take a look at this overview trailer below for a more in-depth look:

Looks fun, doesn't it?

One thing to note is that while the game is rated E for Everyone, some of the more complex coding may be better suited for older kids who have already shown an interest in coding. However, the Interactive Learning tutorials make it impossible to make the wrong selections while you're going through its seven guided lessons, so younger kids playing with older siblings can still find satisfaction in building a game for themselves.

As well, if your kid is feeling stuck while fixing a bug in their game, they can share a code with friends that allows them to work on the game together! And once the game is done, they can also share their game ID that lets others play their creations!

Who knows, maybe this can spark a passion for a future career path they didn't know was an option.