Game maker apps come in two kinds

Kind one: editors

An editor gives you a scene, a library of objects and a way to attach rules. GDevelop is the best-known free one on phones: open source, with iOS and Android apps, and an AI helper that runs on limited free credits. You own the project and can export it.

The cost is time. Every enemy, every button and every win condition is something you add and test yourself.

Kind two: describe-it apps

A describe-it app takes the idea itself. In Roam you say the genre, the place, the goal and how you lose, or start from a photo. World, art, characters, sound and rules come back together, playable. You change it by asking, and friends can be in it.

The cost is control. You steer with words, not with a property panel, and the game lives in Roam.

One idea, both routes

Take the idea "tower defense, cats defend a fish shop from raccoons, waves get bigger." Here is roughly what each route asks of you.

• In an editor. Draw or import a path, cat towers and raccoons. Write a wave spawner, a coin counter, tower placement rules, upgrade costs, a lose screen. Test, adjust numbers, test again.
• In Roam. Type the sentence. Play the first build. Say "more coins early, a boss raccoon on wave 10." Play again.
• What you end up with. Editor: a project you understand line by line. Roam: a game you and your friends are playing the same hour.

Questions people ask

What is the best free game maker app?

For building it yourself, GDevelop. For getting a playable game from a sentence, Roam. Both are free.

Are there apps to make games for free?

Yes. Roam, GDevelop and Pocket Code are free. Roblox Build comes inside the Roblox app with a daily AI allowance.

Can I make 3D games in a game maker app?

Yes. Roam makes 3D games from a sentence, like arena shooters and stunt racers. GDevelop also supports 3D scenes.