Explore How Coding Clubs Build Small Online Game Projects

Coding clubs thrive on projects that members can see, play and share. Small online games are ideal: they are fun to build, easy to show off and full of real programming concepts. But building an online game, even a tiny one, as a group of mixed-ability volunteers meeting once a week takes some planning. Over years of running and mentoring clubs, I have seen what works and what leads to half-finished projects nobody wants to open again.

Here is how coding clubs build small online game projects successfully.

Choose a tiny scope

The most important decision is scope. A club meeting for an hour a week has perhaps ten to twenty hours of total time per term. That is enough for a simple game, not an epic. Good choices include a browser quiz with an online leaderboard, a turn-based game where players take moves asynchronously, a simple multiplayer drawing guessing game or an arcade game with shared high scores.

Write down the smallest version that would count as finished, then treat everything else as optional extras.

Split the work into roles and tasks

Break the game into tasks of different sizes: game logic, graphics, sound, menu screens, the scoreboard, testing and writing instructions. Members choose tasks that match their skills and interests, with beginners paired with more experienced members. A visible task board, physical or online, keeps everyone aware of progress.

Mixed-ability approaches are covered in detail in five coding club projects that work with mixed skill levels.

Use beginner-friendly tools

Tool choice matters. Python with Pygame Zero works well for local games. For online games, many clubs use browser-based tools: JavaScript with a simple game library, or platforms designed for education that handle hosting and multiplayer. Choosing tools with good documentation and a supportive community saves hours of frustration.

Version control from the start

Group projects need a way to combine everyone's work. Version control systems like Git, used through a hosting service with a simple interface, let members work on different parts and merge changes safely. Learning Git is a valuable skill in itself, and starting with it on a club project makes it feel practical rather than abstract. For younger groups, shared online editors with history features are a simpler alternative.

Make it online, safely

Putting a game online adds excitement, since friends and family can play it. It also adds responsibilities. Clubs should avoid collecting personal information, use nicknames rather than real names on leaderboards and moderate any user-generated content. When I helped a club publish its first online game, we looked at how established gaming sites handled player names and simple accounts, including the sign-in flow on an online game site such as jemputhoki, and then built something far simpler with nicknames only, which was all a school club needed.

Show progress every session

End each session with a short demo: what changed this week? Even small progress, such as a new sound or a fixed bug, keeps morale high. Regular playtests, where members and visitors try the game, reveal bugs and confusing parts quickly.

Is it better to build one big club game or many small ones?

Some clubs prefer each member building their own small game, arguing it gives everyone full ownership. Others build one shared game. I think both have value, but for clubs new to working together, one small shared game is usually better.

A shared game teaches collaboration, communication and version control, skills individual projects miss. It also produces something more polished than most beginners could build alone, which is great for motivation. Once a club has finished a shared game, individual projects in the next term let members apply what they learned.

Celebrate the launch

When the game is finished, hold a launch event: invite friends, family or other classes to play, show the credits and display the scoreboard on a big screen. Publishing the game with a link members can share makes the achievement real. Many members remember their first launch for years. Sharing projects through a simple link page is discussed in how link pages help coding clubs share their projects.

A club game project plan

1. Agree on a tiny, finishable scope.
2. Split the game into tasks and roles.
3. Choose beginner-friendly tools.
4. Set up version control or a shared editor.
5. Demo progress every session.
6. Keep online features safe and simple.
7. Launch with a celebration.

Most importantly, keep it fun. A small game that the club enjoyed building is worth far more than an ambitious one that left everyone exhausted.

And remember to write down what the club learned, so next year's members can start further ahead.

Small games, strong clubs

Building a small online game together turns a group of learners into a team. The game may be simple, but the lessons in collaboration, planning and finishing last much longer. More in our Games section.