14 DAY TRIAL // With the full availability of Kodu Game Lab for the PC, Microsoft also introduced the Kodu Cup Video Game Design Competition, an excellent chance for students ages 9 to 17, to win some great prizes while building games. The Kodu Game Lab software is offered for free on both the PC and Xbox 360 and can be used by kids even younger than 9 to create gaming experiences.
This because while “game development” sounds like serious business, fact is that children will leverage a visual programming language, and not a traditional programming language.
Words just don’t do justice to the amazing experience that is Kodu, and since the tool is available for download free of charge, users of all ages should try it out.
“Our research has shown that Kodu Game Lab appeals equally to girls and boys and helps promote creativity, self-confidence, critical thinking and technology skills,” noted Lili Cheng, general manager of Microsoft’s Future Social Experiences Labs.
“Kids don’t feel like they’re programming so much as playing, even though they’re creating sophisticated worlds, characters and storylines.”
Students between the ages of 9 and 17 can take advantage of the visual programming language and put together games for the Microsoft Kodu Cup 2011 competition.
The software giant has some great prizes up for grabs, but unfortunately, the competition is only opened to residents of the United States.
Participants will be divided into two age groups — 9 to 12 years old and 13 to 17 years old, with the Redmond company accepting submissions until May 10. The promise is that by the end of May 2011, all winners will be announced.
There will be grand prizes, as well as first and second prizes and a school grand prize for each age category.
The Grand Prize Microsoft Prize Pack consists of “$5,000 Cash Prize; a New York Trip for 2 to the Imagine Cup including roundtrip airfare, transportation, 3 nights occupancy at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, and $250 cash, Xbox 360 250GB Console with Kinect, 3 month Xbox LIVE Gold, Toshiba - Satellite Laptop, Microsoft - Arc Laser Mouse, Microsoft Office Professional 2010, Grand Prize Trophy,” according to Microsoft.
Additional details about the Microsoft Kodu Cup 2011 Competition are on the contest’s official website, including the rules and the prize list.
“Today’s kids have a natural passion for video games and video game design,” added Michael H. Levine, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.
“Microsoft’s Kodu Cup is a great way to harness that passion and apply it in a way that helps improve academic achievement, skills and interest in the careers of the future, which are going to fuel our country.”
Kodu is available for download here.