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What is Kodu?

Kodu lets kids create games on the PC and XBox via a simple visual programming language. Kodu can be used to teach creativity, problem solving, storytelling, as well as programming. Anyone can use Kodu to make a game, young children as well as adults with no design or programming skills.

Join our community, and discover games created by others and share your game at KoduGameLab.com.

Kodu for the PC is available to download for free. Kodu for the XBox is also available in the USA on the XBox Marketplace, in the Indie Games channel for about $5.

Kodu Teaches more than Programming

  • Kodu is a rich tool for narrative creation and storytelling
  • Kodu demonstrates that programming is a creative medium
  • Kodu helps children with critical thinking, breaking a complex goal into manageable steps, and iterate on the design process – an approach applicable to all academic subjects, business and personal relationships
  • Kodu introduces the logic and problem solving of programming
  • Kodu introduces conditions and sequences, which teaches cause and effect
  • Students learn about cooperation, logic and creativity in addition to programming
  • Read about our Kodu pilot program in Australia's public schools: Report (pdf)

Anyone Can Use Kodu

  • Kodu can be taught by any teacher, no previous programming expertise required
  • Ages 8 and up typically have the most success

Kodu Classroom Kit for Educators

The Kodu classroom kit is a set of lesson plans and activities for educators, after-school instructors, parents, peer mentors and administrators. The entire kit is available as a single zip file for download here or as single lesson plans available below:

Click for Studio K press release

Click for Studio K press release

Sample game: create 2D side-scrolling games...

Sample game - Create 2D side-scrolling games

Sample game: ...or 3D racing games

...or 3D racing games

Sample game: ...or 3D adventure/storytelling games

...or 3D adventure/storytelling games

Sample game: ...all using Kodu's completely visual programming language

...all using Kodu's completely visual programming language

System Requirements

Operating Systems:

  • Windows 7
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows XP (latest updates required)

Additional requirements:

  • A graphics card that supports DirectX 9.0c and Shader Model 2.0 or higher
  • .NET Framework 3.5 or higher
  • XNA Framework 3.1 Redistributable

Contact Us


Introductory Videos

Installing Kodu video

Installing Kodu

How to edit terrain

Editing Terrain tutorial

Intermediate/Advanced

How to move the camara

How to Move the Camera

First Game tutorial

First Game tutorial

Timers and Scoring

Timers and Scoring

Replicating characters: Creatables

Replicating characters: Creatables

Making landscapes: Terrain tutorial

Making Landscapes: Terrain tutorial

Common Pitfalls tutorial

Common Pitfalls tutorial

Complex Behavior: Pages tutorial

Complex Character Behavior: Pages tutorial