Mythical Hero's Maze - Coding a Game in MakeCode Arcade

The Mythical Hero’s Maze is an activity where kids build a playable maze game using MakeCode Arcade, Microsoft’s free block based game editor. It starts with the standard MakeCode Arcade Maze tutorial, and then provides a further set of instructions (linked below) to help the kids extend the game with new features, collectables and levels.

The session is designed to take one hour.

This activity was originally created for the Gloucestershire Library Challenge 2026.

Who it’s for

Kids who have done a bit of Scratch, or any other block based coding, and want to make something that feels like a real game. No prior experience of MakeCode is needed.

What you’ll need

• A computer with a web browser for each child, or one between two
• Optional: MakeCode Arcade compatible devices (ideally one for each computer), such as the Retro Arcade from ElecFreaks

What they’ll learn

• Laying out a game world with a tile map
• Events - making code run when a button is pressed or two things touch
• Variables, by keeping score
• Testing and debugging, by playing their game and fixing what doesn’t work

Running the session

1. Everyone works through the Maze tutorial at their own pace.
2. Once they’ve finished, they carry on with the work sheets, which are designed to be printed and handed out one challenge at a time.
3. Finish by letting everyone play each other’s games. This is usually the best part of the session, and it’s where kids find the bugs they hadn’t spotted in their own.