Child authored IF - an IFDB Poll

It's incredibly unlikely to find a game created by a child (12 years or under) that's actually well made, but they can still be enjoyable. It's fun to see a young ones imagination run wild, limited only by their... likely poor coding skills.

Sometimes the games are crass and juvenile, sometimes they're sweet and innocent, sometimes they're just ridiculously silly and imaginative. And even if the game is really quite terrible, I still think it's quite wonderful that there are kids out there making games, expressing themselves, and who may end up making much more impressive work when they're older.

Plus they remind me of all the silly things I made when I was younger. I wish I still had some of it so I could burden the rest of humanity with it.

Games made with the help of an adult are acceptable, too.

Add a comment

	Detective, by Matt Barringer 2 votes "Famously terrible" [+]"Famously terrible: This game is famous for being terrible, but I found it had charming gusto. It's not a good game by any means, but still!" --Hulk Handsome... "I wouldn't have done better at the age of twelve" [+]"I wouldn't have done better at the age of twelve: Perhaps it wouldn't have had typos, but that's about it." --mjhayes... Vote for this game

	The Night of the Vampire Bunnies, by Jason Dyer 2 votes (No comment) [+](No comment) --Hulk Handsome... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( - Full review) --jgerrie... Vote for this game

	A Trick-or-Treat Adventure, by Adelynn Snyder 2 votes "Halloween adventures ensue." [+]"Halloween adventures ensue.: I helped Addie with coding in Twine and some spelling/grammar, but it's very much her game. Often nonsensical and silly throughout, it's her take on an unreal Halloween." --Merk... (No comment) [+](No comment) --J. J. Guest... Vote for this game

	Cottage, by Viggo Eriksson, Kimmo Eriksson, Olle E Johansson 1 vote "The authors were..." [+]"The authors were 10, 12 and 14 when they first wrote it in 1977-78." --Fredrik Ramsberg... Vote for this game

	Milliways: the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Max Fog 1 vote "Okay, 13 years old" [+]"Okay, 13 years old: I write this one throughout the age of 13, only testers to help, as my first game. In ZIL. Got 46th out of 75 in IFComp. Infocom-game length. Not too bad." ( - Full review) --Max Fog... Vote for this game

	Mirror, by Ondrej Odokienko and Senica Thing 1 vote "Collection by kids in class" [+]"Collection by kids in class" --JTN... Vote for this game

	Dorkgimp Weinerstink: They're Out To Suck Your Brains!, by Capital World Games 1 vote "A failed enterprise" [+]"A failed enterprise: Designed by a 12 year old who thought it would make him millions (it didn't), he grew up to become a successful coder and founded glourioustrainwrecks.com, a site that encourages everyone to make games." () --Hulk Handsome... Vote for this game

	The Sleeping Princess, by Molly Engelberg, Alex Engelberg, and Mark Engelberg 1 vote "Made, I believe,..." [+]"Made, I believe, by a father with his children." --Emily Short... Vote for this game

	Deep Dark Wood, by Senica Thing 1 vote "Collection by kids aged 6-13 + teacher" [+]"Collection by kids aged 6-13 + teacher" --JTN... Vote for this game

	Schooldays, by Andrew MacKinnon 1 vote "This fellow..." [+]"This fellow seemed fairly young when he wrote this." --Jonathan Blask... Vote for this game

	Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Greg Hassett 1 vote "Quirky adventure by a 12 year old." [+]"Quirky adventure by a 12 year old.: A 1978 game apparently made by a 12 year old in BASIC. He made a bunch of other games, too. More information is here: http://www.lysator.liu.se/adventure/Mad_Hatter_Software.html" --Hulk Handsome... Vote for this game

	Tommy, by Tim Samoff & 7yo son 1 vote "Created by seven year old and parent." [+]"Created by seven year old and parent." ( - Full review) --MathBrush... Vote for this game

Is there another game that you think should be on this list? Just fill in the title of a game you'd like to vote for.

Poll created on October 24, 2012