Everyone is going to recommend their favorite framework. I'll throw my hat in for Godot, but really any framework will do.
Although I think it depends on whether she wants to learn to make games, or to be a programmer. If you're using a framework, what you're really learning is the framework. You might also look at Python and Pygame.
I’ve dabbled with a few game engines myself, but I feel like Unity and Unreal Engine have too many features, which actually makes them less beginner-friendly. It’s hard to know where to even start.
For pixel art games, I personally recommend GameMaker. It specializes in 2D, and since hits like Undertale were built with it, you can definitely create "serious" games. GML (GameMaker Language) is also quite easy to write, so I think it’s great for learning algorithms.
Unity is not that difficult if you clearly understand the Template Method pattern. The difficult part is that students often struggle at a different point than expected.
That said, if not Unity, GameMaker is also a good option.
However, it’s been a while since I really dug into Unity, so things might be different now with tools like Codex or Claude Code (without suggesting we just resort to "Vibe Coding," of course). If you have a way to consult someone—or something—about the hurdles you can't clear on your own, Unity remains useful in terms of the sheer breadth of what you can achieve.
What language(s) do you use?
Everyone is going to recommend their favorite framework. I'll throw my hat in for Godot, but really any framework will do.
Although I think it depends on whether she wants to learn to make games, or to be a programmer. If you're using a framework, what you're really learning is the framework. You might also look at Python and Pygame.
I’ve dabbled with a few game engines myself, but I feel like Unity and Unreal Engine have too many features, which actually makes them less beginner-friendly. It’s hard to know where to even start.
For pixel art games, I personally recommend GameMaker. It specializes in 2D, and since hits like Undertale were built with it, you can definitely create "serious" games. GML (GameMaker Language) is also quite easy to write, so I think it’s great for learning algorithms.
Thanks, GameMaker looks awesome and it wasn't even on my radar. I'll try that one!
Have you considered Pulp?
https://play.date/dev/
You don't say if she can code.
She can't code yet but she's eager to learn. She knows maths and geoemtry. I also started learning programming that age by doing a game in qbasic.
I recommend Unity.
Unity is not that difficult if you clearly understand the Template Method pattern. The difficult part is that students often struggle at a different point than expected.
That said, if not Unity, GameMaker is also a good option.
That’s spot on.
However, it’s been a while since I really dug into Unity, so things might be different now with tools like Codex or Claude Code (without suggesting we just resort to "Vibe Coding," of course). If you have a way to consult someone—or something—about the hurdles you can't clear on your own, Unity remains useful in terms of the sheer breadth of what you can achieve.