Some kids want to spend an afternoon drawing. Others would happily spend it playing video games. Pixicade brings both interests together by letting kids turn their own artwork into playable games.
Kids draw characters, obstacles, and levels on paper, then use the Pixicade app to bring their creations to life. That combination makes it a natural choice among gifts for creatives, especially kids who enjoy making things as much as they enjoy screen time.
Pixicade vs. Regular Video Games
“Get back to your video game!” said no parent ever. However, video games are not the enemy, and many give kids plenty to enjoy and learn. They can solve problems, explore new worlds, master challenges, and compete with friends. Pixicade builds on that appeal by putting kids on the other side of the game.
Instead of only playing through someone else's characters and levels, kids invent their own. They decide what the game looks like, where platforms and obstacles go, and what challenges players will face.
Then comes the payoff: they get to play what they created.
That makes Pixicade especially appealing to kids who already enjoy gaming. It turns that interest into a creative activity that combines drawing, experimenting, problem-solving, and play. Two-player and multiplayer options also let kids create games to share with siblings and friends.
What Pixicade Is and How It Works
Pixicade is a draw-your-own-games kit that combines paper-and-marker creativity with an app. No coding or drawing experience is required. A crooked line can become a platform, while a scribbled character can become part of the action.
How Pixicade Works in Three Steps
Draw!
Create a game on paper using the included Pixicade markers.
Snap!
Take a photo inside the free app and watch the drawing become playable.
Play!
Test the game, customize it, and share it with friends.
What’s Included in the Pixicade Kit
The Pixicade kit comes with the core tools kids need to start creating games:
- Five washable markers
- Pixicade app
- 100-plus-page activity book filled with prompts and example games
Families will also need a smartphone or tablet with a rear camera. Once kids have everything set up, they can start drawing, snapping, and playing with their own creations.
What Games Can Kids Make With Pixicade?
The base Pixicade kit includes seven game types, giving kids different ways to turn their drawings into something playable.
Platformers let them create games in the spirit of Super Mario Bros., while slingshot games borrow the basic play style familiar from Angry Birds. Maze Maker, Brick Breaker, and Hole in One offer more choices for solo play.
Kids can also create Volley Versus and Paddle Battle games for two-player matches with a sibling or friend.
The variety means the finished drawing isn't really the end of the project. Kids can test a level, spot something they want to change, and head back to the drawing board. Once they're happy with a game, they can share it with other people.
That replayability is also a big part of what makes Pixicade work as a gift.
Why Pixicade Earns a Spot on Your Gift List
Creative kids don't necessarily need another project with one predetermined finished result. Give them the right tools, and they can decide what to make next.
Pixicade leaves plenty of room for those decisions.
It Doesn't Have a One-and-Done Ending
Game creation is unlimited, so finishing one game simply opens the door to another. Kids can create new characters, experiment with different layouts, and move among the available game types.
The 100-plus-page activity book provides ideas when they need inspiration. When they already know what they want to build, they can start with a blank sheet of paper.
Every Game Becomes Their Own Creation
There isn't one correct way a Pixicade game should look. Kids make the decisions about characters, challenges, obstacles, and level design.
They also get immediate feedback by playing what they made. If an idea doesn't work as expected, they can change it and see what happens. That cycle of creating, testing, and adjusting gives kids another way to use their imagination beyond drawing a finished picture.
It Has the Recognition to Back It Up
Pixicade has also earned some major recognition. In 2025, TIME named Pixicade one of its Best Inventions of the year, highlighting how it bridges drawing and digital play. It also earned a spot among Good Housekeeping's 2025 Best Toy Award winners after testing by experts, kids, and families.
That recognition backs up what makes Pixicade stand out among gifts for creatives: it gives kids a hands-on way to turn their own ideas into something they can actually play.
Which Pixicade Is the Best Gift?
All three Pixicade editions use the same basic draw-snap-play concept. The main difference is how far the child wants to take it.
Pixicade: Best for First-Time Creators
The standard Pixicade kit is a good starting point for most children ages six and up. It includes all seven core game types, five markers, the app, and the 100-plus-page activity book.
Kids also get unlimited game and character creation. It's the straightforward choice for someone new to Pixicade who wants the complete core experience.
Pixicade+: Best for Kids Who Want More to Build
Pixicade+ expands the experience with six additional game types for 13 in total. It also includes item power-ups, sticker sheets, and an expanded activity book.
Draw Your Own Games!
Pixicade!
Unleash your imagination and turn drawings—and now stickers—into playable video games in minutes with Pixicade+! This award-winning STEAM set has everything you need to bring your ideas to life. If you can draw it or stick it, you can play it!
Shop NowThose extras make it a better fit for the child who is likely to keep creating game after game and wants more options to explore.
Pixicade Alan Becker Animation Edition: Best for Young Animators
Pixicade! - Alan Becker takes the idea in another direction. Along with the seven core game types, kids get power-ups, stickers, and an expanded activity book.
The edition also includes step-by-step pages for learning animation and tools for creating original characters. It ties into Alan Becker, the animator behind the viral Animator vs. Animation series.
That makes it a natural choice for kids who fill notebooks with characters, make flip-books, or want to explore animation as well as game creation.
Draw Your Own Games!
Special Animation Edition Pixicade! - Alan Becker
Create playable video games—now with full animation—using just markers, paper, and the Pixicade Special Animation Edition app! Learn animation techniques from YouTube superstar animator Alan Becker and get a crash course in game design with the included 108-page book loaded with over 100 sample games!
Shop NowGive Them Something They Can Make Their Own
The best gifts for creatives leave room for imagination instead of deciding what the finished result should be. Pixicade gives kids the tools, then lets their own ideas take over.
For a child who enjoys both drawing and video games, that can mean an afternoon spent sketching a character, building a level, testing it, changing it, and finally playing a game that started on their own sheet of paper.
Pixicade! Collection
Create your very own playable video games in just minutes with Pixicade! Just draw your characters and levels, snap a picture, and start playing—no coding needed.
Shop Collection
