Make a game on your phone: no laptop, no download, just your thumb

Yes, you can make a game on your phone alone. Open DreamCore in the browser on an iPhone or Android phone, type the game you want, and a few minutes later you have a game you can play and send to friends as a link. There is nothing to download, the free plan needs no card, and you only sign in when you press Make.
Phone game makers usually come in two kinds: a cut-down editor that is painful on a small screen, or an app that wants you on a computer for the real work. DreamCore is the same on a phone as on a laptop, because you make games by writing, not by dragging tiny things around.

How it works on your phone

1. 01

   Type the idea and press Make

   One sentence in the box on the home screen is enough, like "a cat catching sushi falling from the sky". Press Make and sign in if you haven't yet (Google, Apple or email). You can lock the phone while it's being built; with notifications on, we'll tell you when it's ready.

   
2. 02

   Play it, then fix it by chatting

   Play the game right where it was made. Write the first thing that bugs you into the chat, like "make the cat twice as big", and send it. Each message changes the same game, so you can keep going one fix at a time.

   
3. 03

   Press Share and send the link

   Copy the link into any chat, use the WhatsApp and X buttons, or pick an app from your phone's share menu. Friends play in their browser with no app and no account. Someone standing next to you? Show them the QR code.

   

Why a phone is enough

The heavy part, building the game, happens on our side, not on your phone. Your phone only has to send a message and then play the result. That means an older phone works fine, the battery doesn't melt, and you can lock the screen while a game is being built. Turn on notifications and we'll let you know when it's ready (on iPhone, notifications come through the iOS app or DreamCore added to your home screen).

It works in the browser on iPhone and Android. If you'd rather have an icon on your home screen, there is also an iOS app. Your games live on your account, not on the phone, so you can start on the bus and carry on later on a laptop.

Design for one thumb

Games made on a phone usually get played on a phone. The best ones can be played with one thumb while holding the phone in the same hand.

Things that make a game feel good on a phone:

• One or two controls. Tap to jump. Drag to move. A joystick plus one button at most.
• Big targets. Say "big buttons" or "the whole screen is the jump button".
• Short rounds. Thirty seconds to two minutes, so it fits between other things.
• Portrait screen. Most people hold their phone upright; say "vertical screen" if it matters to you.

DreamCore games come with touch controls on phones and keyboard controls on computers, so the same link works for everyone you send it to.

Use your camera

This is the part a laptop can't beat. Tap Image under the input box and take a photo, or pick one from your library: whoever is in it becomes the hero of the game. A friend, your cat, a plushie, a drawing you did in class.

Ask the person first if you plan to share it publicly. Once a game is open to everyone, anyone who plays it sees that hero.

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Games people made and play on their phones

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to download an app to make a game on my phone?

No. It works in the browser on iPhone and Android. An iOS app is available if you want one, but it isn't required.

Will making a game slow my phone down?

No. The game is built on our servers, not on your phone. Your phone sends the idea and then just plays the finished game.

Can I keep working on the same game on my computer?

Yes. Games belong to your account, so log in the same way on any device and they're there.

Can I make 3D games on a phone?

Yes. Press 3D under the input box. 3D games come with touch controls, like an on-screen joystick, when played on a phone.

Does it cost anything?

The free plan lets you make, play and share games, with a daily limit on how many games you can create and how many chat edits you can send. There is no payment step to start.

Can people play my game without the app?

Yes. Anyone you send the link to plays in their browser. They don't need an app or an account.