Games Design Competition 2026

Our Games Design Competition 2026 is now open!

This year's theme is Planet Protectors: A mission for a better planet, linking to the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) from the UN.

Using tools in Purple Mash, we are looking for the best games designers to work together as a team to produce a two-level game based on the theme that showcases their creativity and computing skills.

Entries for Round 1 close on 27th March, so make sure that you have submitted your entry before 5pm GMT.

We will contact the winners from each region by the 11th of May.

What you need to know

Objective:

Teams of 6 children to design a two-level game using 2DIY 3D on the theme of Planet Protectors: A Mission for a Better Planet.

Ages:

The competition is designed for children aged 9-11 (UK Years 5-6), but younger children are welcome to enter as part of a team.

Prizes:

Schools have the opportunity to win:

• 6 Amazon Fire tablets
• £500 towards a subscription to Purple Mash
• Books from DK Learning
• A tree donation made in their name

Regional winners will be invited to Amazon HQ in London for the final day to pitch their games and receive goody bags.

First Round:

Schools are able to submit one game to their regional Display Board. These are open for submissions from January 19th until March 27th (5 pm).

Grand Final:

Regional winners have been invited to pitch their games to a panel of industry experts. The event will take place at Amazon Web Services’ London office on 16th June. Those unable to attend in person will be able to attend via remote link or submit video entries.

2DIY 3D has been updated for 2026!

Purple Mash's game creation tool has been updated with exciting new features that give pupils more creative freedom and control over how their games look, feel and play. The update includes a new coding feature, while still keeping the classroom-friendly simplicity from Purple Mash that teachers love.

How to enter

Teams of six children from across the world should work together to design a computer game using Purple Mash game design tool 2DIY 3D. The game should be based around the theme of Planet Protectors and have two levels.

Once design teams are happy with their game, they should submit it to their teacher for approval.

Schools can only submit one game each, but we encourage you to involve as many children as possible. They might be Digital Leaders, members of a code club, Eco Council, or any children with an interest in digital technology or environmental issues. You might like to form multiple design teams, then hold an internal competition within your school to choose the best game, which you can then submit to your regional Display Board.

The Games Design Competition area

To support children with the design of their games we’ve created a series of resources for the teams to use, as well as a simple slideshow to talk through the games design process on whiteboards. These can all be found in the Classroom Resources folder within the Games Design Competition area. This is where you can also find everything else you need to know about the competition.

The Competition area also includes example games, the Display Boards where you can submit your school’s entry as well as play other games, help videos and user guides.