You opened Roblox Studio, you have a hundred ideas, and you don't know which one to build. This post gives you an order: which kind of game to make first, second and third, and what each one teaches you. If you still need to choose an idea, read how to pick a Roblox game idea first. If you want a list of small ideas, see easy beginner game ideas.
The short answer
Make an obby first. It's the game Roblox's own beginner tutorials use, you can build it with almost no code, and it teaches parts, anchoring, checkpoints and kill bricks. After that, try a small simulator or tycoon to learn saving data, leaderstats and buttons. Then pick the genre you most enjoy playing.
| Step | Game | Main skill it teaches | Time box |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Obby | Building, anchoring, checkpoints, kill bricks | One weekend |
| 2 | Tiny simulator or "Find the ___" | Click/collect loops, leaderstats, upgrades | About 1–2 weeks |
| 3 | Small tycoon | Buttons, droppers, money values, saving | About 2–3 weeks |
Time boxes are suggestions, not rules. The point is to finish each one.
Step 1: Build an obby first
What you build: a short obstacle course from spawn to finish.
What it teaches: placing and anchoring parts, using SpawnLocations as checkpoints, a kill brick script, and one moving obstacle. Roblox's Intro to building curriculum starts from an obby, and the Classic Obby template already includes checkpoints, jump pads, fast pads and hazards you can study.
Done when: a friend can play from start to finish, every checkpoint works, and nobody falls through the map.
Time box: one weekend.
Our step-by-step obby guide walks through the scripts, so we won't repeat them here. Need a theme? Get an obby idea for this weekend.
Step 2: A tiny simulator or "Find the ___" game
What you build: either a simple simulator (click or collect something, earn points, buy an upgrade) or a "Find the ___" game where players search a map for hidden objects and earn a badge for each one.
What it teaches: leaderstats, a core loop players repeat, ClickDetectors or ProximityPrompts, badges, and your first upgrade that changes a number. A "Find the ___" game is mostly building with a little scripting, which makes it a gentle second step. A simulator adds more scripting.
Done when: a player can play for 10 minutes, see their number go up, buy at least one upgrade, and find a reason to come back.
Time box: about one to two weeks.
For loop ideas, see simulator game ideas and simulator ideas that keep players coming back.
Step 3: A small tycoon
What you build: one plot with a dropper, a conveyor, a collector and a few buttons that buy more pieces.
What it teaches: money values, buttons that check and spend currency, objects that appear when bought, and saving progress so players keep their tycoon when they come back.
Done when: a new player can go from an empty plot to a finished small base, leave, rejoin, and still have their progress.
Time box: about two to three weeks.
Browse tycoon game ideas or 20 tycoon concepts with build plans for a twist on the usual dropper.
Games to save for later (and why)
These are great games to make. They're just hard as a first project:
- Big RPGs: quests, inventories, combat, stats and saving all at once.
- FPS games: weapons, hit detection and fair multiplayer are hard to get right. Save FPS ideas for later.
- Story games with cutscenes: cameras, dialogue and scripted events take a lot of work. Keep story game ideas for your fourth or fifth game.
- Big open worlds: lots of map to build and test before anyone has fun.
How to keep your first game small
- Pick one core loop and cut everything else.
- Set a number before you start, like 15 obby stages or 10 hidden items.
- Publish a playable version first, then add updates.
For a full method, read how to scope your first Roblox game. Under 18? Ask a parent or guardian before you publish or share a game, or set up anything that sells items.
Get a starter idea for your first game
Open the idea generator, pick Obby, and keep rolling until you find a theme you'd enjoy building this weekend. Every idea comes with a core loop, a scope estimate and an MVP list, so you know what "done" looks like.
FAQ
What is the easiest Roblox game to make?
An obby. You can make one with very little code, using parts, checkpoints and a kill brick.
Is a simulator a good first Roblox game?
It's better as a second game, once you've built an obby and know how parts and simple scripts work.
Is a tycoon hard to make?
Building a tycoon is simple. The scripting (buttons, money and saving progress) is the harder part.
Do I need to know how to code to make a Roblox game?
Not for a first obby. Roblox also has an AI Assistant in Studio that can help with code. Use it as a helper, and learn what the code it writes actually does.
How long should my first game take?
Time-box it. A weekend is enough for a first obby. Finishing a small game teaches more than starting a big one.