Running Arcade Sessions with your class
Arcade Sessions work exactly like Code Sessions, but every student builds games instead of micro:bit programs. If you've run a Code Session, you already know how.
Setting one up
- From the Dashboard, click Arcade Sessions, then +.
- Give it a name, choose the number of seats, the message limit per student, an expiry date, and (optionally) a starter prompt.
- Click Create, then Share Arcade Session to get the join code.
A good starter prompt sets the whole class off in the same direction, for example:
Make a game where a boat collects litter floating down a river.
What students see
Students join with the code and an alias, the same as any session (see Joining a session as a student). Their chat opens in Arcade mode: they describe a game, see it as blocks, and can play it in MakeCode or download it to a CodeCTRL.
Sharing controllers
A class rarely has one CodeCTRL per student. Tips that work:
- Have students test in the MakeCode simulator first (the MakeCode button), then take turns on a CodeCTRL.
- Downloading replaces the game on the controller, so a shared CodeCTRL can run one student's game after another.
- Remind students that the game keeps running on the controller when unplugged — great for a "show and play" round.
Watching and managing
Everything from Code Sessions applies: the session page lists who's joined and their latest message, you can open any student's chat, and Pause, Edit, and Archive work the same way. The Live Sessions panel in the left-hand menu shows the session with a gamepad icon while it's running.
Ideas for lessons
- Catch game – introduces sprites, movement, and scoring.
- Dodge game – adds lives and "game over".
- Timed collect – introduces timers and win conditions.
- Remix – give everyone the same starter game and ask each student to change one rule.
See Describing a game Arcade can build for phrasing tips you can pass on to students.