Project Spark – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Project Spark

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game2014

42%

WISE Score

50%

IGDB

A brilliant game-creation sandbox that died in 2016—servers are gone, downloads unavailable, dreams buried.

Project Spark

game

2014

42%

WISE Score

50%

IGDB

A brilliant game-creation sandbox that died in 2016—servers are gone, downloads unavailable, dreams buried.

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Where to Play

PC/Steam

Xbox

Screenwise Verdict

Here's the brutal truth: Project Spark was ahead of its time. A legitimately innovative creation platform that could teach kids real game design principles through an accessible visual programming interface. Reviews praised its ambition and depth.

But it's been dead for nearly a decade. Servers shut down in 2016. You can't download it. You can't play it. You can't access any of the community creations. It's a ghost.

The individual WISE components score well because the concept was solid—creative, safe, educational. But the overall score is in the toilet because recommending something that literally doesn't exist would be insane. If you're looking for modern alternatives, check out Roblox Studio, Minecraft with command blocks, or Dreams on PlayStation. Those are alive and kicking.

Age Fit

Would have been perfect for ages 10-16 who wanted to learn game design, but it's completely unavailable now. This is purely academic—you literally cannot play it.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A creative sandbox focused on game creation with no inherent violence or inappropriate content. The community-driven nature encouraged sharing and collaboration. The tone was aspirational and educational, though the lack of server support since 2016 means the social aspects are dead.

Imaginative

This was literally a game about creating games—offering terrain sculpting, visual programming, and complete world-building tools. The concept was genuinely ambitious and gave players unprecedented creative freedom to build whatever they could imagine. Reviews consistently praised the depth and accessibility of the creation tools.

Safe

No in-game purchases, loot boxes, or online chat according to the data. User interaction was limited to sharing creations. The main safety concern would have been user-generated content from the community, but with servers shut down since 2016, that's moot. Clean, creation-focused gameplay with minimal exploitation vectors.

Enriching

Taught genuine game design principles, visual programming logic, and creative problem-solving. Reviews noted it could introduce young people to narrative and game design basics. However, multiple reviews also emphasized it was 'really, really hard to make something that isn't awful'—which is both realistic and potentially discouraging for kids seeking quick wins.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely powerful creation tools that taught game design, visual programming, and world-building
Accessible drag-and-drop interface made complex concepts approachable for beginners
No predatory monetization—focused purely on creative expression
Could have been an incredible learning tool for aspiring young game designers

⚠

What to Watch For

The game is completely dead—servers shut down August 2016, no downloads available
Even if you somehow found it, you couldn't play or share anything
This is a historical curiosity, not an actual recommendation

Conversation Starters

"Have you ever wanted to make your own video game? What would it be about?"
"What do you think makes a game fun to play versus fun to create?"
"Why do you think some online games shut down while others keep going?"

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