Game-Maker: Sandbox Edition Guide
Sharing your game
Choose Download on a game (on the home page, or in the editor) and pick how it will be played. Each one carries the game with its own player, so whoever gets it needs nothing else.
The web
Web page is the game and its player in one .html file that opens in
any browser, offline; its .zip is a web app to unzip onto any web host that
serves static files, such as GitHub Pages or Netlify, which players can install like an
app. Web player is for your own site: one page that plays Game-Maker game folders.
DOS
The original files with the game’s own .EXE (the stand-alone player, named
after the game), for DOSBox or a real DOS PC. ▤ DOS player in the .GAM
changes that player’s words, colors and frames, and its files’ extensions.
Game files
Just the game’s files, to back them up or open them in another browser.
Windows
A program to double-click (.exe, or a .zip), for Windows 10
and 11. It isn’t code-signed, so the first time choose More info → Run anyway.
Playing on Windows explains it.
Mac
An app for macOS 11 or later, on Apple silicon or Intel (.dmg, or a
.zip). It isn’t notarized, so the first time open it from System Settings →
Privacy & Security. Playing on a Mac explains it.
Linux
A folder (.tar.gz) with play.sh, which plays the game in a
window with WebKitGTK, or in your browser. Playing on Linux explains
it.
Every download but DOS plays on a web engine (a browser, or the one built into Windows, macOS or Linux); the DOS one is the most future-proof.