Have you played Roblox? It’s a trick question, really - Roblox is perhaps not best described as a “game” in the conventional sense. It’s not even a creativity sandbox masquerading as a game, like Minecraft or Terraria. Rather, Roblox is a suite of tools that allows budding developers and game enthusiasts to create their own projects. It’s something gamers have taken to in spades; Roblox is immensely popular, and some of the games available via its friendly storefront are arguably better than major triple-A releases by professional developers.

So, what do you need to actually start playing Roblox, or to get into the development side of things? We’ve got a handy guide here to help you learn all you need to know about getting started in this world. Roblox is designed to be as welcoming and as far from intimidating as possible, so it’s not hard to find your feet in this space. Here’s what you’re going to need if you want to start playing Roblox.


Robux, and lots of them
Robux is the “in-game” currency used by Roblox to allow players to buy things such as other players’ games, cosmetic items, and other things. Players can also designate certain items within their games as costing Robux, meaning you’ll need to fork out if you want to enjoy some games to their fullest (or even buy them at all). There are lots of websites, such as GrabFreeRobux, that are set up to help you amass as many Robux as possible, so before you begin your Roblox journey in earnest, you may wish to give yourself a headstart with some Robux.


A computer, an Xbox, or a smartphone
Roblox is available on three (technically five) platforms: PC, Xbox consoles, and mobile devices, with PC and mobiles split into Windows/macOS and Android/iOS respectively. If you want to play Roblox games or get started creating your own, then you’re going to need at least one of these devices. Sadly, you can’t play Roblox from within a browser window, so you’re going to need to download it if you do want to get started. Happily, however, Roblox is completely free, so you won’t actually need to pay anything in order to get started with it.


A decent PC
Roblox doesn’t require a monster gaming PC to run, but it does have minimum requirements. There’s a very, very good chance that the PC you’re playing Roblox on will meet those requirements, but make sure that your hardware is capable of running the game before you start. The same goes for your smartphone; some older or more budget-friendly devices aren’t geared for gaming, so you may find that your phone can’t run Roblox without a bit of stuttering. That isn’t the end of the world, of course, but we’re just warning you that it might not go as smoothly as you expect at first.


A Roblox account
Once you’ve downloaded and installed Roblox on your platform of choice, you’re going to need to create an account. This process is extremely simple. All you need to do is tell Roblox your birthday and what gender you are, followed by coming up with a username. It’s a good idea to try and make this username as unique and interesting as possible, because it’ll be your identity within the Roblox community. When you do start creating Roblox games, it’s important for people to be able to identify you, after all. You won’t need to tell Roblox any information about who you really are, so if you’re asked for that, it’s not an official source and you shouldn’t hand it over.


A good eye for games
There are -a lot- of games on the Roblox platform. If you’re going to play Roblox games, then you’ll need a good eye in order to sift through some of the games that aren’t quite as good. Of course, if they’re free, it might be worth trying as many as possible before you settle on your favourites, but otherwise, it’s going to take you way, way too long to play every single game. Be resigned to the fact that by the time you finish one Roblox game, a thousand more will have popped up. Treat Roblox more as a moment-to-moment experience rather than something to be “completed”.


A knack for development
The Roblox editor is one of the most intuitive, easy-to-learn development tools out there. You don’t need to know anything about coding if you want to get stuck into making games on Roblox. Of course, if you want to make something a little more complex - a game of your own design, rather than an easy-to-make “obby”-style platformer - then you will need to learn a little programming, so a knack for development is a great skill to have if you want to create on Roblox. Programming is surprisingly intuitive if you’ve never done it before, though, so it won’t take long to learn the basics!


Parental guidance
Okay, so this is the boring administrative part, but if you’re below the age of 13, Roblox will place you in a restricted chat area where you can’t freely and openly talk with whoever you want. If you’re over 13, we would still recommend you approach Roblox with the knowledge and support of a parent or guardian. Believe it or not, some people on Roblox are pretty mean or are looking to steal your personal information, so just be sure not to interact with those people to as much of an extent as you can possibly avoid it. That way, your Roblox experience will be more positive.