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How to fix common bugs in AI-made games

Fix prompts for the bugs AI-made games hit most: blank screens, falling through floors, speed issues, stuck keys, silent audio and slowdowns.

Steps

  1. Reproduce the bug. Find the exact steps that cause it, and note whether it happens every time.
  2. Check the browser console. Open the developer console and copy any red error message.
  3. Describe it precisely. Write what you did, what you expected and what happened instead.
  4. Ask for one fix only. Request a fix for that bug alone and tell the AI not to change anything else.
  5. Ask for the cause. Have the AI explain the cause in one sentence so you can judge whether the fix makes sense.
  6. Retest everything nearby. Check that the fix didn't break related features, then save the working version.

The method matters more than the fix

Most wasted generations come from vague bug reports. "It's broken" invites the AI to rewrite large parts of your game, often adding new bugs. A precise report gets a precise fix:

Bug: when I jump onto the moving platform, the player slides off its left side. Expected: the player rides the platform. Fix only this and don't change anything else. Tell me in one sentence what caused it.

Blank screen or nothing happens

Open the browser console (F12 or right-click and Inspect on desktop) and look for red text. Paste the exact error into your follow-up. Common causes are a typo, a variable used before it's defined, or a missing closing bracket from a truncated response. If the response looks cut off, ask the AI to continue from the last complete function or to regenerate with a shorter design.

Falling through floors

The player moves so far in one frame that it skips the floor. Ask:

Move the player in small steps no bigger than half its height and check collisions after each step. Cap the time step at 1/30 of a second.

Game runs too fast or too slow on some screens

Movement is tied to frames instead of time. Ask for delta time from requestAnimationFrame, speeds in pixels per second, and a cap on delta time.

Keys stick after switching tabs

Ask the game to clear all pressed keys and pause when the window loses focus or the page becomes hidden.

No sound on phones

Browsers only allow audio after the player taps or clicks. Ask for the audio system to start or resume inside the first tap, with a "Tap to start" screen if needed.

Slows down after a few minutes

Usually objects are never removed, or event listeners are added again on every restart. Ask for off-screen bullets and particles to be removed, for object pooling, and for listeners to be attached only once.

Restart leaves things behind

Leftover enemies, double speed or two timers after restarting mean state wasn't fully reset. Ask for a single reset function that clears every list, timer and score.

When to stop patching

If three fix attempts in a row make things worse, go back to your last working version, or regenerate from your original prompt with the lessons added ("use delta time", "resolve collisions per axis"). A clean start with a better prompt often costs less than more patches.

FAQ

How do I open the browser console?

On most desktop browsers press F12, or right-click the page and choose Inspect, then open the Console tab.

Why does fixing one bug create another?

The AI may rewrite more than needed. Add 'fix only this and don't change anything else' and test after each change.

Should I paste the whole game back into the chat?

If your tool doesn't keep the code in context, yes. Otherwise, describe the bug and paste only the error text.

What if the response is cut off?

Ask the AI to continue from the last complete function, or simplify the design so the code is shorter.

Browse the free prompts

Levelwick Pro

Ship a whole game, not just a first draft

30 fill-in master templates with worked examples, 12 multi-step build recipes (what to prompt, what to check after each step, and the fix prompt when it breaks), 40 bug-fix prompts by symptom, 20 art-direction briefs with upload tips, and a game-design + launch checklist. Markdown files, instant download.

One-time $12. Use and adapt the prompts in your own games, commercial ones included. 14-day fix-or-refund if it doesn't work as described. Secure checkout by Stripe.

Free sampler

T01 · Path defense master template (template)

Use it for: classic tower defense with a fixed route and placed towers. The most reliable starting point for the genre.

Variables

VariableWhat to writeExample
{{theme}}Setting in a few wordsbackyard garden
{{enemy}}Who walks the pathslugs
{{base}}What the player protectsthe garden gate
{{waypoints}}Path as a waypoint description6 waypoints snaking left to right
{{tower_1..3}}Name, price, rolePea Shooter, 25, single target
{{start_money}} / {{reward}}Economy100 / 5
{{lives}} / {{waves}}Lose and win conditions10 / 12
{{palette}}Visual styleflat bright greens and browns

Master prompt

Make a one-screen 2D tower defense game set in a {{theme}}.
PATH: {{enemy}} walk a fixed path through {{waypoints}} to {{base}}. Draw the path clearly. Enemies move from waypoint to waypoint and never leave the path.
BUILDING: The player clicks or taps an empty build tile beside the path to open a small menu of towers:
- {{tower_1}}
- {{tower_2}}
- {{tower_3}}
Greyed-out buttons when unaffordable. Tapping a built tower shows its range circle and a Sell button (refund 50%).
ECONOMY: Start with {{start_money}} coins. Each enemy defeated gives {{reward}} coins with a floating "+{{reward}}".
WIN/LOSE: {{base}} has {{lives}} lives; each enemy that reaches it costs 1. Survive {{waves}} waves to win.
WAVES: Waves start with a Start Wave button. Use a wave list: each wave adds enemies and +10% enemy health; every 4th wave adds a faster enemy type; the last wave has a boss with a health bar.
FEEDBACK: Enemies flash white when hit, pop into particles when defeated, and the screen shakes briefly when a life is lost.
HUD: coins, lives and wave number at the top; Start Wave and Pause buttons.
STYLE: {{palette}}, simple shapes drawn in code, no external images.
CONSTRAINTS: one HTML file, works with mouse and touch, all movement based on elapsed time, Restart button on the win and lose screens.

Worked example

Make a one-screen 2D tower defense game set in a backyard garden. PATH: slugs walk a fixed path through 6 waypoints snaking from the left edge to the garden gate on the right… Towers: Sprinkler, 10 coins, slows enemies 40% in range; Pea Shooter, 25 coins, single target; Bee Hive, 40 coins, small area damage. Start with 100 coins, 5 per slug. 10 lives, 12 waves. Flat bright greens and browns…

After the first generation, check: enemies stay on the path; towers only fire within the drawn range; selling refunds the right amount; the boss appears on the last wave.

Strong follow-ups

  • "Add a 2x speed button. Don't change anything else."
  • "Add upgrades: tap a tower to upgrade to level 2 (+50% damage) for 1.5x its price."
T13 · Classroom quiz engine template (template)

Use it for: any subject quiz you'll reuse with new questions every week.

Variables

VariableExample
{{subject}}Year 6 science: forces
{{questions}}your list, pasted in the format below
{{timer}}20 seconds, or "no timer"
{{teams}}2 to 4 teams, or "single player"
{{reward}}a star burst and a "Great thinking!" message

Master prompt

Make a quiz game for {{subject}}.
DATA: put all questions in an editable array at the very top of the code, clearly labelled QUESTIONS. Each item: question, four answers, index of the correct answer, optional explanation. Use exactly these questions:
{{questions}}
FLOW: shuffle questions and answer order; never repeat within a game. One question at a time with four large buttons (keys 1-4 also work).
TIMER: {{timer}}.
TEAMS: {{teams}}. If teams: show whose turn it is; correct = +10 to that team; turns rotate each question.
FEEDBACK: correct: {{reward}}. Wrong or timeout: chosen answer red, correct answer green, explanation shown for 3 seconds.
END: scoreboard, list of missed questions with correct answers, Play Again.
DESIGN: high contrast, at least 28 px answer text, readable on a projector and a phone.
CONSTRAINTS: one HTML file, works offline, no external fonts or images.

Question format to paste

Q: What force pulls objects toward Earth? | Friction | Gravity* | Magnetism | Air resistance | Gravity pulls everything with mass toward the Earth's centre.

(An asterisk marks the correct answer; the last field is the explanation.)

Check: the asterisk is removed from displayed text; explanations show for wrong answers only; teams rotate correctly after a timeout.

Ship a tower defense in 6 prompts · Step 1 of 6 (recipe-step)
Make a one-screen 2D tower defense game. Cartoon beetles walk a fixed path of 6 waypoints from the left edge to a tree stump on the right. The player clicks or taps a grass tile to place a Leaf Turret for 25 coins; it shoots the nearest beetle within 120 px once per second. Start with 100 coins; each beetle gives 5 coins. The stump has 10 lives; each beetle reaching it costs 1. A Start Wave button sends 8 beetles. Show coins, lives and wave at the top. Shapes drawn in code, flat greens and browns. Restart button on game over.

Check after:

  • Beetles follow the path exactly and never cut corners through grass.
  • Turrets can't be placed on the path or on top of each other.
  • Coins rise on each defeat; lives drop when a beetle reaches the stump.

If it breaks:

  • *Beetles leave the path:* "Move enemies from waypoint to waypoint in a straight line at constant speed; when within 2 px of a waypoint, snap to it and target the next one. Don't change anything else."
  • *Towers placed on the path:* "Mark path tiles as unbuildable using a grid; highlight buildable tiles on hover in green and unbuildable in red."
A cozy farm in 8 prompts · Step 1 of 8 (recipe-step)
Make a cozy farming game with a 6x4 grid of soil plots. Tap a plot to cycle: till, plant, water. Seeds: Turnip (2 coins, 2 days), Carrot (5, 3 days), Pumpkin (12, 5 days), chosen from a seed bar. A Sleep button advances the day. Watered plots grow one stage per day (3 visible stages); unwatered plots don't grow. Tap a ripe plant to harvest into a basket. Start with 20 coins. Show coins and day.

Check: crops only grow when watered; watering resets each morning.

Checklist · Core loop (checklist)
  • [ ] I can describe the game in one sentence: the player does X to achieve Y while avoiding Z.
  • [ ] The main action is fun on its own for 30 seconds, before any upgrades or levels.
  • [ ] Every action gives an immediate visible result.
  • [ ] There's a reason to do the action again (score, progress, story, collection).
  • [ ] The game has a clear end state for a session (game over, level complete, day end) or a natural stopping point for idle/cozy games.
  • [ ] I removed features that don't support the core loop.
Fix prompt: "Remove [feature]. It doesn't support the core loop. Don't change anything else."
Checklist · Mobile and touch (checklist)
  • [ ] The game works with touch only, without hover.
  • [ ] Touch targets are at least 48-64 px, with space between them.
  • [ ] Multi-touch works (move and jump at once).
  • [ ] The page doesn't scroll, zoom or pull-to-refresh during play.
  • [ ] The game fits portrait and landscape, or clearly asks to rotate.
  • [ ] HUD stays clear of notches and rounded corners.
  • [ ] Audio starts after the first tap.

Works well with

Propwren Creator Asset Pack848 upload-ready images + 168 game audio files from our own packs, licensed for AI game makers. $19 once.Shipfern Web Game Starter KitTurn a prototype into a game you own: HTML5 template with levels, daily challenge, share cards, PWA, Stripe unlock, portal adapters. $49 once.Game asset packsTilesets, monsters, icons, VFX, UI, shaders, 3D and textures with live demos and free samplers.