Aspiring game makers can today take advantage of Microsoft Research's Kodu Game La, which is now available to download via Xbox Live.

For 400 MS Points, Microsoft says that anyone with a passion for game creation can harness the magic of programming and game development at every level.

Built using Microsoft’s XNA Games Studio, Kodu Game Lab is a pick-up-and-create toolset where any aspiring game creators can build their own unique world using a simple image-based creator menu that makes game-making easier than ever. With almost 200 different programming features to choose from, and the ability to share games with anyone on your Friends List, the opportunities are endless.

In addition to a simple image-based user menu, Kodu Game Lab enables game creation using only an Xbox 360 controller and comes equipped with a bridge and path builder, a terrain editor to build unique playgrounds, co-op gameplay for up to four players and 20 different characters with a range of abilities.

“As a programmer, I wanted to help create something that unlocked the magic of Xbox 360 in the same way that I was able to unlock my computer as a child and bring my imagination to life through games,” Lead Kodu Game Lab Programmer Matthew MacLaurin said. “We had such success with bringing ‘Kodu Game Lab’ into classrooms and after-school programs that we wanted to offer it to any wannabe programmer or creator through the Xbox LIVE Community Games Channel.”