I strongly recomend using GameMaker. (first on the list)
GameMaker - [SIZE=4]Free[/SIZE] game making tool for beginners. This is possibly the best game making program I have found. (you should start with this program if you have never made games before) (uses D&D (drag and drop) or code)
3D rad - 3d game making tool ( I dont know much about this one)
www.gamedev.net - harder than GameMaker and not as good in my opinion.
…There are more but they arent really worth using…
sounds quite interesting, have you had a go at making a game?
Yes I have made a couple games but I am not much interested in making games anymore.
Game maker 6 is great for making 2d games, it also has some 3d functionality.
You do however have to register /pay to get more advanced options like its built in programming lang. If you wanna make a game and don’t know c++ and don’t have a team of 20 or so i would use it. good post WakeWalker.
I tried that gamemaker the other day and it was great but needed more features!
[QUOTE=pelvis_3]
I tried that gamemaker the other day and it was great but needed more features!
[/QUOTE]
What do you think it needs? I personally think it’s fine except for editing sprites wich PSP takes care of. 
Well maybe not more features but a better image editor, drawing tools and better explosion effects!
But the size of the download was excellent!
[QUOTE=pelvis_3]
better explosion effects!
But the size of the download was excellent!
[/QUOTE]
Did ya check out the particle demo? it’s avalible in the full version. other then that i agree!
no i havent yet, ive only had a fiddle so far!
[QUOTE=pelvis_3]
no i havent yet, ive only had a fiddle so far!
[/QUOTE]
Well you can program a particle system. Say you shoot an enemy when the “bullet” hit the enemy it can trigger the particle code. (atleast i think thats how it would work.) 
Have any of you heard of 3d Gamemaker?? Someone bought me this for christmas about two years ago. Its incredibly easy to use for begginers its just drag and drop and you can go indepth as little or as much as you want.
Dark basic professional is good.
[QUOTE=01bolandn]
Have any of you heard of 3d Gamemaker?? Someone bought me this for christmas about two years ago. Its incredibly easy to use for begginers its just drag and drop and you can go indepth as little or as much as you want.
[/QUOTE]
I agree with you Nic, I’ve got it too and it’s amazing what you can do with it. Well recommended, especially if you have no programming skills, like myself.