JAVA?

You can create pretty good games with Java, as well with most other languages. But anyhow, go to http://java.sun.com/ and download the JDK 6.0 at http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp. Then download the NetBeans compiler.

I'm new to Java myself, I bought a book on beginning Java a few weeks ago, and so far, it's pretty fun.

- F01km3ta1

If you don't know Java at all, go buy the book "Head first Java":

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780596009205&itm=1

This is the book they use to teach students in Comp Sci 1 at Berkeley college. It's invaluable, down to earth and funny to boot. You'll learn a lot about everything from how to program loops, to the stack, to how to print messages, to how to search class libraries all the way up to how interfaces, classes, inheritance, and polymorphism work.

Quote:

Original post by Falling Down25 I hear that you can create awesome games with JAVA

Sure, for example Tetris ;-)

You can create awesome games in most any language, the question is which language is most suited to the game you want to make.

If you're new to programming, I might recommend an easier to learn language. Java requires a lot of concepts to begin with, so it might be easier to learn a language like Python which lets you learn concepts at a more comfortable pace.

Of course, if you are a decent programmer, Java can be a good language for many games.

JDK 6 with NetBeans 5.5
The Java Tutorials
Java SE APIs & Documentation

Quote:

Original post by tleisher If you don't know Java at all, go buy the book "Head first Java": http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780596009205&itm=1 This is the book they use to teach students in Comp Sci 1 at Berkeley college. It's invaluable, down to earth and funny to boot. You'll learn a lot about everything from how to program loops, to the stack, to how to print messages, to how to search class libraries all the way up to how interfaces, classes, inheritance, and polymorphism work.

I'll second that recommendation since it's the best Java book I've read.
Just make sure you try some of the exercises at the end of the chapters too since they will make you a java programmer not just someone that read a Java book.