Game Shakers is a live-action comedy show that aired on Nickelodeon from 2015 to 2019. The series was created by Dan Schneider and premiered on September 12, 2015, running for three seasons with its final episode airing on June 8, 2019. The show follows two 12-year-old best friends who accidentally create a viral mobile game and end up starting their own gaming company.
After the app they created for a school project goes viral, best friends Babe and Kenzie become business moguls with their own company. What makes the show unique is that it combines entrepreneurship, gaming culture, and friendship into a kid-friendly sitcom format.
The show became notable for bringing back Nickelodeon veteran Kel Mitchell, who many fans remember from classic 90s shows. His presence added star power and nostalgia appeal to the series.
The Story Behind Game Shakers
The premise is simple but engaging. Two 12-year-old girls named Babe and Kenzie start a multimillion-dollar gaming company with the help of their friend Hudson after making a video game called “Sky Whale” for their school project which becomes a sensation overnight and becomes number one.
But there’s a twist. The girls used a song in their game without permission, and when famous rapper Double G discovers this, he threatens to sue them. Instead of destroying their dream, this conflict leads to an unexpected partnership. Double G becomes their investor and business partner, and they hire his son Triple G as their video game consultant.
The show explores what happens when kids suddenly have to run a successful business while still dealing with regular middle school problems. It’s a fun take on entrepreneurship for young audiences, showing both the exciting opportunities and challenges that come with sudden success.
Main Characters
Babe Carano
Babe is the creator of Game Shakers at 12 years old. She always does her own thing and doesn’t mind stepping on someone’s toes to do so. She is confident, quick-witted, and fearless when it comes to making tough decisions. Played by Cree Cicchino, Babe represents the bold, take-charge personality who isn’t afraid to make difficult business decisions.
Babe has a peanut allergy, which becomes relevant in certain episodes. Her character is often the one pushing the company forward and taking risks.
Kenzie Bell
Kenzie is the creator of Game Shakers at 12 years old. She lacks a social filter and tends to be extremely blunt, but makes up for her lackluster social skills with incredible tech knowledge. Madisyn Shipman brings this nerdy, tech-savvy character to life.
Kenzie is the brains behind the technical aspects of their games. While she might struggle with social situations, her coding and programming skills are what make the games actually work. She’s the perfect counterpart to Babe’s business-minded personality.
Triple G
Triple G is the son of Double G who had a lavish childhood, but all that he really wants is to be with children his own age. He’s eventually hired by Babe and Kenzie as the video game consultant. Benjamin “Lil’ P-Nut” Flores Jr. plays this character whose real first name is Grover.
Despite growing up wealthy, Triple G just wants normal friendships. His role as game consultant brings a player’s perspective to the company, helping ensure their games are actually fun to play.
Hudson
Hudson is a friend of Babe and Kenzie as well as a member of Game Shakers. Thomas Kuc plays this character who serves as the motion capture tester and provides comic relief throughout the series.
Hudson is often portrayed as the less intelligent member of the group, but his loyalty to his friends and willingness to help make him an important part of the team.
Double G
Double G is a successful rapper and billionaire whose real name is Gale J. Griffin. He is impulsive, unpredictable, and determined to have as much fun and money as possible. With the help of Babe and Kenzie, he rediscovers his love for gaming and becomes the main investor of Game Shakers.
Played by Kel Mitchell, Double G is the breakout character for many viewers. His energetic, over-the-top personality and comedic timing make him memorable. The character has a shrimp allergy and at one point gets a temporary bionic arm after an injury.
The Show’s Production History
Game Shakers was ordered by Nickelodeon on March 2, 2015, with production beginning about six weeks later. The show was initially going to be called “Game Makers” but the title was changed before the official announcement.
The cast was announced on July 7, 2015, and on July 25, 2015, the network announced special guest stars including Matt Bennett, Yvette Nicole Brown, GloZell, Jared “ProJared” Knabenbauer, and Smosh Games host David “Lasercorn” Moss.
The show performed well enough to earn renewals. On March 2, 2016, Nickelodeon announced that the series had been renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 17, 2016. Nickelodeon renewed Game Shakers for a third season on November 16, 2016, with the third season premiering on February 10, 2018.
However, the show’s fate changed in 2018. On March 26, 2018, Nickelodeon announced that Game Shakers had been canceled and would end after its third season. This announcement came on the same day that creator Dan Schneider parted ways with Nickelodeon, marking the end of an era for the network.
The Games Within the Show
One unique aspect of Game Shakers is that the games featured in the show were actually made available to viewers. Over the course of the series, a number of games designed by the characters have been shown on Game Shakers. These games have been released online and through the Nick app.
Several games share titles with episodes of the series, including:
- Sky Whale (the original viral hit)
- Dirty Blob
- Tiny Pickles
- Nasty Goats
- Llama Llama Spit Spit
This multi-platform approach let fans actually play the games they saw on TV, creating a more immersive experience. It was an innovative way to extend the show beyond just watching television.
Where to Watch Game Shakers
Even though the show ended in 2019, you can still watch Game Shakers on several streaming platforms. The show is available on Netflix, where all three seasons can be streamed. It’s also available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
The show continues to have a presence on social media, with an official Instagram account that has over 586,000 followers and a Facebook page with thousands of fans. These platforms occasionally share clips and memories from the series.
Reception and Reviews
Game Shakers received mixed reviews during its run. The show appealed to its target demographic of young viewers, but critics and some older viewers had concerns about the show’s quality.
The show was praised for bringing back Kel Mitchell to Nickelodeon and for featuring him prominently. Many viewers felt he was the strongest performer in the cast. The premise of kids running a gaming company was seen as timely and relevant to modern youth culture.
However, the show also faced criticism. Some reviewers felt the acting was weak compared to earlier Dan Schneider productions like iCarly, Drake & Josh, and Victorious. The humor was sometimes described as too frantic, relying heavily on physical comedy, explosions, and exaggerated reactions rather than clever writing.
Characters were sometimes criticized as being stereotypical or one-dimensional. Despite these issues, the show maintained enough viewers to run for three full seasons and nearly 65 episodes.
Behind the Scenes Facts
Game Shakers had several interesting production details that fans might not know:
- The show doesn’t tape at Nickelodeon on Sunset like many other Nick shows. Instead, they taped at The Burbank Studios.
- Game Shakers is the first Dan Schneider show where the main characters don’t have siblings who appear on screen or are even mentioned.
- The first season was cut short, and five unproduced episodes were moved to the second season after the show was renewed.
- The third season was originally supposed to have 20 episodes but was cut to 18 when Dan Schneider left Nickelodeon.
- The series ended without a proper finale, with the last episode “He’s Back” serving as an unintentional ending.
International Broadcast
Game Shakers wasn’t just popular in the United States. The series premiered on YTV in Canada on October 6, 2015, and debuted on Nickelodeon channels in the United Kingdom and Ireland on November 2, 2015, and in Australia and New Zealand on February 8, 2016.
This international reach helped the show build a global fanbase and introduced viewers around the world to the concept of young entrepreneurs in the gaming industry.
The Gaming Connection
Game Shakers arrived at an interesting time in gaming culture. Mobile gaming was exploding in popularity, with simple but addictive games making millions of dollars. Stories of young developers creating hit games were making headlines.
The show tapped into this cultural moment, showing kids that they too could be creators rather than just consumers of games. It presented coding and game development as cool, accessible skills that could lead to success.
While the show simplified the actual complexity of game development, it introduced many young viewers to concepts like:
- App development
- Mobile gaming
- Business partnerships
- Intellectual property and copyright
- Marketing and promotion
- User testing and feedback
Related Gaming Content
If you’re interested in gaming topics like those featured in Game Shakers, there’s plenty to explore:
For classic gaming experiences, check out the best GameCube games that still shine today or discover the best 3DS games you need to play. These guides showcase games that defined their generations.
Looking for games you can play anywhere? Explore unblocked games 6x or car games unblocked for instant gaming fun without restrictions.
If horror is more your style, read about the best horror games available. For fans of relaxing gameplay, discover the best idle games that play themselves while you’re away.
Want to learn about major game releases? Check out our guide to triple A games to understand what makes blockbuster games special. Need gift ideas? Browse gifts for gamers for the perfect present.
For nostalgia, explore Pokemon cards or learn about the snake apple game that started it all. Looking for puzzle help? Find connections hints to solve tricky word games.
Legacy and Impact
While Game Shakers wasn’t Dan Schneider’s most critically acclaimed show, it represents an interesting moment in kids’ television. The show tried to blend traditional sitcom elements with modern gaming culture and entrepreneurship themes.
For many young viewers, Game Shakers was their introduction to concepts like starting a business, creating apps, or thinking about intellectual property. Even if simplified for television, these ideas planted seeds about what’s possible with creativity and technology.
The show also marked the end of an era. As Dan Schneider’s last completed series for Nickelodeon before his departure, Game Shakers closed a chapter that included iconic shows like Drake & Josh, iCarly, Victorious, and Sam & Cat.
Should You Watch Game Shakers?
If you’re a fan of Nickelodeon sitcoms or have nostalgia for shows from this era, Game Shakers is worth checking out. The show works best if you:
- Enjoy kid-oriented sitcoms with simple humor
- Are interested in gaming culture
- Want to see Kel Mitchell’s return to Nickelodeon
- Like stories about entrepreneurship and business
- Don’t mind over-the-top, energetic comedy
The show might not appeal to you if you’re looking for sophisticated humor, complex characters, or realistic portrayals of the gaming industry. It’s very much aimed at a younger audience and embraces the exaggerated, high-energy style typical of modern kids’ sitcoms.
Final Thoughts
Game Shakers ran for three seasons and created 63 episodes of content that entertained millions of young viewers. While it may not have reached the cultural impact of earlier Dan Schneider shows, it found its audience and told stories that resonated with kids interested in gaming and technology.
The show’s premise – that kids can create something amazing and turn it into a business – carries an empowering message. Even if the path to success is simplified for television, the underlying idea that young people can be creators and entrepreneurs is valuable.
Whether you’re revisiting the show for nostalgia, discovering it for the first time, or just curious about this chapter of Nickelodeon history, Game Shakers offers a glimpse into mid-2010s kids’ television and the gaming culture of that era. It’s a time capsule of when mobile gaming was taking over and kids everywhere dreamed of creating the next viral app.
