Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Hunter View Post
I've entertained Ideas about mermaid-themed games (the app store is shockingly sparse for both mermaid and unicorn content) but that would require a) choosing software for the job and b) learning how to use that software, and I don't know where to even begin. I don't like the idea of paying for something when I don't know if I'll enjoy using it, especially software licenses that you have to keep on paying for to use over time and which you can lose access to if the developer shuts things down.
If you want to really get into hardcore game dev, I'd start with Unity. It has a free version, and it is fairly powerful for what it is. The free software "Godot (go-dough)" is also a good starter program that is more in-depth.

If you want to get straight into making a mermaid themed game, I'd recommend going for something like the game "dreams", which allows you to do game dev more easily, though it sadly is only on PS4.
Something that looks very promising is the game Hytale, coming out in 2021, which looks to have very advanced user creation tools. That'll be a bit of a wait, but you'll be able to easily model stuff using their built in editors.

Look up on YouTube how to get started with game dev, and you'll find good channels like Ask Gamdev, Extra Credits, and more, that will direct you towards places to start.

But I agree, there are far too few games involving mers at all, let alone us mermen
I'd totally play a mer themed zelda style action adventure where you explore cool underwater environments though.