Kongregate, the online community/portal dedicated to playing and developing games, is furthering the “democratization” of game development with Kongregate Labs. Using the simple-as-its-name-implies side-scrolling shmup Shoot! as a foundation, Labs features an ongoing series of tutorials (or *groan* “shootorials”) that help you, the little person, learn how to make your own shooter. You’ll get a primer on designing controls, scrolling backdrops, collision detection and so much more.

And if shooter creation fame isn’t enough to light a fire under you, Kongregate is handing out cold hard cash to the best shootorials-based user created game. Play Shoot! if you want — the fun lasts many, many seconds — but then read on to learn about Flash game development with handy illustrated examples. We’re hard at work on our own “Dude Huge” shmup, currently known as Cliffydius. Watch for it!

Kongregate Labs [Kongregate]