Program and Play

A list of my favourite free tools for Game Development that can give a head-start to aspiring indie programmers.

Development Environments

Dev-C++
A fully featured and easy to use C/C++ IDE based on GCC compilers. Lightweight and reliable. A great feature is its ease of installing new components and updates, straight from the IDE itself.

Microsoft Visual C++ Express
If you want to focus on Windows applications, this is your choice!

SDK / Libraries / Frameworks

XNA
based on the .NET Framework 2.0, XNA is an amazing product offered by Microsoft to give a chance to all developers to shape their ideas for PC and XBOX360. It uses Microsoft Visual C# Express as programming environment.

PopCap Framework
A very good framework for developing casual games offered by PopCap Games.

Playground SDK
Another excellent SDK for developing casual games.

Allegro
An all purpose multiplatform game library, very good for moving your first steps in C game programming. It can be integrated with other libraries like OpenGL. Works great with Dev-C++.

DevKitPro
If you wish to do some experiemnts in homebrew console development, this set of libraries offers everything you need for writing games on handhelds like the PSP, DS and GBA!

PALib
A high level DS library extending those provided within DevKitPro

Game Engines

Adventure Game Studio
If you loved the old LucasArts and Sierra point-and-click adventures, you'll love this (and it will also make you feel 20 years younger!)

Adventure Maker
An interesting engine to develop Myst - like adventure games for PC and PSP.

SoA - Last Ninja Engine
A great engine to develop isometric graphic games inspired by the unforgettable "the Last Ninja" (originally released on the C64 many years ago). If you like retro and action based games, you'll have great fun with this! 

Game Maker
A very well known and user friendly game engine perfect for 2D games (but also capable of some basic 3D action). Perfect for starting your own casual games even without any programming knowledge but flexible enough to satisfy also advanced programmers by allowing them to import external DLLs

Construct
Although not as well known as the Game Maker, this little tool is as powerful as many others, easier to use than many others and.... completely free! Check it out!

Graphic Engines

OGRE A 3D library for C++ developers to help implementing applications using hardware-accelerated 3D graphics through OpenGL or Direct3D. Irrlicht Another powerful and feature rich 3D library which can compete with several commercial engines 3D Graphics / Modeling / Animations Blender The most well known free editing and animation tool around. Very powerful and now it includes also a game engine! Anim8or A simple but friendly modeling and anmation tool suitable for beginners. Audio Programming and Design FMOD EX A powerful  combination of a crossplatform API and Sound Design tool. Free for freeware games. DirectAudio / XACT (included within DirectX SDK) These API and design tools are getting better and better in every DirectX SDK update.  A very good choice for your audio needs on Microsoft platforms. OpenAL An open source project supported by Creative. Very good library for 3D Audio. Audio Editing Audacity A good editing program supporting different plugins like LADSPA and VST WavePad Another effective recording and editing program supporting many formats.