Easy Scratch Game Tutorial For Beginners

Nov 14, 2025 by Jhon Lennon 41 views

Hey guys! Ready to dive into the super fun world of game development? Today, we're going to create a simple game using Scratch, which is perfect for beginners. Don't worry if you've never coded before; Scratch uses a drag-and-drop interface, making it super easy to learn. We’ll walk through each step to build a game from scratch (pun intended!). So, let's jump right in and get those creative juices flowing!

What is Scratch?

Before we start building our game, let's talk a bit about what Scratch actually is. Scratch is a visual programming language developed by MIT. It's designed to be an accessible and engaging way for people of all ages, especially kids, to learn the basics of coding. Instead of typing out lines of code, you use colorful blocks that snap together to create scripts. This makes it incredibly intuitive and helps you focus on the logic and structure of your program rather than getting bogged down in syntax.

With Scratch, you can create all sorts of interactive projects, from simple animations to complex games, and even interactive stories. The Scratch community is huge and supportive, so you can easily share your creations, get feedback, and learn from others. It's a fantastic platform for exploring your creativity and developing essential problem-solving skills.

Why Choose Scratch for Beginners?

Scratch is an excellent choice for beginners for several reasons. First off, the drag-and-drop interface eliminates the frustration of syntax errors that often plague new programmers. You can focus on understanding the fundamental concepts of programming, such as loops, conditionals, and variables, without having to worry about typos or missing semicolons.

Secondly, Scratch provides immediate visual feedback. As you build your scripts, you can see the results in real-time, which makes the learning process much more engaging and rewarding. You can experiment with different blocks and see how they affect your project, which helps you develop a deeper understanding of how code works. It’s also super fun to see your ideas come to life right before your eyes!

Finally, the Scratch community is incredibly supportive and welcoming. You can find tons of tutorials, sample projects, and helpful forums where you can ask questions and get advice. It's a great way to connect with other learners and share your passion for coding. So, if you're looking for a fun and accessible way to start your coding journey, Scratch is definitely the way to go!

Setting Up Your Scratch Environment

Alright, first things first, let’s get our Scratch environment set up. It’s super easy, I promise! You have two options here: you can either use Scratch online in your web browser, or you can download the Scratch desktop application. Both versions are completely free, so pick whichever one works best for you.

Option 1: Using Scratch Online

To use Scratch online, simply head over to the Scratch website: https://scratch.mit.edu/. If you don't already have an account, I highly recommend creating one. This allows you to save your projects, share them with the community, and access them from any computer. Creating an account is free and only takes a minute.

Once you're logged in, click on the “Create” button in the top menu bar. This will open the Scratch editor in your browser, and you're ready to start building your game! The online version is great because you don't have to install anything, and it's always up-to-date with the latest features.

Option 2: Downloading the Scratch Desktop Application

If you prefer to work offline or want a dedicated application, you can download the Scratch desktop application. You can find the download link on the Scratch website in the footer under “Resources.” The desktop application is available for Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS, so it should work on most computers.

Download the appropriate version for your operating system and follow the installation instructions. Once installed, you can launch the Scratch application, and you'll be greeted with the same Scratch editor as the online version. The desktop application is great because you can work on your projects even without an internet connection, and it can sometimes perform better than the online version, especially for more complex projects.

Getting Familiar with the Scratch Interface

No matter which version you choose, the Scratch interface is the same. Let’s take a quick tour of the main areas:

The Stage: This is where your game or animation will play out. It's the area on the right side of the screen where you'll see your sprites move and interact.
The Sprite Area: Located below the stage, this area shows you all the sprites (characters or objects) in your project. You can add new sprites, delete existing ones, and select a sprite to edit its code.
The Blocks Palette: On the left side of the screen, you'll find the blocks palette, which contains all the different blocks you can use to create your scripts. The blocks are organized into categories like Motion, Looks, Sound, Events, Control, Sensing, Operators, and Variables. Each category contains blocks that perform specific actions.
The Script Area: This is the large area in the center of the screen where you'll drag and drop blocks to create your scripts. You can zoom in and out, move blocks around, and rearrange them as needed.

Take some time to explore the interface and get comfortable with the different areas. The more familiar you are with the layout, the easier it will be to build your game.

Planning Our Simple Game

Okay, before we start dragging and dropping blocks, let’s take a moment to plan out our game. This will help us stay organized and focused as we build it. For this tutorial, we're going to create a simple “Catch the Apple” game. Here’s the basic idea:

Objective: The player controls a basket at the bottom of the screen and tries to catch falling apples.
Gameplay: Apples fall from the top of the screen at random positions. The player moves the basket left and right to catch the apples. Each caught apple increases the score.
Challenge: If an apple hits the ground without being caught, the game ends.

Key Elements

Let's break down the key elements we'll need to create this game:

Basket Sprite: This is the sprite that the player will control. It will move left and right along the bottom of the screen.
Apple Sprite: This is the sprite that will fall from the top of the screen. We’ll need to create multiple clones of the apple to make the game more interesting.
Score Variable: This variable will keep track of the player’s score. It will increase each time the player catches an apple.
Game Over Condition: We need to define what happens when the game ends. In this case, the game ends when an apple hits the ground without being caught.

Game Logic

Here’s the basic logic we’ll use to control the game:

Basket Movement: When the player presses the left or right arrow keys, the basket moves accordingly.
Apple Falling: The apple starts at a random position at the top of the screen and falls downwards. If it touches the basket, the score increases, and a new apple is created. If it hits the ground, the game ends.
Score Keeping: The score variable is updated each time an apple is caught.
Game Over: When an apple hits the ground, the game stops, and a “Game Over” message is displayed.

Now that we have a clear plan, we can start building our game in Scratch! Remember, this is just a basic game, so don’t be afraid to get creative and add your own features and enhancements.

Creating the Basket Sprite

Alright, let's start by creating the basket sprite. This is the sprite that the player will control to catch the falling apples. Follow these steps:

Choose a Sprite: In the Sprite Area, click on the “Choose a Sprite” button (the one that looks like a cat). This will open the Scratch library of sprites.
Select a Basket: Browse through the library and find a sprite that looks like a basket or something similar. You can use the search bar to type “basket” to find relevant sprites quickly. Once you find one you like, click on it to add it to your project.
Rename the Sprite: In the Sprite Area, rename the sprite to “Basket” so it’s easier to identify.
Position the Basket: Drag the basket sprite to the bottom of the stage. We want it to stay at the bottom and move left and right. To ensure it stays at the bottom, we can set its y-coordinate. In the Blocks Palette, go to the “Motion” category and drag a “set y to ( )” block into the Script Area. Set the y-coordinate to a value that places the basket at the bottom of the stage, like -150.

Coding the Basket Movement

Now, let’s add the code that will allow the player to move the basket left and right using the arrow keys. Here’s how:

Add an Event Block: Go to the “Events” category and drag a “when key pressed” block into the Script Area. Change the key to “left arrow.”
Move Left: Go to the “Motion” category and drag a “change x by ( )” block into the Script Area. Connect it to the “when left arrow key pressed” block. Set the x value to a negative number, like -10, to move the basket to the left.
Add Another Event Block: Add another “when key pressed” block from the “Events” category. This time, change the key to “right arrow.”
Move Right: Add another “change x by ( )” block from the “Motion” category and connect it to the “when right arrow key pressed” block. Set the x value to a positive number, like 10, to move the basket to the right.

Now, when you press the left and right arrow keys, the basket should move accordingly. Test it out to make sure it works! If the basket moves too slowly or too quickly, adjust the x values in the “change x by ( )” blocks until you find a speed that you like.

Creating the Apple Sprite

Next up, let’s create the apple sprite. This is the sprite that will fall from the top of the screen and that the player will try to catch with the basket. Here’s how to do it:

Choose a Sprite: In the Sprite Area, click on the “Choose a Sprite” button again. This time, find an apple sprite in the library. You can use the search bar to type “apple” to find it quickly. Once you find the apple sprite, click on it to add it to your project.
Rename the Sprite: In the Sprite Area, rename the sprite to “Apple” so it’s easier to identify.
Hide the Original Apple: We’re going to use clones of the apple sprite, so we need to hide the original sprite. In the Blocks Palette, go to the “Looks” category and drag a “hide” block into the Script Area. We’ll add this to the code that runs when the game starts.

Coding the Apple Falling

Now, let’s add the code that will make the apple fall from the top of the screen. We’ll use clones to create multiple apples falling at the same time. Here’s the code:

Create Clones: Go to the “Control” category and drag a “when I start as a clone” block into the Script Area. This code will run when a new apple clone is created.
Set Initial Position: Inside the “when I start as a clone” block, go to the “Motion” category and add a “go to x: ( ) y: ( )” block. We want the apple to start at a random x position at the top of the screen. To do this, we’ll use the “pick random ( ) to ( )” block from the “Operators” category for the x value. Set the x value to “pick random -200 to 200” (or adjust the values to fit your stage). Set the y value to 180 (or a value that places the apple at the top of the stage).
Show the Clone: Go to the “Looks” category and add a “show” block inside the “when I start as a clone” block.
Falling Motion: To make the apple fall, we’ll use a “repeat until” loop from the “Control” category. Drag a “repeat until ( )” block into the Script Area and place it below the “show” block. Inside the “repeat until” block, we want to check if the apple is touching the basket or the bottom of the screen. To do this, we’ll use the “touching ( )?” block from the “Sensing” category. Set the condition to “touching Basket?” OR “touching edge?” (You’ll need to use an “or” block from the “Operators” category to combine these two conditions).
Change Y Position: Inside the “repeat until” loop, go to the “Motion” category and add a “change y by ( )” block. Set the y value to a negative number, like -5, to make the apple fall downwards.
Check for Collision: After the “repeat until” loop, we need to check if the apple touched the basket or the edge. If it touched the basket, we’ll increase the score. If it touched the edge, the game is over.

Adding the Score and Game Over Logic

To make our game more engaging, we need to add a score and a game over condition. Here’s how to do it:

Create a Score Variable: In the Blocks Palette, go to the “Variables” category and click on “Make a Variable.” Name the variable “Score” and click “OK.” This will create a new variable that we can use to keep track of the player’s score.
Initialize the Score: When the game starts, we want to set the score to 0. Go to the “Events” category and drag a “when green flag clicked” block into the Script Area. Then, go to the “Variables” category and drag a “set Score to ( )” block into the Script Area and connect it to the “when green flag clicked” block. Set the value to 0.

With these steps and explanations, you should be well on your way to creating a fully functional and engaging game in Scratch! Keep experimenting and adding your own creative touches to make it truly unique. Happy coding! Don't be afraid to explore different blocks and experiment with different values to see what works best for your game. The more you play around, the more you'll learn about Scratch and game development. Have fun creating your game!