Game Arcade

Beginner

60 mins

Teacher/Student led

175 points

What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC or iPad/Tablet

Shark Attack

In this lesson, students will learn to create an interactive game called 'Shark Attack' using MakeCode Arcade. They will be guided through the process of creating and controlling characters, making them interact, and using the game update loop for dynamic gameplay. No prior coding experience is required.

Learning Goals Learning Outcomes Teacher Notes Lesson Files

Warning: Your screen size is quite small for viewing this. Rotate your device into landscape mode if you can.

1 Introduction
2 Create a new Arcade project
3 Create your player sprite
4 Move the sprite
5 Make it stay on the screen
6 Create the enemy sprites
7 Set the enemy position
8 Make them chase the player sprite
9 Game over
10 Game Over, Well Done!
Challenge
Quiz

1 - Introduction

Welcome to our exciting coding adventure! Today, we are going to create a fun game called 'Shark Attack'. In this game, you will control a character who needs to avoid the enemies that are chasing them. We will be using a platform called MakeCode Arcade to build our game. Don't worry if you haven't coded before, we will guide you through each step. Let's get started!

2 - Create a new Arcade project

Open the MakeCode Arcade website using the link below and create a new project. You can call the project whatever you want.

https://arcade.makecode.com

Arcade: How to create a new project

Create a new Arcade project using the makecode.com website.

5 points

3 - Create your player sprite

Next, you will create your player sprite. This is the character that you will control in the game. Add the following code:

let mySprite = sprites.create(img`...`, SpriteKind.Player)

Then click on the grey box and choose a sprite character from the gallery.

let mySprite = sprites.create(img`
    . . . . . . f f f f . . . . . . 
    . . . . f f f 2 2 f f f . . . . 
    . . . f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f . . . 
    . . f f f e e e e e e f f f . . 
    . . f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f . . 
    . . f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f . . 
    . . f f f f e e e e f f f f . . 
    . f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f . 
    . f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f . 
    . . f e e d d d d d d e e f . . 
    . . . f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f . . . 
    . . e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e . . 
    . . 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 . . 
    . . 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 . . 
    . . . . . f f f f f f . . . . . 
    . . . . . f f . . f f . . . . . 
    `, SpriteKind.Player)

Arcade: How to create a sprite in Arcade

Click on the gray box in the sprite block to open the Editor. You can choose a sprite from the Gallery or you can paint your own sprite using the Editor.

10 points

4 - Move the sprite

Now, let's make your sprite move using the joystick (or the arrow keys on your keyboard).

Add the following new code:

let mySprite = sprites.create(img`
    . . . . . . f f f f . . . . . . 
    . . . . f f f 2 2 f f f . . . . 
    . . . f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f . . . 
    . . f f f e e e e e e f f f . . 
    . . f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f . . 
    . . f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f . . 
    . . f f f f e e e e f f f f . . 
    . f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f . 
    . f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f . 
    . . f e e d d d d d d e e f . . 
    . . . f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f . . . 
    . . e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e . . 
    . . 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 . . 
    . . 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 . . 
    . . . . . f f f f f f . . . . . 
    . . . . . f f . . f f . . . . . 
    `, SpriteKind.Player)
controller.moveSprite(mySprite)

Once you've added the new code, test that you can move your player sprite with the joystick or your keyboard arrow keys.

15 points

5 - Make it stay on the screen

You may have noticed that you can move your sprite off the screen. To stop your sprite from moving off the screen, add the following new code:

let mySprite = sprites.create(img`
    . . . . . . f f f f . . . . . . 
    . . . . f f f 2 2 f f f . . . . 
    . . . f f f 2 2 2 2 f f f . . . 
    . . f f f e e e e e e f f f . . 
    . . f f e 2 2 2 2 2 2 e e f . . 
    . . f e 2 f f f f f f 2 e f . . 
    . . f f f f e e e e f f f f . . 
    . f f e f b f 4 4 f b f e f f . 
    . f e e 4 1 f d d f 1 4 e e f . 
    . . f e e d d d d d d e e f . . 
    . . . f e e 4 4 4 4 e e f . . . 
    . . e 4 f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f 4 e . . 
    . . 4 d f 2 2 2 2 2 2 f d 4 . . 
    . . 4 4 f 4 4 5 5 4 4 f 4 4 . . 
    . . . . . f f f f f f . . . . . 
    . . . . . f f . . f f . . . . . 
    `, SpriteKind.Player)
controller.moveSprite(mySprite)
mySprite.setStayInScreen(true)

Now check that you can't move your player sprite off the screen edges.

15 points

Unlock the Full Learning Experience

Get ready to embark on an incredible learning journey! Get access to this lesson and hundreds more in our Digital Skills Curriculum.

Get started