Game Makecode Arcade

Beginner

60 mins

Teacher/Student led

+170 XP

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

Space Dodge

Get ready to build an exciting game with MakeCode Arcade! You'll create a spaceship to dodge incoming asteroids. Follow step-by-step instructions to design sprites, control movements, and set game rules for a thrilling space adventure.

Learning Goals Learning Outcomes Teacher Notes Lesson Files

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1 Introduction to Space Dodge
2 Create a new Arcade project
3 Create your spaceship sprite
4 Control the spaceship
5 Set the number of lives
6 Create the asteroids
7 Set their position
8 Set their velocity
9 Auto destroy
10 Lose a life
11 Game On!
Challenge
Quiz

1 - Introduction to Space Dodge

Welcome to the 'Space Dodge' lesson! In this lesson, you will learn how to create a fun and exciting game using MakeCode Arcade. You will control a spaceship and dodge asteroids that come flying at you. Let's start our space adventure!

2 - Create a new Arcade project

Go to the arcade.makecode.com website and create a new project.

Arcade: How to create a new project

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

👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

+5 XP

3 - Create your spaceship sprite

In this game you will control a spaceship that has to dodge asteroids that come flying at it.

Add the following code to create the spaceship sprite and use the sprite editor to design your spaceship. It should point towards the right as that's where the asteroids will be coming from.

Rename your sprite to spaceship.

let spaceship = sprites.create(img`
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . d d d . . . . . . . . 
    . . 2 2 2 1 1 1 d d . . . . . . 
    . . 2 4 4 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . . . 
    . 2 4 4 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . 
    2 4 4 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d 
    2 2 4 4 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . 
    . 2 2 4 4 1 1 1 1 d d d . . . . 
    . . 2 2 2 d d d d . . . . . . . 
    . . . . 2 d d . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    `, 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.

+15 XP

4 - Control the spaceship

Now add the following new code to control the spaceship with the arrow keys and set it so that it cannot go off the screen.

let spaceship = sprites.create(img`
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . d d d . . . . . . . . 
    . . 2 2 2 1 1 1 d d . . . . . . 
    . . 2 4 4 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . . . 
    . 2 4 4 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . 
    2 4 4 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d 
    2 2 4 4 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . 
    . 2 2 4 4 1 1 1 1 d d d . . . . 
    . . 2 2 2 d d d d . . . . . . . 
    . . . . 2 d d . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    `, SpriteKind.Player)
controller.moveSprite(spaceship, 150, 150)
spaceship.setStayInScreen(true)

Make sure each block has the spaceship variable selected in it.

Click on the + on the move with buttons block and put in vx 150 and vy 150 to set the velocities for the x axis and y axis.

Once you've added the code test that you can move your spaceship around with the joystick (or the arrow keys on your keyboard).

+20 XP

5 - Set the number of lives

Now let's set the number of lives that the player will start with.

Add the following new code:

let spaceship = sprites.create(img`
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . d d d . . . . . . . . 
    . . 2 2 2 1 1 1 d d . . . . . . 
    . . 2 4 4 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . . . 
    . 2 4 4 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . 
    2 4 4 5 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d 
    2 2 4 4 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 d d . . 
    . 2 2 4 4 1 1 1 1 d d d . . . . 
    . . 2 2 2 d d d d . . . . . . . 
    . . . . 2 d d . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
    `, SpriteKind.Player)
controller.moveSprite(spaceship, 150, 150)
spaceship.setStayInScreen(true)
info.setLife(3)

Notice that there's 3 hearts on your screen that represent the number of lives.

+10 XP

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Copyright Notice
This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2025. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.

Your Answer or Description of Your Work

Project URL This can be a link to your project (e.g. a Scratch, Microbit, Arcade or CodePen URL link).

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To get the URL link of your Scratch project:

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Click on the Share button in the project editor.
Click on the Copy Link button.
Click on the Copy Link link. This will save the URL of your project page into your clipboard.

To get the URL link of your Microbit project:

Click on the button in the project editor.
Click on the Publish Project button.
Click on the Copy button. This will save the URL of your project page into your clipboard.

To get the URL link of your Arcade project:

Click on the button in the project editor.
Click on the Publish Project button.
Click on the Copy button. This will save the URL of your project page into your clipboard.

To get the URL link of your CodePen project:

Make sure you're logged into CodePen.
Open your project in the editor.
Click on the Save button at the top of the editor.
Copy the link from the address bar in your web browser (e.g. https://codepen.io/Jane-Smith/pen/gOVXxBQ)

Space Dodge

Teacher Class Feed

1 - Introduction to Space Dodge

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2 - Create a new Arcade project

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3 - Create your spaceship sprite

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4 - Control the spaceship

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5 - Set the number of lives

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