how to make a flappy bird on scratch

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25-08-2025

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How to Make Flappy Bird in Scratch: A Comprehensive Guide

Flappy Bird, the deceptively simple yet frustratingly addictive game, is a perfect project for learning Scratch. This guide will walk you through creating your own version, covering everything from setting up sprites to implementing game mechanics. We'll even address some common questions people have about this project.

Getting Started: Setting the Stage

First, open Scratch and create a new project. We'll need a few sprites:

• Bird: Choose a bird sprite from the library or import your own image.
• Pipe: You can find pipe sprites in the library, or create your own using rectangles. You’ll actually need two pipe sprites—a top pipe and a bottom pipe. These should be positioned vertically, initially spaced apart to allow the bird to pass through.
• Background: Select a suitable background image from the library. A simple sky background works perfectly.

Programming the Bird's Flight

The core of Flappy Bird lies in controlling the bird's vertical movement. Here's how to program it:

1. Gravity: We need to simulate gravity pulling the bird downwards. Add a forever loop to the bird's script. Inside, use a change y by block, setting it to a small negative value (e.g., -2). This will make the bird gradually descend.

2. Flapping: Add an event block – when space key pressed (or any key you prefer). Inside, add a change y by block, this time with a positive value (e.g., 10) to make the bird jump upwards. Experiment with these values to find the optimal balance between flight and gravity.

Animating the Pipes

The pipes are the crucial obstacles. We need them to move smoothly across the screen:

1. Horizontal Movement: Add a forever loop to each pipe sprite’s script. Inside, use a change x by block with a negative value (e.g., -3). This will move the pipes from right to left.

2. Pipe Generation: This is a more advanced aspect. You'll need to create a new pipe pair (top and bottom) at a random y-position when the previous pair goes off-screen. This will ensure a continuous flow of obstacles. This often requires variables to track the position of pipes and the use of cloning.

3. Random Pipe Spacing: To increase the challenge, vary the vertical position of the pipe pair slightly using a pick random block within a certain range.

Detecting Collisions: Game Over!

The game ends when the bird collides with either a pipe or the ground/ceiling.

1. Collision Detection: Scratch provides a handy touching [object v] block. Use this to detect when the bird touches either a pipe or the edges of the screen.

2. Game Over Sequence: When a collision is detected, stop all other scripts, display a "Game Over" message, and possibly show the bird's score.

Scoring System: Keeping Track

Implement a score counter to track the number of pipes the bird successfully passes through.

1. Score Variable: Create a variable called score and initialize it to zero.

2. Incrementing the Score: Use the if then block with the touching [pipe v] condition to check if the bird has passed a pipe (this will require careful positioning). Increment the score variable each time the bird successfully passes a pipe. You’ll likely need some condition to prevent adding points more than once for the same pipe.

Making it Look Good: Aesthetics

Add some finishing touches to enhance the visual appeal:

• Sound Effects: Incorporate sound effects for flapping and collisions to make the game more immersive.
• Animations: Consider adding animations to the bird (flapping wings) for a more polished look.
• Background Scrolling: Create the illusion of movement by using multiple background images that are scrolled to give a parallax effect.

H2: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These are common questions people have while making Flappy Bird in Scratch:

How do I make the bird flap more realistically?

You can achieve more realistic flapping by using multiple costumes for your bird sprite and switching between them when the space key is pressed.

How can I add a start screen and game over screen?

Use broadcast messages to trigger different parts of your code. A “Start Game” broadcast can start the main game loop, while a “Game Over” broadcast can show the final score and a game over screen.

How do I make the game harder as the player progresses?

You could gradually increase the speed of the pipes as the score increases, making the game more challenging over time.

Why is my bird not moving correctly?

Check the values in your change y by blocks. A small negative value for gravity and a larger positive value for flapping will work. You also need to ensure your code is correctly structured within loops and events.

This comprehensive guide should help you create your own Flappy Bird game in Scratch. Remember to experiment and have fun! The key is to break down the project into smaller, manageable tasks, and you'll be flapping your way to victory in no time!