From Zero to Game Hero: Developing a Basic Game with Pygame (No Degree Required!)

From Zero to Game Hero: How to Create a Simple Video Game Using Pygame (No Degree Required!)

Well, you’ve decided you want to make a video game. Maybe it was the Call of Duty series that got you into game development, or perhaps Flappy Bird made you think, “If that guy can do it, so can I!” Whatever the reason, you’re here. Welcome to the chaotic yet satisfying world of game development.

This article will demonstrate how to create a basic game using Python’s Pygame library. That’s right, no Unity, no Unreal Engine-just you, your keyboard, and a library that doesn’t judge your life choices. Buckle up, we’re about to make something moderately functional and mildly fun.

Step 1: Set the Scene (a.k.a Install Pygame)

Before you can create a game you will need to install Pygame. Open up a terminal or command prompt and type in the following incantation:

If that doesn’t work, make sure Python is installed on your machine. If Python isn’t installed… well, we’ve got bigger problems.