1

🧰

Project Setup & Player

New game.py with a movable player square

Active

🎯

Goal for this step

Set up the standard Pygame template with a player that moves left and right.

1New folder, new game.py, same template as Episode 1 (800×480 window, clock, loop).
2The player is a Rect: player = pygame.Rect(100, 380, 34, 44).
3Arrow keys move ±5 per frame using key.get_pressed(), you know this from Episode 1!
4Draw the player orange. Run it and slide around.

game.py

player = pygame.Rect(100, 380, 34, 44)
speed = 5

keys = pygame.key.get_pressed()
if keys[pygame.K_LEFT]:
    player.x -= speed
if keys[pygame.K_RIGHT]:
    player.x += speed

pygame.draw.rect(screen, (255, 119, 0), player)

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

A pygame. stores x, y, width and height in one object. We reuse the game loop template from Episode .

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

The second and third numbers in Rect(100, 380, 34, 44) are…

Ay position, then width

Bwidth and height only

CBoth x positions

2

🌍

Gravity & Velocity

A vy variable pulls the player down every frame

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Make the player fall naturally with accelerating gravity.

1Add vy = 0 (vertical velocity) and on_ground = False.
2Every frame: vy += 1 (gravity), then player.y += vy.
3Temporary floor: if the player passes y 480, snap back and zero the velocity.
4Falling starts slow and speeds up, that is acceleration, the thing that makes jumps feel real.

game.py

vy = 0
on_ground = False

# inside the loop:
vy += 1              # gravity
player.y += vy

if player.bottom >= 480:      # temporary floor
    player.bottom = 480
    vy = 0
    on_ground = True

💡

player.bottom is a Rect superpower, it reads AND sets the bottom edge, no maths needed.

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

Gravity adds 1 to each frame, and vy is added to player.. Landing sets vy back to .

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Why does the fall get faster and faster?

APygame speeds up over time

Bvy grows every frame, so each frame moves the player further, acceleration

CThe floor attracts the player

3

🦘

Jumping

Launch upward with a negative velocity, only from the ground

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Add a jump with a proper arc, and stop mid-air double jumps.

1Jumping is one line: set vy = -16. Gravity does the rest of the arc.
2Use a KEYDOWN event (a jump is a single press, not a held key).
3Guard it with on_ground, and set on_ground = False when you launch.
4Tune it: -20 is a moon jump, -12 is a hop. Pick your feel.

game.py

# in the event loop:
if event.type == pygame.KEYDOWN:
    if event.key == pygame.K_SPACE and on_ground:
        vy = -16
        on_ground = False

⌨️

Code Challenge

+20 XP

Write the guarded jump:

game.py

if event.key == pygame.K_SPACE and :
    vy = 
    on_ground =

💡 Hint: Only jump while standing on something; launch is a negative velocity; and you are airborne immediately after.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Movement uses get_pressed() but jumping uses a KEYDOWN event. Why?

ASpace bar only works with events

BRunning is continuous (held key); a jump is one action per press, different input styles for different actions

CEvents are faster

4

🧱

Platforms

A list of Rects, drawn and landed on

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Build the level from a list of platforms and land on top of them.

1The level is just a list: platforms = [Rect(...), Rect(...), ...], a ground strip plus floating ledges.
2Replace the temporary floor with a loop over platforms.
3Land only when FALLING onto the top: vy > 0 and the player’s bottom was above the platform last frame.
4Draw every platform green. Then redesign the layout, it is your level!

game.py

platforms = [
    pygame.Rect(0, 440, 800, 40),
    pygame.Rect(150, 340, 140, 16),
    pygame.Rect(380, 260, 140, 16),
    pygame.Rect(610, 180, 140, 16),
]

on_ground = False
for plat in platforms:
    if player.colliderect(plat) and vy > 0 \
            and player.bottom - vy <= plat.top:
        player.bottom = plat.top
        vy = 0
        on_ground = True

for plat in platforms:
    pygame.draw.rect(screen, (6, 214, 160), plat)

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

The level lives in a Python of Rects. We only land when vy > , which means the player is moving .

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

What happens without the vy > 0 check?

APlatforms disappear

BJumping up through a platform would snap you on top of it instantly, teleport jumps

CNothing changes

5

⭐

Coins & Score

Collect stars scattered over the platforms

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Scatter collectables and count them with an on-screen score.

1Coins are a list of small Rects placed above each ledge.
2Loop with a copy, for coin in coins[:], so removing while looping is safe.
3On collision: remove the coin, score += 1.
4Draw coins gold, score top-left, exactly like Episode 1.

game.py

coins = [pygame.Rect(205, 300, 18, 18),
         pygame.Rect(435, 220, 18, 18),
         pygame.Rect(665, 140, 18, 18)]
score = 0

for coin in coins[:]:          # loop over a COPY
    if player.colliderect(coin):
        coins.remove(coin)
        score += 1

⚠️

Removing items from a list you are looping over skips items, the [:] copy avoids that classic bug.

⌨️

Code Challenge

+20 XP

Collect coins safely while looping:

game.py

for coin in coins]:
    if player.colliderect(coin):
        coins.(coin)
        score += 1

💡 Hint: Slice the whole list to loop over a copy, then delete the coin from the real list.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

What does coins[:] create?

AA copy of the list to loop over, so removing from the original is safe

BAn empty list

CThe first coin only

6

🏆

The Goal & Falling Off

A flag to win, a pit to lose, and a restart

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Finish the level with a win flag, a falling-off respawn, and polish.

1Add a gold flag Rect on the highest platform. Touch it with all coins collected → YOU WIN.
2If player.top > 480 (fell into a pit), respawn at the start.
3Draw win text with the big font; freeze movement once won.
4Stretch goals: a moving platform (give one platform its own vx and bounce it between two x values), or a second level list.

game.py

flag = pygame.Rect(660, 130, 16, 50)
won = False

if not won:
    # ... all update code ...
    if player.colliderect(flag) and len(coins) == 0:
        won = True
    if player.top > 480:            # fell off!
        player.x, player.y = 100, 380
        vy = 0

if won:
    msg = big_font.render("YOU WIN!", True, (255, 209, 102))
    screen.blit(msg, (250, 190))

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

The win needs two things: touching the AND len(coins) == . Falling past the bottom respawns the player at the .

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Why require all coins before the flag works?

AFlags need fuel

BIt gives the level a goal beyond "walk right", players must explore every platform

CPygame requires it

Jump Around!Simple Platformer

Jump Around!
Simple Platformer