Stage 1 · Lesson 4 of 7

Cloning a classic to learn the engine

is the fastest way to learn an engine. Rebuild a small classic such as Pong, Breakout, Snake, Flappy Bird or Asteroids. The design is already solved, so every problem you meet is a technical one.

A clone teaches the pieces of nearly every game: input, movement, collisions (things hitting each other), spawning new objects, score, UI, game over and restart. Make two or three clones, each a little harder than the last. Change something in each one so it becomes yours.

This prepares you for the programming and engine stages, where you learn why each part works.

Common trappublishing a clone with the original name or art, which breaks and rules on every store.

A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 1 cheat sheet entry come with the full roadmap. Unlock

Resources for this stage

Start with

VideoFree
Game Maker's Toolkit
Mark Brown (YouTube)
Short, clear video essays on why games work, so you start thinking about design from your first clone

Practise

GMTK Game Jam
A large, beginner-friendly jam: the best first deadline for a tiny finished game
itch.io
Browse the jam calendar, play small games, and later publish your own for free

Keep handy

roadmap.sh: Game Developer
A map of the whole field, to see where gameplay, maths, physics and graphics fit
Pro Git
The free Git book, for branching and recovering when a change breaks your game

Also worth your time

Game Loop (Game Programming Patterns) (opens in a new tab)Read
A clear, free chapter on how the loop your engine runs actually works